Gambling With an Edge

This is an episode that originally aired in 2013. It has been reedited. 

They were Christians. They counted cards. And they took millions from casinos. Colin Jones co-founded the Church Team — the blackjack team featured in the documentary Holy Rollers — and went on to found BlackjackApprenticeship.com, where he's trained a generation of card counters. In this episode: the disguises (including Hollywood makeup tricks), how the team tested new players, card-counting training and apps, and what life looked like after the documentary.

Show Notes

[00:00]  Notes on editing
[00:45]  Playing in disguise
[08:38]  Introduction of Colin Jones from blackjackapprenticeship.com
[09:10]  More on playing in disguise, using makeup, accessories, mannerisms, etc
[14:14]  Blackjack apprenticeship.com content, training, and forum
[19:52]  Does Colin still play blackjack?
[21:20]  Can people make a living counting cards?
[23:55]  Casino 411, a Yelp for card counters
[29:53]  Developing a Google Glass app
[34:01]  Blackjack bootcamps

Links:
blackjackapprenticeship.com
lasvegasadvisor.com/gambling-with-an-edge

Many casinos are resetting slot machines after players have built up free spins or other bonus features.  We speak with Buddy Frank, a former slot director who contacted the Nevada Gaming control Board about this.  In addition we talk about some of the new things Buddy saw at the annual Global Gaming Conference.

Show Notes
[00:00]  Introduction of Buddy Frank, experienced slot and casino operations executive
[00:51]  Are casinos illegally resetting slot machines?
[05:57]  Evidence of Money Balls being reset
[09:34]  Checking Phoenix Link reset numbers, repeated RAM clearing
[12:53]  Lack of consequences for casino corporations that cheat players
[16:50]  G2E, facial recognition, eConnect, prediction markets
[23:00]  Lack of persistent state slot machines at G2E, new version of Sigma Derby, 
[26:45]  Roll to Win Craps
[29:53]  Marble Run by Interblock, wide area progressive slots
[32:02]  New offerings from Zitro and Light and Wonder
[33:28]  Buy a bonus features, Buffalo Power Play
[35:52]  Higher W2G limit impact on ambiance and Blueberi Gaming's jackpot speaker system
[38:42]  Self pay for W2G's, $1999 jackpot machines
[42:04]  Ainsworth Playboy theme, popular themes, and copycats
[45:00]  Licensing fees for Dragon Link versus Spooky Link
[47:20]  Skill-based slot machines
[49:32]  Recommended:  Ann Patchett's Bel Canto, Art Manteris' The Bookie

Links:
http://cdcgaming.com/writers/buddy-frank
http://willyallison.com/post/white-paper

Recommended:
Ann Patchett's Bel Canto - https://amzn.to/4yjWGDf
Art Manteris' The Bookie - https://amzn.to/4hFHObM

Laurance Scott has been beating roulette for over 30 years.  He was first on our show 13 years ago. (Link below to that episode) He is now retiring, and joins us to talk about his start and how the game has changed.

Show Notes[00:00]  Introduction of roulette player, Laurance Scott
[00:48]  Getting started in roulette
[06:00]  Playing Huxley wheels
[07:27]  Roulette teams
[09:12]  Device laws outside of the U.S
[10:32]  Mistakes made by beginner roulette players
[15:40]  Surveillance of wheel watchers
[18:24]  Timing back door
[23:00]  Playing in France
[29:04]  Playing in Macau
[36:48]  Playing biased wheels and distracting dealers 
[41:56]  Contacting surgeons to implant a computer
[47:12]  Games and heat in Las Vegas

Links:

Laurance Scott episode from 2013  
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4082481490083758475/9122198373771667070

Interview with Keith and Marty Taft
https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/gambling-with-an-edge/interview-with-keith-and-marty-taft/?srsltid=AfmBOooeWKDCJlJPx-KphISabY621YkT1Qh7Yt_Vth2YZfdnN4j6JxHZ

http://mezzobistro.com

Checkmate by Ben Mezrich https://amzn.to/4ce7xq1

Milkshake lost all his money following a tout, and it set him off on a journey to figure out how to win money sports betting.

Show Notes

[00:00]  Introduction of sports better, Milkshake
[00:38]  Milkshake’s path into advantage play
[03:09]  Top-down betting and going to BetBash 2
[05:25]  Moving for professional bettors
[09:38]  Odds screens, arbitrage, limiting, and nuances of top-down
[15:42]  Why did $600 move a major market?
[16:45]  What percentage of Milkshake’s action today is moving versus modeling?
[18:24]  Making in prediction markets
[19:10]  Evaluating potential movers
[21:57]  Betting at kiosks
[24:50]  Source of truth
[26:44]  Setting up partnerships
[28:22]  Camouflage bets, priming accounts
[30:45]  Faking the market
[32:28]  Should winning accounts go dormant before being limited?
[33:43]  Shifting the closing line to avoid CLV
[34:51]  Milkshake's book and podcast recommendations
[36:10]  Using sportsbook bonuses

[39:29]  How will Milkshake's betting evolve over the next few years?
[41:54]  Relevant knowledge of sports when top-down betting
[43:09]  In-game betting
[44:17]  Can value be found in a team's losing streaks?

Links:
x.com/BeBetterBettors
x.com/halfkelly
Logic of Sports Betting by Ed-Miller https://amzn.to/4x6Wx67

Charles Star is a self-described podcast slut.  He went from lawyer to comedian and is now on a quest to do 53 podcasts in 52 weeks.

Show Notes
[00:00]  Introduction of Charles Small
[00:36]  Podcast appearances bet
[03:25]  No Homework and City Saint, Country Saint podcasts
[05:57]  Transitioning from law into comedy 
[14:07]  Leaving standup
[15:58]  Podcasting
[17:08]  Gambling and sports better stories
[20:33]  Legal career after temp jobs
[26:07]  Civil asset forfeiture
[29:11]  The Moth and strange legal cases
[34:16]  OST realistic legal shows and movies
[40:22]  Travel stories
[46:15]  Favorite Las Vegas restaurant that is not in a casino

Links:
http://nohomework.website
http://soundcloud.com/hwpod
http://davidhill.substack.com/p/introducing-american-gambler
http://nakamurayalv.com