Pumping Oxygen into a casino is NOT a trick
of the trade
Dear Mark,
In my favorite casino, the Caribbean Stud progressive tote
is at $55,200 for a royal flush. How good a wager, and when
is it mathematically in my favor? Jimbo M.
Sorry, Jimbo, I can't recommend this wager to anyone. First,
note there are 2,598,960 possible poker hands using a standard
52-card deck. Now divide that figure by four (the different
suits) and you'll come up with 649,740. Because you don't
get to draw any cards in Caribbean Stud, this mathematically
is the odds of hitting a royal. Jimbo, one in 649,740 is too
big a differential from the $55,200 they plan on paying you
for me to endorse this play.
Dear Mark,
My friend believes that many of the Vegas casinos pump oxygen
through the air conditioning system to enrich the air. The
purpose is to keep you from sleeping as long and therefore
gambling more. I didn't notice any difference in my sleeping
habits, but still, my friend insists he's right. Is he? Colin
I.
Colin, your friend is full of, of, of, OK, I'll be nice,
baloney. What comes to mind every time I hear this rumor are
the three Apollo astronauts who died when a small spark combined
with oxygen ignited their space capsule creating one of NASA's
worst disasters.
According to my neighbor Dick (Captain, South San Francisco
Fire Department), "pumping oxygen into a casino would
be a tremendous fire hazard that would greatly increase the
flammability of all other objects. Any small fire, anywhere
in the hotel, would be fanned and magnify itself by pumped
oxygen." As for the risk/reward opportunity, no casino
would ever entertain the thought.
Of course that doesn't mean the casino doesn't have its share
of tricks to part bettors from their cash. Casinos spend tens
of thousands of dollars each year studying whether scents,
interior design (yes, even that gaudy carpeting) or trying
to keep light off the foreheads of customers-which is draining
on them from an energy standpoint-will make players stay and
play more. If somehow a casino could figure out how to keep
each and every patron playing just five more minutes a night,
it would add millions to a casino's gross each year.
Now back to this ridiculous rumor of pumping oxygen, Colin.
It does have a starting point. I believe ground zero comes
from Mario Puzo's book, Fools Die, where the practice of pumping
oxygen was written by Puzo regarding the mythical Las Vegas
casino Xanadu. I guess your friend translated this fictional
work into reality, but hey, Colin, maybe casinos one day will
try decreasing the oxygen to disorient the players even more
than they already are.
Dear Mark,
What is the most popular slot machine in the casino? Tara
C.
The bulk of the lucrative slot business has been the exclusive
territory of one manufacturer, International Game Technology
(IGT). Their bread-and-butter comes from the most popular
machine in America: the Red, White and Blue reel slot. And
what makes the Red, White and Blue so popular? Player appeal.
People flock to the colors that represent America. Players
also love the paytable that offers plenty of low and midrange
hits with enough high-end hits to keep them coming back for
more.
Note here, Tara, that the above description of "hit rewards"
comes from IGT company literature, not me. Because most slots
typically have a casino advantage well above my recommended
two percent, avoid putting those Red, White and Blue machines
in your playing arsenal.
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