Heat at tables when playing without a players card?

If you don't care about earning comps and being rated at the tables do you get any heat for playing without a players card? I assume you wont if you play at low limits but what about higher limits like $100 tables?

 

Yes, expect to get heat if you're trying to play for significant stakes unrated. Why would anyone who qualifies for significant comps not want to be rated? Probably because there's a good reason they don't want the pit to know who they really are (card counter, etc.). It's possible that's not always the case, but they're going to think that, and you'd better have a good reason for why you don't want a players card ready to give them.

 

I'm not experienced enough with that level of play to be able to credibly comment on it myself. But from all the research I've done about card-counting and advantage play, the consensus seems to be that unrated play at higher-limit tables attracts attention for three main reasons...

1. Given the comps and perks you'd qualify for by having that kind of play rated, it's somewhat counterintuitive for a player at that level to not want such benefits in exchange for their action

2. For a "square" (i.e., non-advantage) player, high-limit table play is generally quite profitable for the casino... so they'll want to do what they can to encourage the player to come back, and rating their play is a big part of that

3. As soon as thousands of dollars start changing hands, you get into "reportable" territory for large cash transactions, for which the casino would need to capture the player's identity anyhow

 

I'm not saying it can't be done, as I've seen guys walk up to a table with stacks of $100s and do money plays, but that's very rare these days, and again, the pit will need a very good reason for why you don't want to give up your ID in order for them to let you do it for very long.

And before you go and get a fake ID so you can get a player's card without having to give up your real name, you'd better do some serious research into the legal ramifications of that as well. I don't recommend it.

 

Somewhat on a tangent, but let me add I agree that playing unrated may be odd to the pit, but sometimes I have stayed at a CET hotel on my wife's offer and I did not want to provide my card at a craps table because it would drop my ADT as we were concentrating our action on her card. I explained that to the box man who replied: "It doesn't actually work that way, but whatever." I did not argue, but I am confident it does work that way due partly because of the VMB posts and my own experience, I think I know the CET comp system better than that boxman. I guess I would have shown my ID if asked, but it did not go that direction.

BTW, my wife has no problem playing a table game using my card, but when I have tried using her card -- I invariably get razzed because of her obviously female name. So I don't even try anymore.

 

If you are playing big and they know who you are they don’t care about the players card. If you act secretive and won’t give your name etc then you will get heat.

 

I always give my card for everything, because I might as well get the points, but I see people very, very frequently sit down without a card. It depends a bit on where you are; Wynn won't blink at $100/hand, but Jerry's Nugget might be a bit more suspicious, when it comes to declining to give them your card.

 

At my old local a few years ago, one of the regulars was a younger guy who would play $500-$1000 per BJ hand/roulette spin in the HL without a card, whenever the floorman asked the player if he had or wanted one, the player would just say "no card". Bought in with giant wads of $100 bills. I guessed he didn't want his family, business partners, or wife's divorce attorney to be able to find any evidence of his gambling. The pit boss would write him a paper comp for dinner at the steakhouse which I almost never saw happen at that casino besides with this guy, but without a card I guess they had no other way of comping him.

 

I always stay at MGM or Cosmo. This last trip I hit a bunch of CET and other properties. Played craps at 20 different locations for a few hands. Anyhow if it wasnt MGM, I didn’t bother with a players card. I was asked a couple of times but never hassled. Only bought in for $400 though and colored up once I finished shooting...and on to the next casino.

 

Or he was another kind of "dealer". Saw someone along those lines in a high limit room last weekend...

 

It was either at Planet Hollywood or Paris, a guy throws down 2k on the Field…wins…presses 4k on the field….loses. Another 8k on the field….loses. Loses his entire buyin (cash buyin..no card) in about 5 mins. Walks away like he could care less. If I was forced to guess his profession, I’d say drug dealer with extra cash he could not deposit. Very suspect dude but the crew either knew him or didnt care. I guess if he had won they might have made sure to get his info.

 

Does the casino care when you pump 100 after 100 into video poker or slots without a card? I’ll answer they dont. just like they won’t when your buying in at blackjack. You’ll be fine with no card. A buy in over 10k though their going to ask for social number that’s a given.. Any heat will be at the cage when cashing out.. You’ll need to cough up an ID or they will play the game with you..

 

You do know some people have money.. 2k to you could be 20 to that person. Walking away after losing.. What else could he have done? Ask for his money back?

 

So what exactly does a drug dealer look like?

My brother is Cleveland Narcotic Officer for the last 13 years.. Some of his best stories are how you would never guess who is selling drugs. If you could pass on some pointers I would make sure he gets them

 

Agree...

 

thanks for all the replies. sounds like it wont hurt to try. i'm not an advantage player or trying to do anything shady, I just want to hit the casino sometimes without my wife knowing which I guess is a little shady haha. She's the one who's more on top of our points and comps so she notices.

 

You're definitely on the right track here. If you're not an advantage player, don't worry about heat anyway. And not wanting your wife to know what you're up to is an excuse they'll definitely understand and respect, in an odd sort of way, lol.

 

Maybe 10 years ago or so, I was chatting with a local casino manager (off the clock) and we were talking about Iowa's voluntary self-exclusion program, which is legally binding and will result in a trespass summons if violated. He said that they are required to spot-check at least so many patrons to be sure that they are not on one of the excluded lists.

They will normally do this on a slow Sunday or Monday evening, step up to a player, introduce themselves as management, and courteously ask for an ID check.

He said that one of the tip-offs of a possible excluded player is playing without a players card. This was in the context of machines, where they can easily see, electronically, which machines are being played without a card, but I would assume it would apply to tables as well.

 

I think it looks very odd to be playing $100+ tables without a card. You will be allowed to play, but will attract special attention from the pit until they are satisfied with the reason you are doing that. “Just playing a few hands” is a satisfactory reason, and probably the best one to give no matter what the real reason is.

 

Two Saturdays ago I was at the mirage high limit room early afternoon. I bought in for $1000 and cashed out for $6000 (GREAT SHOE) about 45 minutes later and I used my players card. When I went to the cage they asked for my players card (which is normal for a larger chip cash) but they also asked for my ID. It got me wondering what they would have done if I didn’t have a players card (wouldn’t have been to big a problem I think) or ESPECIALLY if I didn’t have ID or have it with me.