(Non) Vegas TR: Impromptu Craps trip to Harrah’s Metropolis

[theotherone]

I practice shooting craps a few times a week at home, on a small rig from Accucraps I got a few years ago. I have progressively gotten better and I love doing it. Problem is, living south of Nashville the closest thing I have to a casino in this state is the TN Lottery which of course does not count.

Metropolis, IL lies about 160 miles Northwest of Nashville; Evansville, IN is about the same distance to the North. Metropolis has Harrah’s casino, while Evansville has Casino Aztar and I am not quite sure which group of Casinos owns this one. I am sure I will get there someday, but for now I am sticking with Metropolis as my closest live casino (Tunica, a much better option, is about 3.5 hours west of Nashville, just far enough to make it a drive/trip that should be done over the course of a few days).

So when the opportunity presented itself in a twist of fortunate events, to make a quick weeknight trip to Metropolis for the first live Dice action I’ve had in 1 year, I jumped on it (read: I bribed my wife into agreeing on this little journey that would take me driving a total of 5+ hours just to play for 3+ hours, not arriving home until almost 2am, on a week night, to work the next day).

I left work in Nashville a bit early around 4:30 and high-tailed it out of town, past Clarksville, Nashville, and Paducah to arrive at Metropolis at exactly 7pm. I’ve been there before but not since Feb 07, so when I blindly followed the GPS it took me several blocks down from the casino, but I arrived around 7:10 nonetheless. Parking lot was maybe 30% full if that, perfect I figured for getting some good dice tosses in.

As I walked in the revolving door, there stood 2 security guards behind their stations in a lobby, with a sign high on the wall, about 8 feet up that read “FLOOD LEVEL 2011”. WAY higher than I thought, but of course the casino itself is entirely on a boat so it was unharmed. Without the sign, or seeing pictures from earlier this year, you would never know the Ohio River rose to such heights. It was still crazy though since you walk down a ramp, then down an escalator to get to the first level of the casino. I would have liked to see just how they manage this large casino as the waters rise that high.

Before you step foot onto the main casino the Customer Service/Player Club area is on the left, so I stepped up to see if maybe I had some offers. The lady reissued my Players Club card (yeah that’s right, I’m a Player! Just ask my wife! And don’t hate the player, hate the game!). there were none, not that I was surprised, since I didn’t even have the players card the first time I visited. But they did tell me to swipe the card on the kiosk which offered me the choice of a buffet, 500 Reward points, or something else. I chose the 500 points and it rewarded them too me. Not sure if I ‘won’ this or if it just gave me what I wanted, but hey, I was happy. Says they will show in my account in 14 days.

So entering the lower level of the casino (there are a total of 3), I notice right away the craps table, front and center. It was almost entirely full with a few people standing aside watching. A bit more crowded than I would have expected for a Tuesday night. I looked at the table minimums and confirmed that they had the fire bet! I remember calling there just 2 years ago, in October of 09 to see if they had this and they said they did not (which led me to Tunica for the first time, a very very memorable and profit-inducing first time trip, on my birthday to boot!).

I didn’t begin play right away…I remember the first visit there were 2 different levels of table games so I darted up the stairs to see the 2nd level. All slots. Up to the 3rd level…all slots. Shoot back down to 1st floor to get into the craps action. On the way, passed a hot little lady wearing all black, a nice rack, and a fun little tramp stamp on her back. Once I got started on the craps table, I found this to be the uniform for the drinky girls. On that note, Metropolis is the only casino I’ve been to that charges for drinks. They are pretty cheap though, I think about 3.75 or maybe 3.25 and they seem to serve the same as bigger casinos with free ones. My understanding is, they charge for drinks since they are steps away from residential areas, and with Metropolis not exactly being a booming, lavish metropolis, I guess they want to keep the winos at bay. So I’m told.

