Undream
Two Pair
I will be the first to admit that I enjoy playing blackjack. Yes, I know it's a long term loser. But, I find that I enjoy the limited social interactions I have with the others that come and go at the tables, and of course , that odd time you have a dealer that is more than a cold shell of what was once a human. I enjoy the excitement of a double down... The brutal hits on 16.. and the absurdity of splitting 8's four times in a single hand facing a ten. It's just plain fun.
I know many people here have taken nearly entire days harvesting chips... almost to the point that they have felt like they put in a work day as opposed to what should be fun/entertainment at a casino. This is especially difficult in casinos that do not have poker rooms. Politely asking dealers and cages and pit bosses....snagging 5 chips at a time and walking around a casino like laps at a running track. It just didn't appeal to me, and sometimes can be a little intimidating. The times I've asked at cages they aren't very nice. I don't know, maybe I've just had bad luck!
So, over time I have developed some extremely effective ways to casually harvest during my time at blackjack tables, a game I enjoy playing anyway!!
This week I was in Vegas for 3 days and over the course of approx 6 hours ( in around 8-10 or so 30-60 min sessions), I harvested 201 Luxor chips and 31 MGM grand chips. I've also perfected this method at Greektown Detroit where I have harvested 381 chips so far over 12-15 hours playing blackjack over 6-7 visits (takes much longer due to poor condition stock).
Here's how I did it:
1. I find a $5 or $10 table that has a $1 side bet where the dealer has a solid number of $1 on their tray. Tip: pick a table with several other players - more distraction - and a few that have $1 chips in front of them. Good indication they are betting side bets and that is good for chips rotation, which is important if the rack has mixed condition. I buy in for $100 and ask for 10 ones. I then proceed to min bet.
2. I spend a few hands casually separating the ones by condition while I play. I pocket 2 or 3 of the best ones almost immediately, and nobody notices or simply doesn't care. (still decent stack there). Typically left with a few good and a few kinda rough. I goof with my stack of ones /hold them in my hand, etc. I like playing with chips anyway so it comes natural. This is smart because it sets up an expectation over the next half hour and you won't be looked at oddly when you do pick up your ones. The constant movement with them distracts the times you occasionally toss one or two to your other hand and pocket them ;D
3. If I hit any blackjacks during those first few hands and get paid out more ones, I adjust my ones stack to put the best ones toward the bottom and poor condition toward top.
4. I start to bet minbet + $1, or, I will side bet. I use my worst condition $1 chip. If I win a bet, I hope I get paid out with a good condition chip. I then keep my bad chip out on the table attempting to win more good chips with it. If I lose it, I will minbet + $2 poor condition ones attempting to get into the "good" ones in the dealer tray that I haven't sorted through yet. Many times, the act of side betting a few times will get others at the table to start buying ones from the dealer for side bets (its like a social phenomenon I swear ) and before you know it the other people are circulating through the dealers rack freeing up better condition chips you haven't had your hands on yet. I pocket anything I can as I play, but only the excess. I always keep enough at table to not raise suspicion from dealer. After 20-30 mins, it's not uncommon to end up with 6-7 in my pocket and a small stack in front of me.
5. If/when you run out from betting, buy 10 more from the dealer. The action you have been giving the table with poor condition ones will not raise any suspicion at all.
6. Continue process until the dealer gets their hourly break. This is your time to shine. During the dealer transition, pocket ALL ones you had at the table. Even if they were bad condition. The new dealer won't know you had a stack. So, in a hand or two, buy 5 or 10 more from the new dealer. Sit on them. Relief dealers only last 10-15 mins during primary dealer's break. As soon as you see the original dealer coming back, pull all the ones you just bought from the relief dealer and pocket them. Boom, you just pocketed another 10-14 chips in those two dealer transitions on top of the 6-7 good chips you already had in your pocket.
7. Since Your original dealer didn't see you pocket the stack you had when they left OR the stack you pocketed before they came back, they'll just assume you lost what you had when they left. So, you are clear to buy 5+ more from them again at this point.
8. Play till you have 3-4 ones in front of you (gamble off worst condition, pocket anything good you win if you do). At this point you are ready to get up and move on. Ask to color up ONLY when you have four ones or less. That way you put a stack in front of the dealer, and they just hand the ones back to you since it is less than $5. Again, no suspicion at all. They saw you buy ones, they saw you color up ones.
9. Go off somewhere to sort and and any poor condition ones you have in your pocket from the two dealer transitions where you pulled everything you had on the table off and into your pocket, turn in to the cage. This gets them off the floor. You will typically be left with 18-25 quality ones for that 35-45 min session.
Then, repeat 1-9 on a new table! Good chance you can get 30+ an hour.
BONUS: Every time you get a drink, give the waitress a $5 bill or a $5 chip and ask for change in $1 chips. Immediately pocket them without even looking at them or making it apparent to the dealer you asked for them. Don't bring them to the table at all. The dealer 99% of the time won't see the transaction between you and waitress and it just adds more ones for you in your pocket to sort through later.
