Q.
What is your view on someone physically in Las Vegas placing bets on
behalf of other people? Is this legal? It seems to me that if the bet
is being placed where betting on sports is legal, there would be nothing
wrong with it.
Bob C.
A. First of all, messenger betting is against the law
in the state of Nevada. But knowing that there are ways around everything,
I posed your question to an inside source in Las Vegas sports and race
book operations. He told me: "Race and sports books in Las Vegas
reserve the right to refuse any and all bets. They make it very difficult
for messengers to place bets. If they suspect the action is messenger
betting, they may confront the individual and refuse the bets entirely."
Q. I was
curious if you've heard any whispers about Harrah's bringing a poker
room to its Joliet Casino? I figure that with Harrah's owning the World
Series of Poker, it would be logical for them to have a poker outlet
in Illinois.
Joshua M.
A. Harrah's would love to be represented in the Chicago
market with its powerful WSOP brand but the Joliet property faces two
major hurdles: space limitation and the Illinois restriction on the
number of gaming positions. I'm thinking Harrah's is waiting for the
new barge to open at Horseshoe Hammond in the summer of 2008. The Las
Vegas-style 36-table poker room that's on the drawing board for the
property will give Harrah's all the marketing and promotional might
they've been looking to generate in the underserved Midwest market.
Q. Suppose
a casino offers Guaranteed Play video poker at the quarter level at
the rate of $20 for 100 plays. I calculated for optimum play on 9/6
Jacks or Better, after 100 plays you'll be behind $20 or more just four
percent of the time. I cannot see the casinos offering decent pay tables
when they could be missing out on four percent of the players' money.
Jim. T.
A. Your estimate could be a conservative one. IGT's
Guaranteed Play will likely not appeal to, nor is it intended for, skilled
video poker players. It will likely be marketed to casino novices and
people on weekend getaways who will receive Guaranteed Play vouchers
as part of their overnight packages. The pay tables, as you suspect,
will probably not be of the variety that the expert players look for.
Q. Can you
please write a column on proper tipping when receiving casino dinner
comps. What's your take on the subject?
Tony V.
A. Good service should be appreciated and rewarded appropriately
regardless of whether you pay for your meal or not. Complimentary meals,
be they at the coffee shop or the high-end restaurant, are commonplace
in casino dining venues. But at the end of the dining experience when
your server requests that you sign the tab, it's proper etiquette to
make note of the dollar amount of the bill and leave your server a 15
- 20 percent gratuity just as if you had paid for the meal.