Apparently they have consolidated all table games on the first level. I actually realized about an hour before leaving that the Roulette table was directly next to the craps table, which was cool. I would glance at the numbers that had been dished out from time to time. Problem was, nobody was playing at that time. On from there was a number of blackjack and other tables. There was also one other craps table but it was never opened up, as the main craps table never fully filled up.

Before I get into the craps session details, I will end the post here just to break it up some…

[theotherone]

Ok, on to the craps action. By 7:30, I belly up to the 14 (or maybe 16 foot) craps table, somewhere around SL2 or 3. Meaning I was about 3 spaces to the left of the Stick man. There was one lady sitting next to him, but she wasn’t directly next to him, so I got as close as I could. This is important for dice setting. Some like to be at the end of the table, but I prefer to be as close to my target as possible. When practicing I am roughly at SL1 or maybe SL2, so I was just a bit further out than normal, but no biggie, I managed just fine. About 2 or 3 people shot before me and I noticed right away an older man in a red jacket was actually setting the dice and the dealers were saying nothing. He would take 10 seconds or less to set and shoot and rolled about 10 times. I bought in for $90 at first to see where that would lead me. After the red jacket guy, a man next to him took the dice and did ok as well, maybe 12 rolls or so. This man was at SR1, to the right of the stick man.

Next the dice came to the lady next to me at SL1/2. She passed the dice. Hooah, give the bones to me! I placed $2 on the firebet (I think I bet on EVERY shooter, at least $1) and went to work. My first session, I took it easy just to get into my groove and get the feel. The table has purple felt with red dice. Again I don’t know the exact size but it has to be 14 or 16, and luckily it’s not the 18 or 20 foot (or more) football field I have seen at Sam’s Town in Biloxi. I was glad to see the table was NOT bouncy at all! In fact, over 3 hours of play and not one time did anyone ever over throw the dice off the table. I even noticed some of my rolls didn’t exactly hit the backwall, but nary a word was said by anyone. I didn’t see many people tipping the dealers, except for Marge next to me, who was betting quite high amounts, and myself, who would set down a pass line or odds bet for the dealers every time I would shoot.
First time shooting and getting warmed up I threw about 15-20 times, making 2 points. Not too shabby! I used a set of 4554 (that’s 4 up on the left die with the 5 looking at me, and 5 up on the right die with 4 looking at me).

The dice carried on around the table, with not much action to speak of. I was trying to stretch out my buy in. Yes, I could have made only passline bets and waited and waited, but I just cant STAND not having more bets on the table for some action! Usually I would at least bet the 5 and 9 because I am cheap. Ok, I realize 6 and 8 is a better way to go, but it’s 12 to place those whereas I can bet 10 for 5 and 9 and save the $2 for my C and E bets on the comeout (which I love doing for insurance, and saves me from losing my passline bet!) Then again sometimes I would just bet my firebet for a $1 and not even play the passline until point was established.
One word on that note, there were a few times I highly considered playing the don’t, particularly if I knew the shooter didn’t know what they were doing, or if the point was 4 or 10. But NOBODY on this table was playing the don’t’s and I didn’t want to bring bad juju around. Maybe I will venture more into the darkside in Vegas, but for now I remain a Do better. Darkside is just sooo…dark. And wrong. And doesn’t feel right.

Eventually the cubes came back to me and on this roll I didn’t do as well, but at least I avoided the dreadful point-seven out. I managed to hit one point, a 5 I think, then a few rolls later sevened out. Somewhere along the way I bought in for another $50, so at this point I have a total of $140 at stake.

Guy next to me, about my age, maybe a bit younger, with his lady, comes up and begins shooting. Funny, at first I didn’t have much faith that he would do well, but you just cant judge a book buy its cover. They were a nice couple, she wasn’t playing, except would point out that lots of his rolls were field bets (or would have won on the field). Slowly I begin betting on him, as he would set the dice with his fully tatted up right arm, and he did very well, earning me some decent cash. He hit 3 points, which were 6, 6 and 5 before 7ing out.
After his roll he asked me what the firebet was and I was happy to explain. I told him even though he hit the 6 twice, if he had went on to hit the 10 and then the 4, I would have made 25 on him with the firebet. Had he hit the 8 and 9, it would have paid 250 and 1000, repectively. He made a few firebets after that but then they left.

