In the Court of KING GEORGE

THE SECRET WORLD OF CASINOS •DEALERS- F rom the top down, the hierarchy of the traditional casino gaming floor is: ceo VICE PRESIDENT CHIEF GAMING OFFICER (oversees table games and slot machines) CASINO MANAGER (the DIRECTOR OF TABLE GAMES) SHIFT MANAGER PIT MANAGER (;manages a number of pits, each of which includes a number of sections) FLOOR SUPERVISOR {manages a section, which varies by the complexity of the games included: e.g., four blackjack tables, one craps table or two roulette wheels and one blackjack table) DEALER Dealers work in a four-person string (cards and roulette) or crew (craps)— with three of them dealing at any one time and one relief rotating between them every 10 minutes. A new dealer signals he's ready to take over by tapping out his colleague on the left shoulder (a.k.a. pushing in). This allows the active dealer to complete all the remaining transactions before clap- ping out—showing players and secu- rity his empty hands. The outgoing dealer then introduces his replacement and may pass on intelligence about the state of tip- ping, either with an aside ("Look out for george—sorry, Bill—at first base") or, less subtly, by spreading the cards not into an arc but an 5-shape, for stiff. Dealers use a range of signals to alert col- leagues that heat or brass (management) is on the floor—for example, tapping the craps stick on the edge of the table. Dealers instinctively assess players, some­times based on how they're dressed, but more often on how they play. A dealer will instant­ly clock those exhibiting game knowl­edge or strategic play. Dealers can spot off-duty dealers by certain tells, such as encouraging other players to tip, riffling or drop-cutting chips and, in poker, pitch­ing cards into the muck when they fold. Dealers are instructed to talk the game, which means verbalizing actions for the benefit of players and supervisors, as well as for their own concentration. A call of cash change, for example, alerts the pit bosses that money is being exchanged for checks, and color up or color down indicates that checks are being exchanged for larger or smaller denominations. * * * break-in houses • Casinos that hire and train inexperienced (breaker) dealers—• often straight from dealer school. hustling the toke/strong-arming • Attempting to persuade players to tip. soft hustles include paying a winner in low- denomination chips to encourage tipping. A hard hustle is when a dealer says some­thing like "Hey, that check would look great as a dealer bet!" Toke hustling is prohibited by management and frowned on by most dealers (who pool their tips) as unprofessional and counterproductive. dead game/dead spread • An open table with no players. Dealers are instructed to stand at dead tables, the cards arced in front of them, with their hands at either side and a welcoming look on their face. Those looking for a quiet shift avoid mak­ing eye contact with passing customers to discourage action. crossfire • When dealers chat with their colleagues at nearby tables. Prohibited by management. -PLAYERS george • The most admired player in any casino: a good tipper. Also king george, TRIPLE GEORGE and JORGE. tom/stiff • A "tight old man" (T-O-M), a reluctant tipper or non-tipper, a player who brings his own food arid drink to avoid toking the waitresses, toms toke the dealer a white and say chop to get 50 cents back. steamer • A (reckless) player for whom speed is the motiva­tion, win or lose. fish • A fool. In craps, a rail- hogger; in poker, one taken for a ride by other players. taking the hook • When a player chases wins or losses; the player can be reeled in by an experienced dealer. rocks • Poker players who bet only when they have the nuts (a strong hand). facce • A player whose face de­serves a slap. on tilt • Describes a poker player who is playing well below his ability, usually by being ex­cessively reckless; when a player has his nose open. donk • An unskilled player. acorn • A newbie; one who can be taught and molded by a dealer. grinder • One who plays at the same table hour after hour, rarely changing betting pat­terns and usually not toking. A grind joint is a casino with low-limit games. -CARDS & SHUFFLES- ost casino dealers are fluent in the core card games such as blackjack (snapper, 21, b.j.) and baccarat (bac), as well as a number of spin-off, novelty or carnival games (including Big Six, Let It Ride and Three-Card Poker). The rules of each game differ, but the basic techniques of shuffling, dealing and check-handling remain consistent. Shuffles vary by casino and game—the challenge for the house is to ensure adequate "game protection" while maximizing the number of hands dealt per hour. * A (somewhat elaborate) shuffle might be: wash riffle riffle & strip B3* riffle box tS~ cut & burn washing/scrambling Randomly mixing cards facedown on the felt. riffling Dividing a deck in two and interleaving the halves. Stri p A series of cuts (usually three to seven) stacked one on top of another. boxing ... Placing the bottom third of a deck on the top, sometimes with a 180-degree rotation. burning Discarding the top card. pitching Dealing cards from