First time Casino visit

We have never been to a casino before in our lives but thought we would experience one for the first time during our next trip May 16 - 23. We are staying at OBBR. Any advice as to which Casino, what to play, and (most importantly) how to win?

How to win??? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" /> DON'T PLAY!!!! Seriously, do not EVER expect to win in a casino, especially NOT in SXM! Do not EVER bet any more money than you can afford as ENTERTAINMENT. Gambling is ENTERTAINMENT, nothing more. And it usually costs money. When was the last time someone PAID you to have fun?? Probably never.

As far as gambling in general, there are millions of (free) online games that show you how to play the various types of games. Unless you're going to just go and play penny slots or something--which you COULD do--play several games online so that you at least know how to play, in generalties, before there is any money at stake.

As far as particular casinos in SXM, they are not going to be anything like Vegas, so don't expect what you see on TV from Vegas. Most are pretty small and generally not terribly busy. The closest casino to OBBR is the Westin, but unless there is a convention on there, it will probably be very dead there. Casino Royale is probably the busiest casino on the island. Or you could check out the Starz casino at Cupecoy, as it just re-opened from a re-furb, so maybe should be nicer than some.

Just remember rule number one--how to win at gambling--Don't play!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

(..speaking as a person that LOVES roulette, one of the biggest 'house' odds games there is! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />)

I like Hollywood casino, then go to the Red Piano

Laughing out loud.....''How to win''. Just a sidenote....places like Los Vegas, Monaco, or ANY CASINO IN THE WORLD were not built on people's ''winnings''. If you go into a casino and plan on walking out winning, you surely will probably be very disappointed.

dont know how my post went to Carol...it was meant for the OP

I agree with first poster response. But that said we do go for the fun and budget a specific amount for the nights activiities.

But did go to the sports casino on Welfare road last night and did leave with $20 dollars more than we entered with and had a few of their free drinks along the way (tiping the servers for following us around from slot to slot until we found one that would day)

Enjoy but set limits and walk out when you reach if 20 minutes or several hours. Setting limits makes the night fun even if you walk with a hole in your pocket at the end of the evening.

Atlantis has free parking (for a tip) at night. A great safety feeling and connivence.
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If you are going to play slots, make sure to sign up for their players club cards. Most casinos give you $10 in slot play for signing up. When we signed for the Atlantis World Group (now Starz), we did pretty good and were able to turn the $10 in to $40 for both my wife and I. Not bad walking out with $80 when it was house money to begin with.

I think the closest casino to your resort is at the Westin. It's one of my least favorite casinos primarily because it's always dead there, is in the middle of nowhere and has an odd set-up. Kind of a fishbowl location in the middle of the lobby. That being said, it's 'newish' and well maintained.

Regarding table games, Roulette requires the least amount of brain power but as Carol stated, absolutely horrible odds. The most popular table game is BlackJack but your odds vary widely based on variables such as number of decks used, the dealer's ability to take a hit on a soft 17, etc.

My favorite casinos are the big three; Casino Royale, Princess at PDP and the Atlantis.

Have fun and good luck!

Don't forget the real blackjack killer is the dope taking a hit when the dealer has to. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/cloud.gif" alt="" />

If you are a first timer? Go to the customer service desk and tell them that this is the first time in whatever casino you are in. Almost all of them will give you a first time $10 free play per person. That lets you play the first $10 on the house. If you are with a partner that is $20 to learn (mostly how to lose the money) and play the slots or table games. Once you spend their $10 all winnings and play is yours yoU cashin and take home.
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Irrelevant. One card in a 4 or 5 shoe deck changes the odds of the following card very little. Constant shuffeling machines are the real evil, and the reason I know longer play on sxm. I'll take a dope over a shuffelmaster any day.

The dope taking a hit may be statistically irrelevant, I don't know, but it sure makes the whole table furious!! I generally leave the table if it happens very much.

I have never witnessed "constant shuffling machines" in St Maarten. Just shoes.

I like three card poker, it's fast, the strategy is easy to learn (there really is none lol), and it has bonus payouts. I don't like blackjack because people who play that game a very serious and if you mess up the whole table hates you lol!! I also like Roulette, this is an easy game, but like Carol said the odds aren't great.

Yeah, strategy for roulette is basically none and there's no way you can screw up someone else at the table--other than leaning over, blocking someone putting chips down, I guess! And sometimes people bet on the same numbers and there's lots of hollering when everyone wins! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> Kind of like craps, which has I think the BEST odds in the house, but too scary for me! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" />

I agree Carol, craps does have the best odds, but I'm with you way to scary!!

