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Thread: Did the Covid Drive Everbody Away from Blackjack and Blackjack Forums

  1. #14
    Senior Member MJGolf's Avatar
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    Well I hate to multi post to a thread but I am trying to play...........and practice...............and play when I can. I was at one casino in our area a weekend ago and it looked almost like business as usual as to players and crowd. Other than they limited number of players at a table game. Staff all practiced "masking"; cant say for the general public. Some did. Many did not; especialy if smoking or drinking. They required a mask upon entry and a temp check but afterwords, looked like lax enforcement. They reopened their "buffet" but staff was serving and some food items were made to order. Not exactly busy there. But they had just opened that weekend. Spa closed. Sports bar was closed in part; you could order a drink but not sit inside but they had a counter outside with video poker and other similar table top machines that you could sit at. Every other one open. So you could watch sports in a way but not actually inside.

    Heading to Vegas this weekend for a birthday deal but mostly to just enjoy (and try to play as much BJ as I can). I'm not really a big club person or show person unless it's with a group, so that part doesn't matter much to me. I know that my buddy's son, who is one of the upper management at TAO has their place open but it's a different deal. Now they are "trying" to focus more on food rather than the huge "dancing crowds". I'm sure with the bars recently reopening but at limited capacity, it will seem like a little bit more normal My host is finally back at the "office" so to speak and not required to work just from home any longer.

    If anyone interested, I will repost after my trip to advise as to what has changed again..............LOL
    "Women and cats will do as they please, and Men and dogs should just relax and get used to the idea" --- Robert A. Heinlein

  2. #15


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    Quote Originally Posted by MJGolf View Post
    Well I hate to multi post to a thread but I am trying to play...........and practice...............and play when I can. I was at one casino in our area a weekend ago and it looked almost like business as usual as to players and crowd. Other than they limited number of players at a table game. Staff all practiced "masking"; cant say for the general public. Some did. Many did not; especialy if smoking or drinking. They required a mask upon entry and a temp check but afterwords, looked like lax enforcement. They reopened their "buffet" but staff was serving and some food items were made to order. Not exactly busy there. But they had just opened that weekend. Spa closed. Sports bar was closed in part; you could order a drink but not sit inside but they had a counter outside with video poker and other similar table top machines that you could sit at. Every other one open. So you could watch sports in a way but not actually inside.

    Heading to Vegas this weekend for a birthday deal but mostly to just enjoy (and try to play as much BJ as I can). I'm not really a big club person or show person unless it's with a group, so that part doesn't matter much to me. I know that my buddy's son, who is one of the upper management at TAO has their place open but it's a different deal. Now they are "trying" to focus more on food rather than the huge "dancing crowds". I'm sure with the bars recently reopening but at limited capacity, it will seem like a little bit more normal My host is finally back at the "office" so to speak and not required to work just from home any longer.

    If anyone interested, I will repost after my trip to advise as to what has changed again..............LOL
    Yes, please report on Las Vegas conditions.

  3. #16


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    I take the COVID19 pandemic seriously. Some people do need to get themselves infected to change their behavior, if they survive. If they do survive this time they won't be lucky everytime.

  4. #17
    Senior Member MJGolf's Avatar
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    Ok just returned late yesterday from a trip to Vegas. Stayed on the Strip. General Feel: Crowds seemed back to normal per my estimation. Especially on weekend. I think what a lot of people have said (who lived there or frequent there) about the current crowds or patrons is right. It's not quite the typical crowd. I would actually categorize it more as a lower element LA crowd. Maybe it's the lower cost of the hotel rooms? Maybe not and it's because that clientele can drive v. fly into Vegas easily. Parking garages on weekend were FULL. Free parking at most now.

    Travel: McCarran Airport seemed about to normal traffic to me. In an earlier trip, for example, the baggage carousels were not all used; seemed vacant downstairs relatively to normal. This time it seemed pretty normal to me. I rented a car so not sure if Uber or Lyft have picked up or gotten faster in arriving. Earlier trip in July many, many times took longer than 20 minutes to 30 minutes to get a ride share and sometimes they just were not available. That is UNUSUAL in Vegas. As to Taxi's, they are back. Lined up at airport and at hotels almost per usual. Not like in July where you even had to wait on a taxi. Hotel housekeeping is a BIT looser than in July. They do NOT do daily housekeeping for sure. Ours came in after two nights there to minimally clean, make the beds, empty trash and provide new towels. They are good about exchanging towels upon request but room service for food is LIMITED both as to availability and hours. Pools are still reservation only. Limited capacity. No day clubs or night clubs (or Strip Clubs ZeeBabar) are open yet.

