Rhodeman77
Straight Flush
The other night I played in an underground raked home game. The rake is very high (at least for this area) of $10 per hand. For the $10 players get pizza, basic snacks of chips and candy along with soft drinks/water. The local casino rakes $5 +$2 for promotional fund. My question is why do the regulars in this game and other like prefer to play in it every week compared to the casino which is more secure, lower cost, and offers some decent promos with our raked money? Additionally most players tip $5/hand as it is a $5/5 game and there are no $1 chips in play, but the dealer has them in the tray. Myself and 1 other player were the only players that asked for some $1 chips to use for tips. The dealer is the hosts wife (former casino dealer herself) and every tip she gets goes right into the rake drop. So essentially most hands are raked $15!
This game started last year right as the pandemic started so I understand he had a captive audience since the casino was closed. The host is a former casino dealer and originally started this game years ago as a Dealer's game on Monday nights. Again, he had a captive audience since casino workers can't play in the casino here in Ohio.
But now the game is mostly local business owners and a few degenerate gamblers. Masks are no longer required at the casino now either. So having that as a selling point for the underground game is not valid.
So my question is why would the regulars in this game continue to pay such a high rake to play in this game when there are cheaper options for a similar sized game at the casino?
The host does allow players to go "on the books" and most of them used this option. I know some settled up after they busted for the last time and others said they would meet up during the week before the next game to settle up. Everyone was paid out in cash at the end of the night so he keeps a decent amount of cash in reserves. He is smart enough to know if you can't pay out everyone at the end of the night the game will die right there. But is this option to not need to bring a lot of cash worth the high cost?
This game started last year right as the pandemic started so I understand he had a captive audience since the casino was closed. The host is a former casino dealer and originally started this game years ago as a Dealer's game on Monday nights. Again, he had a captive audience since casino workers can't play in the casino here in Ohio.
But now the game is mostly local business owners and a few degenerate gamblers. Masks are no longer required at the casino now either. So having that as a selling point for the underground game is not valid.
So my question is why would the regulars in this game continue to pay such a high rake to play in this game when there are cheaper options for a similar sized game at the casino?
The host does allow players to go "on the books" and most of them used this option. I know some settled up after they busted for the last time and others said they would meet up during the week before the next game to settle up. Everyone was paid out in cash at the end of the night so he keeps a decent amount of cash in reserves. He is smart enough to know if you can't pay out everyone at the end of the night the game will die right there. But is this option to not need to bring a lot of cash worth the high cost?