the hand rather than a shoe (dealing box). short pitch A card that doesn't make it across the felt to the player. helicoptering Pitching the cards high above the table, risking exposure. exposed/flashed card A card whose value has been accidentally displayed. boxed card A card faceup in the deck. stub Whatever the dealer is holding after the first card has been dealt. laying bricks The brutally repetitive nature of dealing blackjack. -WAITRESSES- C ocktail waitresses are a key part of a casinos ecosystem; they work hard at charming guests and sustaining the flow of comped alcohol. At the start of each shift, waitresses swap intelligence on players ("There's a George on table two") before setting out on their rounds. Once collected, orders are filled at backstage service bars. Here wait- resses prepare their own glasses, ice and gar- nishes for the barmen and call the drinks in a set order, usually beers first, followed by mixed drinks and shots (in order: vodkas, gins, whiskeys), and then wine, soda and juices. * Most standard orders are dispensed via guns (pictured at right), which have key codes for different drinks and brands of liquor. House liquor is served unless a pre- mium brand is requested. Because waitresses keep their own tips (un- like most dealers), getting the best shifts and sections is crucial: Working grave- yard in penny slots can be financially disastrous, whereas the craps pit on Super Bowl weekend is highly rewarding. Shifts and sections are allocated by seniority based on longevity; at the top of the ladder are day one waitresses, who joined when a casino opened. (This explains waitresses' preference for new establishments.) Slots players usually tip cash or vouchers; table players usually tip checks. Some wait- resses linger at a table to develop a rapport with players; others are all business, figur- ing they're just dropping off a drink. But if you don't think waitresses are comparing the color of your stacks with what you tip, you're crazy. King Georges are sometimes referred to by the value of their toke ("Mr. Black on table three"). Dealers will often en­courage stiffs not to forget their waitresses. * If a shift has been profitable, waitresses say they made bank; if especially good, they made yellow (i.e., $ i ,000), or even "Get the milk ready! I got a chocolate chip" ($5,000). Given the stereotypes of casino wait­resses (and the uniforms they're given to wear), many consider gentle flirtation to be part of the job. But dealers, supervisors and security are all alert for any banter that turns abusive. Some single waitresses wear engagement or wedding rings to keep pests at bay; some married waitresses work ring- less to inspire hope. —SUPERSTITION— 'Players A long with lucky clothes, charms, seats, tables, machines and dealers, players of- ten have a host of superstitions. Some buy in for odd amounts or for sums featuring eights (such as $8,880); others think $50 bills are unlucky. * In craps, saying "seven" is considered unlucky and ill-mannered, as is applauding your own roll. Some believe a new stickman will prompt a seven; a left-handed female shooter is con- sidered lucky; cocktail waitresses are thought to cool the action; and changing the dice af- ter a winning run supposedly brings bad luck. virgin shooters are lucky if female, unlucky if male. * Blackjack players believe a strong anchor (the last player) prevents the dealers "destined" card from going awry. Others place two bets instead of one to change their luck. * Slots players tap the screen or the side of the ma- chine for luck, or they crank the arm rather than push the button to spin the reels. Some believe cash bets win more than voucher bets or that machines are programmed to favor new players. Cell phone signals are said to influence a win positively—or negatively, depending on whom you ask. And opinions differ as to whether a casino loyalty card increases or decreases your odds. * Card players shout monkey (possibly a corruption of "monarchy") in a bid to encour- age paint (face cards) or tens. The hfouse I t is curious how irrational even ex- perienced dealers and floor men can be, though inexplicable runs of luck may signal a flaw in security. * Supervisors have been known to perform a range of rituals to cool the action: shaking salt behind players or under tables, turning the drop-box paddle around in its slot, standing on one leg, swap- ping out winning dice or cards—sometimes for replacements that have literally been chilled in a fridge. One shift manager places a folded surveillance photograph of a "lucky" player inside his shoe before walking the floor. * Craps is a hotbed of superstition. Pit bosses have been known to place seven ashtrays around a table, to spray paint the number seven on the table when changing the cloth and even to have "hot" tables moved an inch or so. Unscrupulous dealers might throw coins under the table to bring bad luck or find any excuse to touch the dice or brush against a shooter. * Anxious floor men who sweat the money are known as bleeders. Finally, many on both sides of the table are convinced it's unlucky to be superstitious. -CASH, CHECKS & CHIPS- A