    Hotel/Dining Expenses: Still good rates on hotels; easy comps for that also; with some extra perks like bonus casino play money. Not a whole lot but hey, giving me any money to play BJ is fine in my book. However, I truly feel like the hotels/restaurants are trying to make up for lost time in the other cost areas. Meals were flat out EXPENSIVE in the casinos........anywhere in my opinion. And while the limited capacity is expected in these Covid times...........limited menus are also the fashion. And they are not open as long, late or as often as usual. Some that were open every day in the past are only open a few days a week or weekends only. Costs were raised since I was there in July on drinks AND food. For example, a plain breakfast at the Paris Cafe Americana which was $18 in July (and is exorbitant in my opinion at that price) was raised to $23 or $24. That is robbery. Drinks at bars are NOT cheap either. $15 to$18 a cocktail or more, if you order a fancy drink. Now some places have specials on beers I noticed but alcohol generally was NOT inexpensive. One good thing is that they are giving comp drinks again if you actively play video poker at the bars again. Nice perk there (though that used to be the norm anyways). I don't go to Vegas to eat at McDonalds but even the "chain" places on the Strip and CVS/Walgreens prices are much higher than at your home. But definitely cheaper to buy bottled water or sundries there than at a casino hotel. For example $2/bottle for water v. $6 for the same size CVS v. Gift shop.

    Finally, Playing Conditions and Minimums: I found that more games/tables were open than this past July. Machines still closed every other one (for most part). But looked like there was no problem finding slot machines to play for those folks. More craps, roulette, carnival games and BJ games open in my opinion. While they seemed to follow the guidelines for the BJ tables and other card games (no more than 3 to a table) I did NOT find that to be strictly enforced for Craps or Roulette. They seemed to be bending the rules a little bit on the players at those tables at least on the weekend.

    Minimums suck for anyone who is a lower limit player. I found even the $15 minimum tables have been raised to $25. Even on roulette. I think $25 in play for every spin as a MINIMUM is pretty high for Roulette. But that's just my opinion. Maybe your mileage varies. What was funny, was that these minimums..........usually raised on weekends as you know..........pretty much stayed the same for the WEEKDAYS!! So be ready for that with the proper bankroll.

    I also think generally BJ rules are worse. But then again they have been trending worse for years. S17 games seemed non-existent almost. Only in high limit rooms did I see ANY. But even some high limit rooms that had a $50 minimum bet sometimes now are all raised to $100 minimums. Penetration sucked at the Caesars casinos I visited. Some claimed 50% pen but some dealers were a mite worse than that. I only played Caesars casinos this trip as I was with a guest and limited to my BJ hours and playing a little.

    Sportsbooks and Raiders Mania: Now that the Raiders have landed in Vegas, folks are generally wild for the team. You can NOT go into the stadium but all the sports books are open and many, many folks watching and betting there. May not be quite as many as usual but definitely busy! And man, that's another place they are trying to hit the fans in the pocketbook. While Allegiant Stadium is CLOSED; they had a watch party in the parking lot for an away game for the team while they played NE Patriots last week, I believe. They charged $400 to attend that party. To rich for my blood for what they gave........which was almost NOTHING. LOL

    I hope this gives you folks with ideas of traveling there a little better idea of current conditions.
    Last edited by MJGolf; 10-07-2020 at 07:28 PM. Reason: Forgot Sports
    "Women and cats will do as they please, and Men and dogs should just relax and get used to the idea" --- Robert A. Heinlein

  5. #18


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    Quote Originally Posted by MJGolf View Post
    Penetration sucked at the Caesars casinos I visited. Some claimed 50% pen but some dealers were a mite worse than that.
    Are you referring to DD or shoe games also?

  6. #19


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    Quote Originally Posted by MJGolf View Post
    Ok just returned late yesterday from a trip to Vegas. Stayed on the Strip. General Feel: Crowds seemed back to normal per my estimation. Especially on weekend. I think what a lot of people have said (who lived there or frequent there) about the current crowds or patrons is right. It's not quite the typical crowd. I would actually categorize it more as a lower element LA crowd. Maybe it's the lower cost of the hotel rooms? Maybe not and it's because that clientele can drive v. fly into Vegas easily. Parking garages on weekend were FULL. Free parking at most now.

    Travel: McCarran Airport seemed about to normal traffic to me. In an earlier trip, for example, the baggage carousels were not all used; seemed vacant downstairs relatively to normal. This time it seemed pretty normal to me. I rented a car so not sure if Uber or Lyft have picked up or gotten faster in arriving. Earlier trip in July many, many times took longer than 20 minutes to 30 minutes to get a ride share and sometimes they just were not available. That is UNUSUAL in Vegas. As to Taxi's, they are back. Lined up at airport and at hotels almost per usual. Not like in July where you even had to wait on a taxi. Hotel housekeeping is a BIT looser than in July. They do NOT do daily housekeeping for sure. Ours came in after two nights there to minimally clean, make the beds, empty trash and provide new towels. They are good about exchanging towels upon request but room service for food is LIMITED both as to availability and hours. Pools are still reservation only. Limited capacity. No day clubs or night clubs (or Strip Clubs ZeeBabar) are open yet.

