Dear
Mark,
Every time I chip away (no pun intended) at the
casino, they return larger chips than those I’m
betting. I get the feeling they want me to cash
out and keep what I’ve just won. Why are they
being so polite to a winner? Randall C.
Quite
the contrary, Randall. The second you get on a hot
streak, casinos prefer pit employees to “change
color” or upgrade your chips. No, they’re
not being courteous, just trying to induce larger
play. Because most players don’t equate casino
chips with real money, it’s easy to get caught
up in the game and forget what you’re actually
betting. Treat all chips, won or lost, like Friday’s
paycheck—your hard-earned money.
Dear Mark,
Do the casinos really care if you win? Jake M.
Win or lose, it makes
no difference to the Lord’s of Chance—just
as long as you’re a player. Preferably a loyal
returning player willing and able to give it all
back.
Dear Mark,
Do casinos have shills at the dollar machines? Andy
A.
A shill, or game starter,
is an individual employed by the casino to induce
gambling on table games, not slots, that are being
underplayed. The only place you would find a shill
today is in high-limit gaming pits.
