What is an "Advantage Player"?

[tonystewartrules]

I don't consider myself to be an advantage player like the Bob Dancer's of the world, but I consider myself to be an educated gambler.  I think most of the folks here fall into that category -- at least we know better, even if we throw some money into the slot machines.  Every time I go to the casino I see some of the most clueless people I've ever seen anywhere.  I like to think that I at least have a better grasp of the odds I'm up against.

+1!!

+2

Terry

[phil7200]

I read an analysis of Carribean Stud poker by an Advantage Player some years back.  They stated that the Royal Flush had to be something like $300,000 or higher for it to be an advantage play. Really ?  Save that buck normally used to qualify for the big payoff for something else ?  This game as played in Illinois casinos is a shadow of what it was back then. My local casino restarts the payoff at $10k I believe as money saving move. People play it at any level for the big hit so why bother resetting it any higher ?

It was well publicized that the first player to get dealt a royal in Illinois did not put up the buck.  Worse yet the dealer didn't have a qualifying hand so the player got his ante returned to him.  Missed out on $300k and then some. I don't remember that a comment was printed for posterity by the player.  

[zelvis]

As someone who goes to Vegas to stay at nice hotels and hang at nice restaurants, shows, spas and pools, I am forced to take another view of advantage play. Clearly, the places offering what I am flying all the way to Vegas for do not have positive games (though, The Palms seems to thread that needle pretty nicely). So, I look at it this way. A room at Wynn would cost $300-$500 per night to me, but filling an empty room costs Wynn nothing. The food involved in a $200 per day dining comp does not cost Wynn $200 per day. So the 'advantage play" that I attempt involves playing the best game in the house with accurate strategy, and exploiting the financial difference in comps between cost to me and cost to the house to close the EV gap. At the end of the trip, I also play off all of my free play, and take home that amount of cash.

[danfed]

As someone who goes to Vegas to stay at nice hotels and hang at nice restaurants, shows, spas and pools, I am forced to take another view of advantage play. Clearly, the places offering what I am flying all the way to Vegas for do not have positive games (though, The Palms seems to thread that needle pretty nicely). So, I look at it this way. A room at Wynn would cost $300-$500 per night to me, but filling an empty room costs Wynn nothing. The food involved in a $200 per day dining comp does not cost Wynn $200 per day. So the 'advantage play" that I attempt involves playing the best game in the house with accurate strategy, and exploiting the financial difference in comps between cost to me and cost to the house to close the EV gap. At the end of the trip, I also play off all of my free play, and take home that amount of cash.

From a tourist perspective, I couldn't agree more!

Dan

[StatFreak]

I posted a while ago and retracted because this is in the public section. Heck, I'm not even that comfortable posting any personal info on this subject in the private section.

While I understand all of your positions as tourists and seekers of recreation, I consider an AP to be someone who makes money gambling, either full or part time; that is, someone who has the mathematical advantage in whatever play they choose to make. Examples might include, but are not necessarily limited to: live poker, sports book betting, blackjack, rare but available 100%+ VP, some tournaments, disciplined coupon play, etc.

At the most, a player who loses money gambling but receives more than that value in comps is someone I'd call an educated gambler akin to someone who is a very sale and coupon savvy shopper. You're not paying your bills by showing up at casinos.

[jatki99]

I don't consider myself to be an advantage player like the Bob Dancer's of the world, but I consider myself to be an educated gambler.  I think most of the folks here fall into that category -- at least we know better, even if we throw some money into the slot machines.  Every time I go to the casino I see some of the most clueless people I've ever seen anywhere.  I like to think that I at least have a better grasp of the odds I'm up against.

+1!!

+2