Monday, May 07, 2012

Nervous over my first few days

So, as time moves closer to me actually starting to work in the Casino I'm actually getting a bit nervous.
I've been watching some busy craps games in my spare time especially if I see anyone at the table who is betting big.  There is no real reason to watch when people are making $5 or $10 wagers, but when someone starts with $160 across and $40 or higher on the pass line I take notice.
At one point one player had $100 on the pass line with $200 in odds which is simple to figure out on the 4/10 and 5/9.   On the 6/8 he was doing $250 in odds which ended up being easy to figure out after I just stopped looking at the dollar figure and looked at units instead.
However, it's the place bets that worry me. I know that a big money player is going to present challenges to new players.  The dealer on his side was obviously a vet, but just looking at the bets my head swam for a few minutes.
The 6/8 would get placed for $30 for every new shooter.
With the 1st hit he would take it to $60.
With the 2nd hit he would take it to $72.
With the 3rd hit he would take it to $90.

So, after I took the time to look things over life became easier - but until it clicks my mind sometimes goes into "oh shit" mode.

On a 6/8 the place bets pay $7 for every $6 you have - therefor $30 pays $35.
That one is simple - it's one you should memorize because you're going to pay it all the f'n time.
So, Hit #1 pays $35 and he presses to $60 - He gets $5 in change - Easy.

Hit #2 took me a few moments just because of the way the dealer was doing things, but here it is.
$60 pays $70 - He takes his bet up to $72.
The easy way to do this is he throws you $2 and you give him his place bet back ($60) and put the $72 as the new place.
$72 pays $84
(I'll probably just have to memorize this as well as going through this motion it appears as though it might actually end up being a common bet.  Most of the small games I have ever played have skipped this because once they hit the $30 denomination they just usually press in increments of $30.  $30, $60, $90, $120, etc).  However, if someone starts off with a $30 base and looking at the math above it appears as though it might end up being more common than I had previously thought).

So, $72 pays $84 (breaking it down $60 pays $70 and $12 pays $14) and he then presses to $90.
How does this press work?
It appears as though the easiest way to do this would be Payout $85 into the come and from the $72 stack hand $1 back into the box (you are over paying by $1 so you give $1 back to the house).
Then take 1 $5 chips out of the (now) $71 stack and hand the rest back to the player.  You are left with 3 greens and 3 reds for $90.

After looking over this situation and taking the time to analyze it away from the game it all seems easy and makes 100% sense to me now.  However, when I was watching I just kept thinking to myself "Self: I really don't want to be in this situation too soon because I don't want to look like a fucking idiot."
Now I won't.

Also, above I noted how this same player (and a guy next to him) had $250 in odds on the 6/8 when it was the point.  Until I saw it paid twice my mind was in "big money oh shit" mode, but after taking the time to break it down my mind then said "Oh, that was f'n simple you eediot."

Your odds on the 6/8 (bet behind/backing up your pass line bet is called Odds) pay $6 to every $5 bet (don't get confused - the Place Bets are the ones that pay $7 to every $6 - Odds pay EXACT odds whereas the place bets have a house edge).  So, on a $25 bet you pay $30. Multiple that by a factor of ten and it's easy to come up with $250 pays $300!

The lesson for today is that my teacher is 100% right.  STOP THINKING and just do it.
STOP LOOKING at denominations and just look at UNITS.

In this case you just go up the color chart!
$5 odds pays $6 - 1 red and 1 white.
$25 pays $30 - 1 green and 1 red.
Simple.

Until next time - Stop thinking and start doing!
I love when I figure shit out!  After typing this whole thing up I just became less nervous about my first few days - though I still haven't quite figured out when I'm going to get sleep.

23 comments:

  1. I'm sure you'll do fine. We all hit speed bumps at first. I couldn't figure that stuff out if my life depended on it. Sounds like you're a natural. Tatude

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    1. I don't feel like I'm a natural, I'm just damned determined to get this shit down and excel at my job so that I can eventually roll in money!

      Thanks for the kind thoughts though!

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  2. Totally processed then - ready to go?

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    1. Well - I've got the rest of my HR paperwork today - then Orientation tomorrow.
      First shifts are Thursday and Friday

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  3. Don't rush things...take it slow. I remember how nervous I was during my first few days of poker dealing! just remember the fundamentals and you'll be fine

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    1. Thanks Balt -
      Everyone goes through it I suppose - it's just really weird for me to feel this way because I've been doing the same job for basically a decade at this point.

      Delete
  4. Sometimes determination and hard work win over being a "natural". I was shooting micro limit craps at the Jokers Wild once and the dealer kept encouraging me add small amounts - in this case 25¢ (I said it was micro limits!). It took me a minute, but I realized he was helping size my bet for the best payout. I imagine it was easier for him, too. Good luck, I'm pulling for you.

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    1. I hope you toked that table a quarter when you left lol.

      Your comment makes me miss Dollar craps at the Nevada Palace lol!

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    2. I always tip, usually too much. That's why I could never be a professional gambler on anything but VP.....

      The best one though was to Casino Royal where I tipped my last $1 "for the boys" and they put it on "yo 11" and it hits. Smiles all around.

      Delete
  5. nice blog update broski

    also glgl in the new job, wish u cud giv us some moat infoz on it =(

    FBOY

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    1. Send me an email fboy and I'll give you all the info you want

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  6. OMG grrouchie! Your logo looks even better with the blue & red! Excellente! I'm mad jealous.

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    1. Thank you. I love the logo myself. The red hit me at the last minute.:)

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  7. It is natural for you to be nervous, once you have a few rolls under your belt you'll be fine. Congrats again.

    Wow, I love the Groucho logo, it's fantastic.

    This is a gala day for you....which is pretty good, because I'm sure that a gal a day is pretty much all you could handle.

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    1. Thanks Rob - I have had someone working on logo's for me for the past few weeks at this point.

      The first couple versions I absolutely loved but I kept pressing him to try something different and made some suggestions of what I was kind of looking for and a "Hey, try this for me just so I can see how it looks" and next thing you know this is what I got.

      I'm pretty f'n stoked about the whole logo and it conforms well to something I drew up as a sketch in like 30 seconds lol.

      Also - Notice the eyebrows!!!

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    2. Eyebrows? What am I supposed to notice? Sorry....

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  8. Dude, I would be so totally lost in that arena. That you can spout this stuff off with authority is amazing.

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    1. Hard work and dedication.
      Also, I said my prayers and ate my vitamins.

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  9. Just remember -- when I bet at your pit, I place my bet in reds, get paid back in greens. Repeat after me ...

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    1. Ok lightning - I'm going to remember this.
      However, I'm also going to remember to tell you to add more reds to your bet so that your payout will be "proper"

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