Break here, as I get into the 3rd and final portion of my TR...the BEST Portion that is

[theotherone]

Now for the good stuff. When the dice came to me for my 3rd time to shoot, I geared up and got ready. By now I was relaxed, yet determined and focused to shoot well, and if a firebet became of my efforts, all the better! I switched my set to one I have done very well with at home, with the 5’s showing on both dice pointing up, but with 1 pointing left on the left dice, and 4 pointing left on the right (not quite sure what shows when its pointing at me, but you get the idea). This typically produces a lot of, 10s, 6s and 8s for me, and it did quite well last night as well. My first point was a 5, and am happy to report that I hit and set the ppoint, then turned right around and hit it! woohoo, on my way to the firebet. Next point was 8, which I hit after only about 4 rolls. Moving right along! Then I rolled a 6. It took some doing to get this one, but I finally hit it on a hard 6! This was my 3rd point!
The amazing part here is that the stickman points to my position and says “he gets paid $45 here”. I knew it was a payout for a hard 6, but I didn’t have that bet down!?! I knew the lady next to me did, as she was still betting high on these options. She had turned to me when I hit the hard 6 and said what I thought was “I had a lot on that hard 6” and I said “nice!”
But she was actually telling me she had bet $5 for me on it!!! With chills down my spine and my head tingling, I happily ratholed that green chip in my pocket, feeling like it was a trophy!! Nobody had ever bet for me like that before, even though I have been tipped about 10 before, but nothing like this! I was quite pleased to say the least.

Now, time to set my 4th point. I toss the dice out this time a bit higher than usual and out comes a 4. Oh boy, not as easy to make, but I’m going to give it my all trying what would be my first firebet ever, if I hit it. I threw a 5. They pass me the dice. Set them up, shoot, and………………….seven out.

Ah well, win some lose some, but the next best feeling, other than this super nice woman betting for me, was knowing that the fat stacks of chips I had ratholed away was won largely by My hand. Say what you will about dice setting, but bottom line is, why not do it? What is there to lose?
I have to wonder though, about the people who gently take the dice from the dealer, spin them around, set them in place, then grip them and shake them like mad and launch them down the table. What is the point? Hey, to each his own right?
One very old Gentelman with a Navy hat would do something like this, as he scrunched his tall body over the table, squinted at the dice, setting them just so, then grabbing them in his paw, shaking a few times, then BLOWING on them (all while the table sat silently watching, patiently waiting and giving the old veteran his time and space), as he finally launched them down the way. Now, the first few times he rolled I was rolling too…my eyes that is. But the 3rd time, after he had colored up what must have been 5 hundy in green cheques, he actually rolled really really well. Came close to getting a firebet which I reluctantly put a $1 on, but was glad I did. He rolled that time for about 20 minutes, adding to my bankroll a good bit. I was able to actually press some of the bets and start making some decent cash until the inevitable. I have to say, when it comes to these older guys, a lot of times they may not look like they know what they are doing but usually they do. I think they have had a lot of practice on the tables so I just roll along with how they do.

My 4th time shooting, just before 1030 when I had to leave for the 3+ hour drive back home I made one point, rolled a few more times, then sevened out for a total of about 10 minutes of play. I guess it couldn’t have been better though since I at least got to shoot 1 more time before departing. That was much of the purpose of this trip, to not only scratch the ‘itch’ I’ve had to shoot dice for real, but to see how my practicing has worked out for me. Hopefully someone gets some entertainment value out of this little (big) essay I’ve written here. Forgive me, it’s my first trip report. I can assure you the one for Vegas the first weekend of December will be at least a tad longer, but hopefully better too.

Please let me have your comments, suggestions, questions, critique, gestures, slurs, retaliations, etc. I look forward to hearing from you!