Radio Questions Wanted

[BobDancer]

This Thursday, August 22, the guest on Gambling with an Edge will be super-host Steve Cyr. He primarily hosts high rollers --- both table games and slots. He was on the show more than a year ago.

We are looking for some interesting questions to ask him. We have two copies of his biography "Whale Hunt in the Desert" which will be awarded for to best questions. Munchkin and I will do the deciding as to which questions are best.

We're taping the show early, so any questions that aren't received by about 11 a.m. will not be considered. You may post them here or on gamblingwithanedge@gmail.com

Gambling with an Edge may be heard every Thursday evening from 7-8 Pacific Time on radio 1230 AM in Las Vegas or on www.klav1230am.com from anywhere. Former shows are archived on bobdancer.com and may be listened to for free. You may subscribe for free via iTunes and have the show delivered directly to your Apple device.

Bobarial4

[R_aNe_R]

Hello Bob...
I did not know who Steve Cyr was. So went to YouTube and watched this Video...
Steve Cyr
Bob...Lets say you ask Steve that you are willing to play 1,000,000 dollars in one night
on a DDB video poker machine with a denomination of 100 Dollar a coin ...
You would be playing 2000 hands at 500 dollars a hand at that point the session would end...
At the end of the session the decision to play more or to stop would be left up to you...
But you have one stipulation that would have to me meet in order for you to do it...
Stipulation)... The pay scale would have to be... 1/2/3/8/12/50/100/200/200/100/250 ...
If Steve's answer is "Yes" I know you would go for it in a NewYork minute...
If Steve says "No"...What the "Hey" it's just a question...
You never know he might go for it...Ha...Ha...

[BillyJoe]

Bob, I am certainly no whale, but I do play enough to earn the top tiers at two large casino companies - 7Star with CET and NOIR with MGM. Playing mostly VP, you know that takes some doing.  

I have noticed, over the years, that the hosts at many  properties seem to have less and less control over comps and arrangements for players of my caliber, especially in Vegas. Also, hotel operations often seem to 'do their own thing', even when a host blocks a particular room for a guest. There are certain property locations, such as The Beau Rivage in Biloxi, where that is not a problem. But coming from Florida, I would like to be able to make one call/EMail to my host at any gaming location, and have all my requests handled.  
My question for Steve would be:
"What level of play do you need to acheive in order to have everything for your visit arranged flawlessly by putting it in the hands of a host?"   

[BobDancer]

My question for Steve would be:
"What level of play do you need to acheive in order to have everything for your visit arranged flawlessly by putting it in the hands of a host?"   


Good question.

Part of it depends on how precisely you define "flawlessly." And part of it depends on which host you have.

My personal experience is that off-property hosts get me BETTER results than on-property hosts.

Bob

[BillyJoe]

Bob, I listened to your podcast today with Steve Cyr. Sounded like, even though I play a lot of TDB, an independent host would not be interested in me as a VP player, regardless of the bankroll.  

[mammajamma]

I used to have one "National Host" for all Caesars'/Harrah's properties.Trips, flights, events and accommodations, etc. were handled by her flawlessly.

[DaBurglar]

The word is out, Video Poker players are having their comps slashed in these super-competitive times for casinos.  It really isnt all that surprising, given the desperation some of the larger corporations (like Caesars) are operating under trying to squeeze more revenue/profit onto their balance sheet(s) while also cutting costs.....quite simply, even with paytables at all time abysmal lows, and with places like AC engaging in dubious Video Poker game practices, Video Poker is still NOT nearly as profitable as Slots, nor do they offer the control and manipulation available with Table Games. Anytime an "industry" both matures AND undergoes sweeping technological advances that allow huge cost savings in operations (usually by lowering the need for HUMAN capital), you get this phenomenon of shrinking profits coinciding with greater competition translating into LESS value and utility for its ultimate end users/customers (namel US players).   While those of us old enough to remember the good old days of 10/7 JOB and what not will continue to PINE for the way things used to be, it is only going to get worse until someone, somewhere decides to radically shift their own business paradigm and willingly make do with a lower profit margin in exchange for a more stable, sustainable, surivivable market share (i.e. trade profits for a more secure basis for surviving/staying in business and thus, keeping everyone's JOB)   In essence, I am advocating for a casino to embrace a version of "corporate communism" as its culture. Sincerely, Nikolai Burglar Lenin

[BobDancer]

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[BillyJoe]

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[BillyJoe]

[QUOTE=BobDancer]
[QUOTE=billyjoe]Bob, I listened to your podcast today with Steve Cyr. Sounded like, even though I play a lot of TDB, an independent host would not be interested in me as a VP player, regardless of the bankroll.  
Maybe. I think Steve got confused on the air about the difference between Jacks or Better and TDB. He clearly isn’t particularly savvy about video poker. But if casinos tolerate your play, then he’ll love you.
If you show some of the jackpot pictures you’ve posted here --- including your big slot wins --- to a host, I suspect they will be salivating for your business. You should neglect to send the 9/7 TDB jackpots. You have plenty with lesser pay schedules.
If he’s not sure whether the pay schedules are good or bad, he can send the pictures along to the casinos. Somebody there should easily recognize that you are a desirable customer.
If you want my help with getting you in with Cyr, let me know.
Even if you go with Cyr, there’s some time period that must elapse between the last time you visited a property and when he brings you in. If you haven’t been somewhere for, say, 3 years --- he can certainly book your stay. At a place like the Beau, where you’re apparently a regular, he can’t do anything for you until a certain amount of time has passed since your last visit. [/QUOTE] [/QUOTE]
Thanks, Bob. It is certainly something to consider. I would probably use someone like Steve for Vegas, but currently, I am handled so well at The Beau in Biloxi that I see no reason to change that.
 
Of course, the NOIR (for MGM properties) invitations are set to go out in October, so if they do not keep me NOIR (I currently have 1.8M tier credits with MGM) next year, that may change what they can do with me at The Beau also.