Gaming Guru

Electronic Rating Systems at Blackjack Tables

Dear Frank,

I just got e-mailed your article on comps from Casino City Times. I've had this question for a long time and didn't know who to ask for an answer, maybe you can help me.

Recently we were in Reno. My husband was playing blackjack at Harrah's and instead of giving his players card to the pit boss they made him put it in a slot on the table located in front of his chair. How can he get rated or comped when that card is in there and has no way of knowing how much your bet is? Is the pit boss entering it in the computer behind the dealer?

My husband varies his bets all the time That card can obviously track how long you are playing, but not your average bet. And then when we were leaving he left it in the slot. I mean how can you remember that your card is in there, unless it is attached to you by a bungee?

Anyway, I think this is a terrible system, I was always taught bet big when the boss is looking and smaller when he is looking the other way, and the comps might be better.

Are they just trying this system out, or will it be entered into a lot of casinos down the road?

Thank you.

Carrie

Dear Carrie:

It might be that the chips are specially made to compute in the computer as well. So with your husband's card in and the chip-play on the table the casino gets an accurate idea of how much he is betting. Or they are indeed recording his bets by hand. Slot players do have strings or chains that they keep their cards on so that when they leave a machine, they don't leave their card in the machine.

One of the reasons some casinos are going to these automatic systems is to prevent the "BIG BET" ploy which does tend to inflate one's average bet without the risk attached. More and more casinos are using these systems. It's the wave of the present, so to speak.

All the best in and out of the casinos!

Frank Scoblete

Read about the Captain's 147-number roll at http://www.goldentouchcraps.com/captainrolls147.shtml.