Then you haven't been to Casino Royale in a long time!! There was one table only with a shoe last month...and after the first week, it was replaced also.

We often go to different casinos in SXM after dinner for entertainment and have actually won quite a few times on the slots. We do not play the tables there because as Carol indicated there are few winners.If truly interested in gambling a bit for the first time, I would suggest you try Princess Casino or others in the Simpson Bay or Maho area. The Westin would be your closest, but not as busy so hard to get the true casino feeling there. Good luck and have fun!

Craps is "my" game ... but very hard to find in July, when I'm there <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Mad.gif" alt="" />

Craps is the most fun casino game, in my opinion. I love the camaraderie at the table, and the excitement that builds when someone's on a roll. The best place to enjoy it is at one of those charity casino nights, where your donation gets you a bunch of chips and your winnings are raffle tickets. No real downside to losing!

I'll tell you what a dope playing blackjack did.. He stuck with a soft 15.

before, during or after the silent auction? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

That sounds like fun Kaye, how do you find out about the charity nights? I always hear people having fun at craps.

I'm not talking about on the island. You would know better than I about the charities in your home town.

LOL i should have known better <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

I used to deal for the Rotary casino night when they had them. Fun times. Used to bother me a little when i saw my customers with delinquent accounts losing money at my table. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/cloud.gif" alt="" />

And what would you have done...?

21red

Most important: Although your drinks are free WHILE you are gambling, always tip the waitress/waiter (normally $1 per drink) <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />

If you do decide to pursue the table games, in addition to looking up rules online on how to play, many of the bigger casinos offer some sort of free training during their slow times.

Also, buy-ins (minimum play) will vary depending on time of the day, day of the week and whether it's low or high season. As an example, you might be able to play BlackJack at $5 a hand during the day but it will jump to $10 or $15 at night when it starts getting busy. Sometimes they will grandfather you in at the lower minimum if you sit at the same table during the transition to the higher minimums. There will be signs posted on the tables as to what the minimum play is.

They are all moving to the shuffling machines as it speeds up play. Hollywood now has machines on most of their tables.

Anybody remember the "mini craps tables" they used to have at the Lightning? Maybe a little bigger then a 21 table, only required 1 dealer.

It would be fun to check out a casino while on island since you have never been. We are not gamblers but went one time. Very low key compared to Las Vegas and Foxwoods where we have been many times. We were very disappointed with the casino we went to but we also had the experience of "real" casinos for comparison. Like Carol said, don't expect to win! We go for the entertainment factor using a very small budget! Usually my $20 is gone before I get my free drink!

No more dealers?

Don't mind shuffling machines. One poster described them as being "constant" which leads me to believe they are shuffled during the play. Not good if that is true.

Well since you have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain, I would have hit.

As a fairly decent Blackjack player with a lot of research, the "dope" at the table statistically does not matter at all to any other players at the table other than the anger it instills in those that believe that myth. The cards are totally random, yes sometimes maybe the dope should have stayed and the card that busted him would have given the next player a winning hand, but just the opposite is true an equal amount of the time.

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

If the dealer has to take a hit and you notice the deck is still heavy with high cards it's best for the table to let the dealer take that risk.

And you'll never know if you have a heavy shoe if they're using a constant shuffle machine. That's why I said they were evil, and you will never see a player who knows how to play 21 at a table with one. They have also become the norm on sxm.

When you say constant, are the cards shuffled for each hand and during the table deal?

Correct, my wife was on the management team for years that owned three casinos on the island. Our close friend is the Managing Director of three others, we have had long talks about the BlackJack odds and believe me, they know their games better than the bettor. They have all gone to 5 or 6 deck shuffling shoes. Only RainMan could figure out of the deck was heavy or not.

Cards are constantly shuffled, or when the dealer clears up a hand and places those cards in the machine, they are shuffled back in. Not sure which. Either way, at best, when you are dealt a new hand, it is essentially a freshly shuffled 4 (or 5 deck). Every time. Every hand. They never have to stop action to shuffle, there is no "cut" card (as the shoe never ends). Casino's love them. Real players hate them. I won't play with them. Evil !

Looks like I won't be playing blackjack on island anymore.

I need to jump in here. If you don't count cards and alter your bets(or play) with the count, it doesn't matter whether they use constant shuffle machines or not. Your expected value is the same as if the house shuffles deep into the deck.

Atlantis (Starz) never had shuffling machines, and there are always some $5 tables. That's one of the reasons it's our favorite.