NOTE:. Don't harvest more than. 25 or so chips from a well stocked table. The dealer might get puzzled as to where their stock of ones disappeared to. Dealers are very protective of their chips.
Anyway, hopefully this was helpful to someone! I'd be interested to hear of any other tips!
I know many people here have taken nearly entire days harvesting chips... almost to the point that they have felt like they put in a work day as opposed to what should be fun/entertainment at a casino. This is especially difficult in casinos that do not have poker rooms. Politely asking dealers and cages and pit bosses....snagging 5 chips at a time and walking around a casino like laps at a running track. It just didn't appeal to me, and sometimes can be a little intimidating. The times I've asked at cages they aren't very nice. I don't know, maybe I've just had bad luck!
So, over time I have developed some extremely effective ways to casually harvest during my time at blackjack tables, a game I enjoy playing anyway!!
This week I was in Vegas for 3 days and over the course of approx 6 hours ( in around 8-10 or so 30-60 min sessions), I harvested 201 Luxor chips and 31 MGM grand chips. I've also perfected this method at Greektown Detroit where I have harvested 381 chips so far over 12-15 hours playing blackjack over 6-7 visits (takes much longer due to poor condition stock).
Here's how I did it:
1. I find a $5 or $10 table that has a $1 side bet where the dealer has a solid number of $1 on their tray. Tip: pick a table with several other players - more distraction - and a few that have $1 chips in front of them. Good indication they are betting side bets and that is good for chips rotation, which is important if the rack has mixed condition. I buy in for $100 and ask for 10 ones. I then proceed to min bet.
2. I spend a few hands casually separating the ones by condition while I play. I pocket 2 or 3 of the best ones almost immediately, and nobody notices or simply doesn't care. (still decent stack there). Typically left with a few good and a few kinda rough. I goof with my stack of ones /hold them in my hand, etc. I like playing with chips anyway so it comes natural. This is smart because it sets up an expectation over the next half hour and you won't be looked at oddly when you do pick up your ones. The constant movement with them distracts the times you occasionally toss one or two to your other hand and pocket them ;D
3. If I hit any blackjacks during those first few hands and get paid out more ones, I adjust my ones stack to put the best ones toward the bottom and poor condition toward top.
4. I start to bet minbet + $1, or, I will side bet. I use my worst condition $1 chip. If I win a bet, I hope I get paid out with a good condition chip. I then keep my bad chip out on the table attempting to win more good chips with it. If I lose it, I will minbet + $2 poor condition ones attempting to get into the "good" ones in the dealer tray that I haven't sorted through yet. Many times, the act of side betting a few times will get others at the table to start buying ones from the dealer for side bets (its like a social phenomenon I swear ) and before you know it the other people are circulating through the dealers rack freeing up better condition chips you haven't had your hands on yet. I pocket anything I can as I play, but only the excess. I always keep enough at table to not raise suspicion from dealer. After 20-30 mins, it's not uncommon to end up with 6-7 in my pocket and a small stack in front of me.
5. If/when you run out from betting, buy 10 more from the dealer. The action you have been giving the table with poor condition ones will not raise any suspicion at all.
6. Continue process until the dealer gets their hourly break. This is your time to shine. During the dealer transition, pocket ALL ones you had at the table. Even if they were bad condition. The new dealer won't know you had a stack. So, in a hand or two, buy 5 or 10 more from the new dealer. Sit on them. Relief dealers only last 10-15 mins during primary dealer's break. As soon as you see the original dealer coming back, pull all the ones you just bought from the relief dealer and pocket them. Boom, you just pocketed another 10-14 chips in those two dealer transitions on top of the 6-7 good chips you already had in your pocket.
7. Since Your original dealer didn't see you pocket the stack you had when they left OR the stack you pocketed before they came back, they'll just assume you lost what you had when they left. So, you are clear to buy 5+ more from them again at this point.
8. Play till you have 3-4 ones in front of you (gamble off worst condition, pocket anything good you win if you do). At this point you are ready to get up and move on. Ask to color up ONLY when you have four ones or less. That way you put a stack in front of the dealer, and they just hand the ones back to you since it is less than $5. Again, no suspicion at all. They saw you buy ones, they saw you color up ones.
9. Go off somewhere to sort and and any poor condition ones you have in your pocket from the two dealer transitions where you pulled everything you had on the table off and into your pocket, turn in to the cage. This gets them off the floor. You will typically be left with 18-25 quality ones for that 35-45 min session.
Then, repeat 1-9 on a new table! Good chance you can get 30+ an hour.
BONUS: Every time you get a drink, give the waitress a $5 bill or a $5 chip and ask for change in $1 chips. Immediately pocket them without even looking at them or making it apparent to the dealer you asked for them. Don't bring them to the table at all. The dealer 99% of the time won't see the transaction between you and waitress and it just adds more ones for you in your pocket to sort through later.
NOTE:. Don't harvest more than. 25 or so chips from a well stocked table. The dealer might get puzzled as to where their stock of ones disappeared to. Dealers are very protective of their chips.
Anyway, hopefully this was helpful to someone! I'd be interested to hear of any other tips!
