I started a long winded blog about this issue and then I deleted it. Let’s just summarize with, electronic tables may have their place in this world. Cruises, small casinos in small towns that might otherwise not have poker, maybe even Sit’n’Goes, Satellites or Heads Up tables, my rumpus room (if such a room existed.) Might even be a place for people to fool around while waiting for a seat in a real poker game.
People do not come to Vegas to play poker this way. Tourists love to talk to dealers (I spent a lot of time dealing to tourists.) Tourists don’t care about the speed of the game (I was a tourist myself and if I lost my buy-in too early I had to go to bed. Faster game = faster loss.) Tourists don’t care about the rake (ask a tourist about the rake and a likely answer will be “what’s a rake?”) Even locals are paying $4.00 rake plus $1.00 jackpot rake instead of flocking to the casinos with the $3.00 rake or El Cortez which is still at an amazing $2.50.
I was at the gym yesterday and one old man says to the other old man “Have you heard about the Excalibur? I hope it catches on, save me on dealer tokes.” Other old man does not respond. (I’m guessing he didn’t agree but didn’t want to argue. Otherwise he’d have agreed, right?) This is for you old man, over 40 people lost their jobs but you can save a couple of bucks. Hey, life is grand. Here’s a crazy idea, just don’t tip you cheap _________. I’m sure the dealer won’t miss the two bucks you probably put out in a session.
And while I’m ranting about poker games and tables and dealers, why aren’t more dealers wearing cute ChezChani hand beaded rings?
Give those ChezChani rings to a couple of your favorite dealers and they will all want them. What is a rake?
ReplyDeleteLois
Rake is the percentage of the pot the house takes. That's how they make money in poker, since you aren't playing against them.
ReplyDeleteOr to make it wordier, from Wikipedia:
Rake is the scaled commission fee taken by a cardroom operating a poker game. It is generally 5 to 10 percent of the pot in each poker hand, up to a predetermined maximum amount, but not only can this percentage be anything, there are other non-percentage ways for a casino to take the rake. Some cardrooms will not take a percentage rake in any community card poker game like Texas hold 'em when a hand does not have a flop. This is called "no flop, no drop".
Poker is a player versus player game and the house does not wager against its players (unlike blackjack or roulette) so this fee is the principal mechanism to generate revenues.
It is primarily levied by an establishment which supplies the necessary services for the game to take place. In online poker it covers the various costs of operation such as support, software and personnel. In traditional brick and mortar casinos it is also used to cover the costs involved with providing a dealer (though in many places tips provide the bulk of a dealer's income) for the game, support staff (from servers to supervisors), use of gaming equipment, and the physical building in which the game takes place.
To win when playing in poker games where the house takes a cut, a player must not only beat opponents, but also the financial drain of the rake.
technology coming in and taking over? It's happened so much over the years..but I can't see that happening to poker tables. I don't gamble..but I really imagine that people who do like the whole ambiance of it all and it seems to be that the dealer at the table is a BIG part of it!
ReplyDeleteYou lost me completely with the poker (i've only been involved in building the casinos around michigan, not in playing at them) but your rings are gorgeous! I agree with Lois! Give one or two away at your favorites and everyone will want one!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the explanation of a rake! Learn something new every day. Oh and if I ever can make it to Vegas and inside a casino, I definitely want a real human there! I'd want the whole she-bang like we get to see in the movies! Not a machine poker game...
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Wezz - http://cyberwezz.blogspot.com
Nice information. thanks for that.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Lois...think of all the exposure your rings would get on a dealer's hand! Offer a little commission incentive...wow...they'll be flying out the door!! LOL!!
ReplyDeleteDee
The faster the game the more intimidated I am so I'm less likely to play. As a matter of fact that's why I never play, aside from lack of money :), is because I'm intimidated. Our company had a "Vegas Night" at one of our meetings and it was great fun cause we weren't under any pressure.
ReplyDeleteEwww, that must be weird. I can't see the benefit of that at all. And people having to lose their jobs because of it. Not a good thing! If people want to play against a machine, they could do that online! Not at a poker table in Vegas.
ReplyDeleteMy son-in-law was a dealer here in Indiana at one of the boats--hard work, but it was good money. You're right---all dealers and customers should be wearing jewelry or other items from eSMarts team members. Love the dichro cabs in your store!
ReplyDeleteHi ChezChani!
ReplyDeleteYour jewelry is BEAUTIFUL!!
I'm emailing you in response to a question in Wezz's blog . . . rubberstamping is my hobby . . . I mostly make cards . . . if you go to my blog . . . and go to the archives . . . you'll see some of the rubber stamped cards I've made!!! Have fun!!!
Hi ChezChani!
ReplyDeleteRegarding rubber stamping . . . here is a link that has oodles and oodles of rubber stamp companies that manufacture artist rubber stamps . . . http://www.gingerstamp.com/links/ LOTS of them have galleries and tutorials on them . . .
There is also a free ezine called http://www.ssreflections.com that has articles every month on various crafts and archives to their past articles . . . their yahoo group is very friendly and fun, too . . . they have swaps, etc. you can find the info on the ezine website . . .
Have fun!!!!
Those electronical poker tables are just plain weird! Poker is a social game. I will have to check out that room one day, and point and laugh while feeling a little uneasy.
ReplyDeleteYour rings are cool, I will have to buy one or two!