    Hotel/Dining Expenses: Still good rates on hotels; easy comps for that also; with some extra perks like bonus casino play money. Not a whole lot but hey, giving me any money to play BJ is fine in my book. However, I truly feel like the hotels/restaurants are trying to make up for lost time in the other cost areas. Meals were flat out EXPENSIVE in the casinos........anywhere in my opinion. And while the limited capacity is expected in these Covid times...........limited menus are also the fashion. And they are not open as long, late or as often as usual. Some that were open every day in the past are only open a few days a week or weekends only. Costs were raised since I was there in July on drinks AND food. For example, a plain breakfast at the Paris Cafe Americana which was $18 in July (and is exorbitant in my opinion at that price) was raised to $23 or $24. That is robbery. Drinks at bars are NOT cheap either. $15 to$18 a cocktail or more, if you order a fancy drink. Now some places have specials on beers I noticed but alcohol generally was NOT inexpensive. One good thing is that they are giving comp drinks again if you actively play video poker at the bars again. Nice perk there (though that used to be the norm anyways). I don't go to Vegas to eat at McDonalds but even the "chain" places on the Strip and CVS/Walgreens prices are much higher than at your home. But definitely cheaper to buy bottled water or sundries there than at a casino hotel. For example $2/bottle for water v. $6 for the same size CVS v. Gift shop.

    Finally, Playing Conditions and Minimums: I found that more games/tables were open than this past July. Machines still closed every other one (for most part). But looked like there was no problem finding slot machines to play for those folks. More craps, roulette, carnival games and BJ games open in my opinion. While they seemed to follow the guidelines for the BJ tables and other card games (no more than 3 to a table) I did NOT find that to be strictly enforced for Craps or Roulette. They seemed to be bending the rules a little bit on the players at those tables at least on the weekend.

    Minimums suck for anyone who is a lower limit player. I found even the $15 minimum tables have been raised to $25. Even on roulette. I think $25 in play for every spin as a MINIMUM is pretty high for Roulette. But that's just my opinion. Maybe your mileage varies. What was funny, was that these minimums..........usually raised on weekends as you know..........pretty much stayed the same for the WEEKDAYS!! So be ready for that with the proper bankroll.

    I also think generally BJ rules are worse. But then again they have been trending worse for years. S17 games seemed non-existent almost. Only in high limit rooms did I see ANY. But even some high limit rooms that had a $50 minimum bet sometimes now are all raised to $100 minimums. Penetration sucked at the Caesars casinos I visited. Some claimed 50% pen but some dealers were a mite worse than that. I only played Caesars casinos this trip as I was with a guest and limited to my BJ hours and playing a little.

    Sportsbooks and Raiders Mania: Now that the Raiders have landed in Vegas, folks are generally wild for the team. You can NOT go into the stadium but all the sports books are open and many, many folks watching and betting there. May not be quite as many as usual but definitely busy! And man, that's another place they are trying to hit the fans in the pocketbook. While Allegiant Stadium is CLOSED; they had a watch party in the parking lot for an away game for the team while they played NE Patriots last week, I believe. They charged $400 to attend that party. To rich for my blood for what they gave........which was almost NOTHING. LOL

    I hope this gives you folks with ideas of traveling there a little better idea of current conditions.
    Your report is good but it doesn't account for COVID-19 outbreak condition in Las Vegas. Has COVID-19 outbreak in Las Vegas improved or gotten worst? Would it be dangerous to visit Las Vegas casinos because people is not wearing face mask and not following social distancing guidelines?

  7. #20


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    MJGolf, good report but one correction. ZeeBabar has only been to a strip club once, about 40 years ago (that Club closed a long time ago too), was too cheap to stay long in there. The cover charge covered one drink which I did not like, left soon after (stayed about 10 minutes).

    I generally travelled, pre-Covid, to Las Vegas by Frontier airlines. I am not ready to fly by air.

    What are the odds of getting the virus when you, personally, are wearing a mask though about 50% of those inside the casino are not?

  8. #21


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    Quote Originally Posted by drunk View Post
    .....................


    thanks to all the anti-science authorities out there:


    Attachment 4382
    Now that could be construed as a political post...

  9. #22


    0 out of 1 members found this post helpful. Did you find this post helpful? Yes | No
    [quote=drunk;292324]thanks to all the anti-science authorities out there:[/quote]

    Drunk, Excellent post!!!
    Please provide the URL.
    Last edited by 21frogman; 10-08-2020 at 09:13 AM.

  10. #23


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    Quote Originally Posted by drunk View Post
    a man thinks that by mouthing hard words that he understands hard things........................Herman Melville
    You need to remove the second "that" from the quote. You have one "that" already.

    Don

  11. #24


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    Quote Originally Posted by drunk View Post
    .....................




    21frogman - per your request




    https://i.imgur.com/8hPtmah.jpg
    Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

  12. #25


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    Quote Originally Posted by 21frogman View Post
    https://i.imgur.com/8hPtmah.jpg
    Thank you.

  13. #26
    Senior Member MJGolf's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 21forme View Post
    Are you referring to DD or shoe games also?
    Double Deck games. Shoe game pen seemed about like usual. But you can NOT hang around long to backcount. They give you a little time but then tell you unless you are going to play you can't stay close to the tables.
    "Women and cats will do as they please, and Men and dogs should just relax and get used to the idea" --- Robert A. Heinlein

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