Alternative Buy-In Question

[BoilerM8KR]

Let me start by saying Etiquette is important to me. I always try to be polite and respectful of others when playing Craps and I try to play the right way. This past weekend I walked up to a table and patiently waited to make my buy-in for the next Come Out roll. Needless to say, the shooter proceeded to have a good hand and toss about 5 or 6 Fours as well as a lot of other numbers before he Seven'ed-Out. I didn't want to buy-in while he was shooting, but I would have jumped on that Four if I had any chips when I walked up to the table.

Has anyone bought chips at a nearby empty blackjack table with the understanding that you're going to take them to the Craps table? This was early in the morning and there were all kinds of empty table games with Dealers and no one playing. I just stood there and watched as this guy tossed what seemed like somewhere around 18 to 20 numbers, including 5 or 6 Fours, before the 7-out. All this while I was quietly watching with my money in my hand, patiently waiting for him to make a Pass. Again, I wouldn't want to buy-in in the middle of his hand and I appreciate good etiquette when I shoot, but does anyone have any ideas on how to get say $25 worth of chips without throwing cash on the table in the middle of a good hand? There was only one Craps table open but several nearby, empty blackjack tables where I think I could have asked for $25 worth of chips, but I don't know if this is frowned upon. Just curious how others would handle this situation?

Boiler

[stratocasterman]

Chips are chips here in any specific Philippine casino, it all spends the same. I always buy in at a Baccarat table before walking up to the craps table, just for that specific situation you describe at the craps table.

[pappyvanwinkle]

Couple of alternatives so you keep disruptions in the flow of the game to a minimum.

1. Buy some chips from someone else at the table. Not your full buy-in, just enough for whatever action you want to get now.
2. Toss out some money to the dealer just enough for whatever action you want. For example, I might toss in $40, and tell the dealer to give me a $18 6 and 8.

[heavy]

The casinos don't like you buying chips at one table (or a different game) and moving to another table with them UNLESS they know exactly how many chips are moving around so they can track it. And that's basically a pain in the rear for the pit. The reason for this is that it skews the hold percentages on the tables and the bean counters start wondering who the thief is - because that's the main thing they're looking for when they review hold. Who's the thief on the shift.

You've already had a couple of good answers. If the guy next to you will sell you $50 worth of chips for cash that's cool. I have found that unless that guy knows you then it's unlikely he'll go for it. He'll automatically think . . . what? That you're a thief trying to run some sort of scam - or that the bills you are giving him are counterfeit. That leaves you with dropping the EXACT amount you want to bet on the table. If you want the four and ten for $25 each then drop $60 on the table and tell him to "buy the four and ten for $25 and give me the hardways for $2 each." Or you figure out some other way to get that $8 change on the table because you don't want them to take time to break down the bills and chips on the table, count them out and essentially kill the hand. $70 gets me $66 inside and all the hardways for a buck. $40 gets me $18 on the six and eight and all the hardways for a buck. See a trend here? The last option I'll toss out - when you first get to the casino go to the cage and buy $100 worth of chips there. Put them in your pocket. If you need them they'll be there. Otherwise, just wait for a natural break in the game and do your regular buy in and those four green chips never come out.

[London Shooter]

My solution is straightforward, but I always play at the same casino - keep some chips each time you play that you don't cash in so you have something in your pocket for the next visit.

I'll also do this on trips to Biloxi and Vegas where for example if my base is the IP or Ballys, then I'll always have some chips from the home casino on me that I can walk up to the table with at any stage.

If you play inconsistently at various properties or are on hit and run type sessions in places with many casinos then this isn't going to be practical.

[wiremonkey]

I second London on this, i will hold back about 25-75 dollars in chips when i leave, so as to have them available when i return. Again this is only to my local casino were i frequently play.

[HornHighJoe]

I don't know what I do is what is standard practice at other casinos since I only frequent one. It is similar to what was said before.

Hold up your bill(s) standing up on the rack facing the supervisor, so they can see that you have enough for the bet. Call out your bets and the dealer will book them and also put the value of those bets as a chip stack off to the side. This way you still get paid, but also the dealer knows how much you owe them. Once the point is made, then you can drop the cash on the table.

[heavy]

The perks of being a regular, stoic.

[London Shooter]

Yes, can't imagine too many places letting you get away with call bets.

[DanF]

Just stop by to a table on the way where dealer is doing. Nothing, change and go. it's bad for them but. Not your problem. Then you can jump in on a hand with chips.

[heavy]

I don't recall where I saw this recently, Tunica maybe, but there are signs at the table stating they don't accept call bets. Apparently, players would call the bet(s), lose, and then walk away without paying for the bet(s).

The other problem with call bets is that some crooks will carry $22 in one pocket and $2200 in the other. They walk up to the table as the dice are going out and ask for "Twenty-two inside - working." After the throw - if an inside number is thrown they toss the $2200 on the table and claim that's what they said. If it's a seven that rolls they toss in the $22. That's why the dealer should "no bet" all call bets.

[BoilerM8KR]

Thanks all for weighing in with some ideas. I think I'll have to try to 1) see if can get $20 in chips from the Cage prior to walking up to the table or 2) make $20 worth of bets in a way that uses the full $20 amount such that I don't need any change as Heavy suggested. I don't generally feel the need to jump in and normally I'm content to wait for a Pass or Come Out roll to make my buy-in, but I'm just trying to plan for that situation that happens about 5% of the time where you walk up and someone's having a decent hand with lots of repeaters.

Boiler

[twowayhardeight]

Funny that you would mention getting some chips from a Blackjack table to take to a Craps table because a common way for Blackjack card counters to get chips to do a hit and run is to buy-in at a Craps table first.

Personally I feel like 90% of the time when I walk up to a table that has an open spot and a roll is going on the shooter soon sevens out [maybe I'm bad luck?], so for me it wouldn't be worth the effort to always carry some chips up to the table hoping for that 10% of the time where the shooter hits a bunch of numbers while you're waiting for the Off button. Usually if a hot roll is happening there isn't space at the table for you to get in first place!

[heavy]

Bump.