A Day in the Life of a Vegas Player

Oftentimes I ask myself, what it’s like to live outside of Las Vegas. To be honest with you, the thought of residing anywhere else actually scares me. Here in Sin City there is so much to do, that you’d be hard pressed to meet your entertainment needs anywhere else. As a blackjack gaming dealer, I’ve always felt that lively action, fast-paced gaming and a high roller’s lifestyle are exactly what I need. Over the past couple of months I’ve been sharing some of the most bizarre stories, side-splitting jokes and topical interest tales with you. Today’s post is about the pulse of Vegas – that aspect of this gambling metropolis that resonates far and wide with players and entertainment enthusiasts.

If you’ve ever stayed in a Vegas hotel, you’ll notice that there are waves of activity associated with the gaming action. During the days many of Las Vegas’ revellers are out and about, shopping, eating, sight-seeing and enjoying the aesthetics of the Vegas skyline. From New York, New York to the Bellagio fountains, the immaculate Caesar’s Palace Casino and the Trump Tower. It’s a terrific series of attractions that is viewed even better at night. That’s when the true magnificence of Las Vegas comes to life. A smattering of lights – the likes of which have to be seen to be believed - bestows on this urban jungle a surreal presence.

When the players come home to roost, when they’re well rested, that’s when everyone ends up in the casinos. The blackjack tables are literally swarming with players from 11 pm through 5 am. It’s another world with drinks flowing, laughter aplenty and chip stacks piling up all over the place. I’ve seen made guys break and hobos minting it. Blackjack is certainly a game where skill-based play can ramp up your winnings ratio considerably.  I often laugh when I hear players talking about the blackjack books they purchased on Amazon.com or the card-counting tricks they heard from a buddy. I got to tell you folks, it’s not that easy to master the art of remembering cards dealt and calculating probability ratios of certain card combinations appearing.

The other day this man and his girlfriend saunter up to my table and the guy says. ‘Pal, deal me a winner.’ So I look at him and smile. ‘Well if you’re up for it and you feel lucky, you may just get your wish.’ I proceeded to flick him his cards. My up card is a King. He decides to hit (I’m thinking he’s got 16 or 18 and he’s scared I’m holding an Ace or a face card) and he goes bust. ‘Some winner he says,’ to which I answer, ‘Well if you must know I had a King and a 6. If I’d hit, I would have taken that 6 that you just received and gone bust. You were already sitting on 18.’ That’s why I always say to folks, know the rules and apply them. You won’t be sorry.