vpFREE2 Forums

"PSA"

#1

Posting this here since I think odds are better than “50/50” it’ll reach its intended “target”:

So, hypothetically, let’s say you happen on a machine (or hear of one by selective word of mouth) that’s particularly attractive for play (essentially, a real “one off”).

You no doubt are inclined to be a bit protective of it (particularly if it’s the case that the machine isn’t in play for at least half of each day, and free most every early “am”).

So, let me suggest what you don’t want to do: Take a break and shut the machine down (again, particularly in a casino where no one else typically requests a “cap”) You see, if I’m casually strolling through a casino and I happen upon a machine that’s been capped, you can bet it’s going to be flagged in my head for a later check.

I’ll give you the benefit of a doubt and assume you aren’t a moron … just a bit inexperienced. Hope your play runs strong today (and the advice is welcome)!

#2

Just a comment to vp-wiz’s comment, a bit askew from the subject. I think “shutting down” a machine should be discontinued under just about any and all circumstances, save for asking one of the attendants to “watch” the machine that you are playing for a bathroom break. Having a machine sit idle would seem counter to what a casino operator might think good. But, hey, who am I?

Not a very popular, proposition I am sure, but those are my feelings.

… bl

#3

When CET was changing their playable VP machines from $10/point to $20/point, they missed (for awhile anyway) three $2 machines in the high limit room in Caesars AC. These machines were usually difficult to get on, especially when they had point multiplier promotions. I was playing for a long time and wanted to get dinner, but I didn’t want to give up the machine. I’ve seen people have machines taken out of service for several hours to hold them while they were away, and I thought that was just really obnoxious, especially if it’s one of only a few good machines. I asked if it was possible to reserve the machine for awhile while I get dinner, but instead of tying up the machine, I didn’t have a problem letting someone else play until I returned. But the slot attendant said that they don’t do that. Seems pretty dumb to me. Luckily, I was able to make a deal with someone who only wanted to play an hour or two, and this way he was able to play on the machine and I was able to go eat and get the machine back after dinner. What I worked out privately would be a much better policy for the casino to enforce, and it would be better to have the casino involved in case there is a dispute when the player returns and isn’t given the machine back. I suspect that the current policy is in place because some people are stupid and think that someone else playing on their machine is going to take away their upcoming jackpot or ruin their good luck.

Alan

#4

it’s a 7* perk. to me it is only obnoxious if the casino allows many hours. if i ask them to cap a machine for two hours (my usual max for dinner). yes, you are allowing one person to play the machine; to me, that’s still tying up the machine for any other players. and i wouldn’t take the risk of that person leaving before i got back, if i really wanted to continue to play that machine. and often heavy-play machines can’t be capped. in new orleans they used to allow (don’t know if they still do) regular players to cap overnight! now that was obnoxious. just my two cents. but i do agree that in special cases, such as the one you cite, where there aren’t alternatives, capping should be short, or not at all.

···

On Fri, Jul 20, 2018 at 3:19 AM, alan3…@…com [vpFREE] <vpF…@…com> wrote:

When CET was changing their playable VP machines from $10/point to $20/point, they missed (for awhile anyway) three $2 machines in the high limit room in Caesars AC. These machines were usually difficult to get on, especially when they had point multiplier promotions. I was playing for a long time and wanted to get dinner, but I didn’t want to give up the machine. I’ve seen people have machines taken out of service for several hours to hold them while they were away, and I thought that was just really obnoxious, especially if it’s one of only a few good machines. I asked if it was possible to reserve the machine for awhile while I get dinner, but instead of tying up the machine, I didn’t have a problem letting someone else play until I returned. But the slot attendant said that they don’t do that. Seems pretty dumb to me. Luckily, I was able to make a deal with someone who only wanted to play an hour or two, and this way he was able to play on the machine and I was able to go eat and get the machine back after dinner. What I worked out privately would be a much better policy for the casino to enforce, and it would be better to have the casino involved in case there is a dispute when the player returns and isn’t given the machine back. I suspect that the current policy is in place because some people are stupid and think that someone else playing on their machine is going to take away their upcoming jackpot or ruin their good luck.

Alan

#5

I have also done things similar to that, Alan, namely, making a “private” deal with someone when I wanted a meal or some such. On the other hand, I have played machines for an hour or so while another person was away for whatever reason, willing to give it back when they returned. I agree that it is so crazy for the casinos to have the policies that they do, actually taking a machine out of service when there are other people waiting to play. I spoke several times over the years with attendants. One of the recurring reasons that is given by people who want to “lock up” a machine is that they do not want someone else to get “their” RF. The RF is apparently just sitting there, waiting there for them, and if someone else gets it while they are having a meal, it is gone forever. Crazy! (In my opinion, that is). LOL

… bl

#6

I led off this thread about a unique situation under which no serious player in their right mind should cap a particular machine. But, yeah, the general topic of capping is very much a “nuanced” subject …

Perhaps the most insidious thing about capping is that it only takes one player, using what should be an infrequent convenience/privilege more aggressively, to inspire other players to defensively engage in the same tactics. I’m thinking of players, for example, who cap and take multiple long breaks, restricting a machine to only 6 or so hours of active use over 14 hours.

And, yeah agon, this subject always brings up the memory of the otherwise very decent couple who would come into NOLA the night before a good promotion and take advantage of NOLA’s 8-hour 7* cap privilege.

One of the advantages of getting to know other active players is that you can identify those whom you can trust to “share” a machine. Such an arrangement was always much more satisfying than incurring someone else’s frustration/wrath by capping a machine on a good promotion day.

The silver lining in the present dark cloud of promotion/paytable cuts is that there are very few players now motivated to play long hours, and the “non-recreational” players have largely vacated the scene. It’s seldom happens, these days, that I arrive at a property and have to bide my time waiting for a desired machine to free up.

—In vpF…@…com, <agonpd@…> wrote :

it’s a 7* perk. to me it is only obnoxious if the casino allows many hours. if i ask them to cap a machine for two hours (my usual max for dinner). yes, you are allowing one person to play the machine; to me, that’s still tying up the machine for any other players. and i wouldn’t take the risk of that person leaving before i got back, if i really wanted to continue to play that machine. and often heavy-play machines can’t be capped. in new orleans they used to allow (don’t know if they still do) regular players to cap overnight! now that was obnoxious. just my two cents. but i do agree that in special cases, such as the one you cite, where there aren’t alternatives, capping should be short, or not at all.

#7

so caesars fixed it back to $20/point?

how long ago?

—In vpF…@…com, <alan3262@…> wrote :

When CET was changing their playable VP machines from $10/point to $20/point, they missed (for awhile anyway) three $2 machines in the high limit room in Caesars AC. These machines were usually difficult to get on, especially when they had point multiplier promotions. I was playing for a long time and wanted to get dinner, but I didn’t want to give up the machine. I’ve seen people have machines taken out of service for several hours to hold them while they were away, and I thought that was just really obnoxious, especially if it’s one of only a few good machines. I asked if it was possible to reserve the machine for awhile while I get dinner, but instead of tying up the machine, I didn’t have a problem letting someone else play until I returned. But the slot attendant said that they don’t do that. Seems pretty dumb to me. Luckily, I was able to make a deal with someone who only wanted to play an hour or two, and this way he was able to play on the machine and I was able to go eat and get the machine back after dinner. What I worked out privately would be a much better policy for the casino to enforce, and it would be better to have the casino involved in case there is a dispute when the player returns and isn’t given the machine back. I suspect that the current policy is in place because some people are stupid and think that someone else playing on their machine is going to take away their upcoming jackpot or ruin their good luck.

Alan