Gambling With an Edge - Max Votolato

Our guest this week is Max Votolato, talking about his new book,  “Gardena Poker Clubs: A High-Stakes History.”  Max's initial research into the card clubs in Gardena was for a documentary film called “Freeway City.” 

podcast

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Show Notes:

Freeway City is streaming free on Vimeo @ https://vimeo.com/146613357

Also, for anyone interested in more info - they can check out the film's website: www.FreewayCity.org

00:50 How did Max become interested in Gardena?

06:09 When did legalized poker come to Gardena and why Gardena?

16:28 The political battles along the the poker club’s legalization process

29:17 Card clubs from 50’s and 60’s v.s. current poker rooms in Las Vegas and elsewhere

32:53 Cheating problems back then and countermeasures

40:00 When Larry Flynt wanted to built the Hustler Casino

49:09 Gardena club’s competitions that led to its demise

53:47 Ernie Primm’s relations with the town of Primm

You can reach Max Votolato on:

Twitter: @Votolato

Gardena Poker Clubs: A High-Stakes History  http://amzn.to/2zNoHa3

Primm: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primm,_Nevada

Larry Flynt: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Flynt

Gambling With an Edge - listener emails

We have no guest this week.  Bob and I answer questions from our listeners. We always welcome your questions so post them below, or send them to us at gamblingwithanedge@gmail.com.

podcast

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Show Notes

[00:58] All the AP opportunities in Macau

[03:43] VP player playing slot machines for cover

[05:19] Traveling BR. Flying v.s. driving with cash

[09:31] Comp games outside Las Vegas. The games Richard and Bob play and average hours per week.

[12:07] Leaving a job in order to become an AP. Advantages of being older

[15:24] Life before AP for Bob and Richard

[19:44] Part-time card counter’s BR management

[21:56] Slot AP turning card counter is asking for advanced learning resources

[23:27] How to network with other players

[29:43] Getting nervous with losing big bets

[32:27] A strategy for VP points challenge

[35:09] Sports betting: can you win money by betting the opposite side of terrible sports bettors?

[37:49] Is AP a gateway to crimes?

[40:13] Do you quit playing a session when you are behind?

[46:00] Weight-loss bet stories

 

Rick Blaine: Blackjack Blueprint http://amzn.to/2x0lemI

Standford Wong: Professional Black Jack http://amzn.to/2ystjUo

Ken Uston https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Uston

Blackjack Apprenticeship: https://www.blackjackapprenticeship.com/

Gambling With an Edge - card counter Yoshi

Our guest this week is a young card counter named Yoshi. Yoshi lives in the Midwest, started with a bankroll of $3,000, and built it to several hundred thousand in a bit over a year.

podcast

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Show Notes

[00:47] Counting cards in the Midwest

[01:13] Yoshi’s origin story and the how the BR grew

[06:36] Using players’ cards

[10:45] Casinos in Oklahoma: the ante and the casino personnels

[14:50] Networking with compatible, competent AP’s?

[18:39] Proving age without showing ID

[23:16] Exchanging casino chips with other players and managing cash outs.

[31:39] Interesting back-off stories

[34:53] Card eating effect of splitting 10’s

[38:12] Other advantage playing

[40:28] Yoshi's quitting point?

[43:48] Dealing with the family’s reactions and traveling with cash

[50:03] Unfair treatments and getting ripped off

Ian Anderson, Burning the tables in Las Vegas: https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/shop/products/burning-the-tables-in-las-vegas/

Stanford Wong, Professional Blackjack: http://amzn.to/2yZvX1h

Gambling With an Edge - G2E 2017

No guest this week. Bob and Richard discuss this year's Global Gaming Expo, also known as G2E. Bob talks about the new video poker games, and I talk about new table games.  We also discuss "skill based" games.

podcast

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Show notes

[03:59] Surveillance educational seminars

[05:57] Federal rule procedure 37(e): using electronic data in a lawsuit

[07:58] Scams, cheats, and blacklists

[10:26] Slot machine game Haystacks: legality of winning money without wagering money.

[16:43] New Video Poker games and other skills based machine games

[28:17] Interesting table games: side bets and consequences of 3CP's expiring patent

[35:21] A new shuffling machine

[41:23] Video games of skills

[53:33] Driving game 

[54:55] IGT's mobile game that lets you earn comps at home

[56:18] Remote wagering via phones

G2E Global Gaming Expo: http://www.globalgamingexpo.com/

CDC Gaming Reports: https://www.cdcgamingreports.com/