This happened to me and I can't quite figure it out:
I was playing heads-up double-deck in one of the truly sweaty down town holes, sitting at the top of a "U" configuration of tables, betting red 1-8. I'd been playing for about a half hour and was starting to get some heat. There was a change of dealers and I got a beautiful young lady at my table. We chatted while playing, and as I was winning, I began tipping -- not a lot, just a dollar here and there. After about ten minutes of play with her, I was dealt a stiff against her 9 showing. I motioned for hit and this is where it began: she glanced over her shoulder -- by being at the table at the top of the "U", her back was facing the pit boss and completely obscuring his view -- then she peeked at the next card coming out and said, "You don't want it." I didn't grasp her meaning as the prospect of such blatant advice was ludicrous. I motioned again for the hit. She glanced over her shoulder, then instead of giving me the card I asked for, she turned over her hole card to reveal a 4, then busted her hand with a King off the top of the deck. I sat stunned as she paid me.
For the next six or seven hands, she would not let me lose. She would peek at the next card and make the decision for me, once even drawing extra cards to a solid 18 to bust out. I was a little freaked out at this, so I tipped her a red chip and left.
I'd like some input as to which of these following possibilities is the most likely:
1) She just really, really liked me (she was all smiles)
2) She was just nickel-and-dime tip hustling.
3) She was hoping I'd raise my bets so that she could help me win and thus get a fat tip.
4) She was hoping I'd raise my bets so that she could double-cross me (a house sting?)
5) The house was trying to set me up for collusion.
Pertaining to number 1, I'm not an ugly guy but not Jude Law either. I doubt that she simply though I was cute. She could have been hustling for the dollar tokes, but as the tips there are shared in a pool, I'd think that it would be a stupid risk for a dealer to take. In addition, if she was hoping that I'd jump my bets and score big with her help, I'd have to win hundreds of dollars before her share of the pool exceeded five bucks. That leaves me with the house sting angle: Has anyone ever heard of this before? If the pit boss couldn't see what she was doing, then the eye could for sure; in fact, anyone standing within her peripheral vision would've noticed the circus. She was so obvious it was comical. Just absolutely fearless and blatant! I was beginning to suspect that I was on Candid Camera. Does the house ever do this?
Any other speculations? I'd appreciate anything as I'm totally baffled.
Rick