lthough many use check and chip interchangeably, there is a difference. Checks have a value and are color-coded: $ Color i white Nickname bird dropping l yellow 1.50 pink 5 red z5 green 100 black nickel quarter buck 500 purple ik yellow/orange banana, pumpkin (These are common cheek colors, but they vary by casino.) Chips—commonly used in roulette—have no set value until a player buys in and denomi­nates them according to his bankroll. Some players request colors they consider lucky. When players buy in, they place their bills on the felt, and the dealer sorts them by denomination before breaking them down in an overlapping pattern visible to the eye. The largest-denomination bills are placed nearest the wheel (roulette) or the shoe (cards) for security. Then the number of chips or checks is manually proved to the player (and to the cameras), before being pushed (sent/passed) across the table with the dealer's outside hand (in roulette, the hand farthest from the wheel). Standard twenty stacks are usually pushed using the formations illustrated below. With table games, the house's checks are stored in the rack (bank/tray/well) in front of the dealer and are arranged by color in the various tubes. (Larger de­nominations are stored on the inside of the rack for protection.) Dealers use various techniques to remove checks from the rack, including: plucking/picking • Taking chips one at a time, at high speed. 5k brown/gray chocolate short stack • Any stack under zoo but still in a house-approved format. dirty stack/barber's pole • A stack of different-value checks. cutting • Separating chips from a stack or dividing a stack into smaller units. splashing/spreading • Sliding (wip­ing) a stack of checks (usually four or five) into a line along the layout to demonstrate (prove) the number. drop cut • To skillfully release a number of checks from the bottom of a stack by feel. color for color - Paying a winning bet by matching the checks a player staked. converting • Paying a winner with a larger value check and taking change. dirty money • Checks collected from a los­ing bet. Some think it bad luck (or bad man­ners) to pay winners with dirty money—and many casinos think it's bad game security. color up • To exchange a number of low- denomination chips for fewer chips of high­er value. The opposite is check change. mucking/chipping up • Gathering chips from the layout into your palm—a test of skill and speed examined when au­ditioning for a job as dealer. Mucking can be assisted by a colleague (mucker) or a chipping machine. tightening the pot • Rearranging a large pile of chips (in poker) for neatness or game security, or so they can be pushed easily. hand to hand • Passing chips, cash or any­thing else by hand without placing it on the layout first—a breach of game protection. tapping tokes • When the dealer knocks a check he's been tipped against a hard surface before dropping it into the toke box. Tap­ping notifies the supervisor and security, and soft hustles other players to zuke (tip). ROULETTE R oulette dealers pick and flick the pill (ball) in various ways, includ- ing snapping it between their fingers or whipping it around the wheel. Casinos re- quire dealers to vary the position and strength of their spins to prevent players from clock- ing or tracking patterns. The ball must make at least three revolutions; many players won't bet until it is in motion, so dealers of- ten sling the pill with vigor to allow extra time for chips to be placed. That said, more spins mean more profit, and dealers are under pressure to keep the game moving. Winning numbers are marked with a dolly. * Some dealers memorize picture bets to help them calculate odds. For example, the bet be- low (two corners, one straight up) is known as the mickey mouse—it pays 51 to one. CRAPS T he four-man craps crew comprises a stickman, two basemen (who place and supervise bets) and a rotating re- lief. They are supervised by a box man, who sits opposite the stickman, in front of the chip rack. The stickman checks the dice after each throw, returns the dice to the shooter with the stick (mop/whip/pole),hustles up action, places and encourages high-risk proposition bets in the center of the layout (selling props) and calls the rolls. * Rolls are called aloud to announce the total and how it was made (easy or hard), and to help dealers pay out correctly. Calls are de- signed to avoid mishearing, tor example, "Five, five, no-field five" ensures a roll is not confused with "Center field nine." "Yo" or "Yo-leven" is called when the total is 11, to avoid being mis- taken for the dreaded seven. Many stickmen take pride in quirky or risque calls, such as "Ten, hard ten...girl's best friend!" -COMMON STACK-PUSHING FORMATIONS- ~> PUSHED TOWARD PLAYER TWO THREE DIAMOND FIVE SIX THE FLOWER CHRISTMAS TREE NINE PYRAMID CHEATING & ADVANTAGE PLAY- T he eye in the sky (surveillance) hunts for criminals, cheats and advantage play- ers. Cheating (breaking laws or casino rules) is illegal; advantage play (exploiting weak ca- sino procedures or equipment) is not, though houses will ask advantage players to cease or leave. basic strategy/the book • The "cor­rect" way to play. Cheats are often caught by playing irrationally—sticking on a weak hand, taking insurance inappropriately. taking shots • Attempting to cheat. smoke • Deliberate bad play intended to avert suspicion; a form of camouflage. pinching • Removing chips from a bet. capping/pressing • Addingchips to a bet. past posting • Adding chips to a rou­lette or craps layout after a number has won. (hand) mucking/switching/card palming ¦ Techniques to swap cards on the table or introduce winning cards. gaff • Any equipment used to cheat. Dice can be gaffed in many ways: misspotted/tops & bottoms/tees • Dice misnumbered in various configurations to avoid or ensure certain rolls. loaded • Weighted dice. flats • Misshapen dice. shoeboxes • Grossly misshapen dice, easy to spot with the naked eye. glim/shiner • A reflective device. cold/stacked deck-A deck or shoe pre­arranged by a cheat, a.k.a. cooler. paper • Marked cards, usually aces and tens. A range of methods allow a deck to be re ad : crimping • Folding or bending a card. (thumb) nailing/dimpling • Indent­ing a card, sometimes using a check that is then toked to the dealer as a distraction. daubing • Applying foreign substances (a.k.a. shade) to the backs of cards. pinning/punching • Making small holes or indentations in cards. edge work • Shaving or nicking the edge of a card. border work - Marking the printed borders of cards. sanding • Filing the back of a card, say with a speck of sandpaper stuck to a finger. slug • A block of high-value cards (tens and aces) introduced into a game, either deliber­ately or through a weak shuffle. card counting • The most well-known advantage play, in which players tally the cards dealt and bet big at key moments. back counting • When card counters play only advantageous hands, a.k.a. wonging, after blackjack ace Stanford Wong. rat-holing • When advantage players sneak their own checks off the table to conceal the amount they're winning. edge play/playing the sorts/play- ing the turn • Exploiting printing errors to identify cards by patterns on the reverse. control rolling/rhythm rolling/ sliding • Trying to influence a craps roll by set­ting and shooting the dice in a specific way. sub • Anything used by a dealer to conceal stolen checks-—from a thick watchband to shoes with specially created cavities. dumping • When a dealer deliberately pays losers, overpays winners or misplays a hand. hop cut • A false cut in which the cards are returned to their original order. flutter cut/butterfly cut/ stutter cut • Riffling the cards during the cut to expose their values. step • When a dealer misaligns the deck to indicate where a cheat should make the cut. mechanic • A dealer who manipulates cards to cheat—-for example by bubbling (squeezing) a deck to peek at the top card(s) and then deuce dealing the second card. front loading • When a sloppy or weak dealer flashes his hole card. first basing/third basing • read­ing the dealer's hole card from the first or last seat, spooking is when a spectator commu­nicates the dealer's hole card to a player. backing off/the tap • Stopping an ad­vantage player from playing. Some casinos flat bet card counters, permitting them to wager a fixed sum for the duration of a shoe. trespassing • When a casino instructs an individual to leave. Known sometimes as nrs 207.200—Nevada's trespass statute. SLOTS- A lthough less glamorous than table games, slots contribute a significant pro- portion of gaming revenue: 46 percent for ca- sinos on the Strip, 63 percent across Nevada, in 1014. Indeed, slots are a star attraction at some casinos—not least the El Cortez in Las Vegas; it has 137 traditional coin-operated machines and one of the last remaining "hard count" rooms to handle all the change. * Players de- velop affection for specific machines ("You can move em, but they will find em"), which can make decommissioning games problematic. volatility • The risk-reward ratio of a game. High-volatility slots make infrequent payouts of larger sums; low-volatility slots, the opposite. taste • Small wins that are designed to keep players at the machine, a.k.a. intermit- tent rewards. attract mode • The sequence of sounds and lights designed to beguile passing players. appointment games • Games that draw players into a casino, such as Buffalo Slots. hold • The percentage of bets kept by the house. Holds can be loose (marginally more favorable to the player) or tight (fa- voring the house). bonus vultures/fleas • Ne'er-do-wells who intimidate (older) players into abandon- ing a game just before it is due to pay a bonus. Casinos are conscious of the flea factor when purchasing new games. Coin slots are susceptible to a range of cheating techniques, including the monkey paw (a metal hook designed to fake a coin) and shaved tokens or slugs that regis- ter a credit but fall through the machine. Ex- perienced slot workers instantly recognize the clang of a slug as it falls through a machine. Thanks to the staff of the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Todd Greenberg, Michael Shackleford, Bill Zender, Marc Sbumsker, Eric Jacobs, John Robison, Kenny Epstein and the staff of the El Cortez.