Does Vegas try to suppress the offshore industry?

[Illini]

I am curious about this, because of some conversations that I've had with locals. I was playing blackjack at the MGM Grand, and talked with the dealer at length about sportsbetting. He was a small recreational player, but you could tell he liked to bet. I mentioned that it seemed like the offshore books had overtaken Vegas, and he barely knew what I was talking about. He asked if I really trusted those places and actually sent them money. In other conversations at poker tables, etc, nobody has ever told me that they bet offshore. My brother had a long conversation at the casino bar at Tuscany with a local bettor. They talked about the next day's football card, about certain teams, etc. The guy had never even heard of offshore betting. He had no idea that it even existed. After talking to my brother for a couple of hours, he was really excited about finding out more about it. Do most local recreational players actually walk to each casino and make cash bets? From my experiences, it seems that they don't really feel like they have an alternative.

 

[blueedwards]

75% of the guys i went to high school with bet with a local...still do. they would never send the money offshore. wanna know the reason? its not what you think...they all know i play offshore and they think i'm nuts. but, not because they think the money isnt safe. they think that its stupid to play with your own money as opposed to getting "credit" from the local. nevermind that he juices all the favorites and they keep betting into the inflated favorite lines. he's laughing all the way to bank one. who is nuts?

as far as vegas...i think the sportsbook operators know about the offshore world. are they trying to suppress it? dont know...they sure cant like all the reduced vig and bonuses they give out.

they will always get the square tourist action but, the pros (and non-pros) that live in vegas have to be crazy to not run the majority of their action offshore. that's gotta leave a mark

 

[Illini]

I just couldn't believe it when Kornholio told me that this guy had never heard of offshore. I was asleep in my room, but I guess they talked for a couple hours, and had quite a few beers together. The guy was an experienced bettor that lived in Vegas, and knew a lot about certain teams. Korn said when he mentioned offshore, it was like speaking a foreign language to the guy. But once he heard about it, he wanted to know everything, and was really excited. Baffling.

 

[spreadbeater]

A friend of mine is an old time sports bettor, a sucessful sports gambler for many years. He is now 62 years old. He ONLY plays locally in Vegas. He has never played offshore. He is not even interested. That still baffles me to this day. I think that many of the old time sports gamblers do not know too much about the offshore sports gambling industry. Especially if they have been in Vegas for the majority of their gambling lives.

 

[Illini]

A friend of mine is an old time sports bettor, a sucessful sports gambler for many years. He is now 62 years old. He ONLY plays locally in Vegas. He has never played offshore. He is not even interested. That still baffles me to this day. I think that many of the old time sports gamblers do not know too much about the offshore sports gambling industry. Especially if they have been in Vegas for the majority of their gambling lives.

It's kind of cool to cash a ticket and have the writer count out C-notes to pay you. But after you've done that once or twice, it's like "why bother?" I go to Vegas 3-4 times a year, and I almost always call in my bets offshore when I'm there. Just so much easier, and you don't have to stand in line on a Sunday morning behind 25 people.

 

[GreenDoberman]

99.9 % of the casino workers here are complete squares.
That goes for probably the town as well.

Many a day I'll walk in a dealer's break room to find who the majority likes on NFL Sunday, and can walk out at a 70% clip fading them.

The sheep still flock to the sportsbooks with their 15 and 20 cent juice, just like the sheep flock to the 6/5 blackjack games.
Until the public wises up as a whole, nothing will change.

Don't forget a ton of folks are computer illiterate and will stay that way.

As a poker manager, I actively encourage internet play and even seek partnerships, but until the tide turns I'm sure I am in the minority.

 

[ChuckSims]

The sharps here in Vegas ALL know about off shore books and play into them.

 

[Fishhead]

The last two posts, by Green Doberman and Chuck Sims respectively, are right on the money!


-F-

 

[Dante]

The sharps here in Vegas ALL know about off shore books and play into them.

exactly on the money....great post and question Ill..


I think many that live in vegas use offshore rather then the actually books if thye are doing any serious betting IMO

 

[Whoson1st]

Maybe I'm just naive here...Of course, I know the sharps and high rolers play off-shore...But didn't Nevada....tighten the screws (make it a felony ) to bet offshore. I read something about people in Nevada. Could be way off base here.

 

[WildBill]

No its not a felony, but it is technically a crime. First they actually have to charge someone with it though for me to even think about it.

There are thousands of people here who either don't trust online or don't want to bother with it, but that is the case everywhere. Go into an office in Peoria and ask around and you will find the same, maybe 20% of the men know about offshore, but maybe 2-4% of them actually do it. Vegas probably increase the percentages a bit, but not that much.

 

[blueedwards]

99.9 % of the casino workers here are complete squares.
That goes for probably the town as well.

Many a day I'll walk in a dealer's break room to find who the majority likes on NFL Sunday, and can walk out at a 70% clip fading them.

greenie, please post these fades before kickoff. thanks, your friend, blue

 

[Brock Landers]

greenie, please post these fades before kickoff. thanks, your friend, blue

I 2nd that motion!!

 

[DrunkenHorseplayer]

I live in Vegas and am by no means a square and I would never send my money offshore; way too many stories about way too much BS, most of them true. Of course, I only bet football and horses. BTW, I find it hard hard to believe that any serious gambler has literally never even heard of offshore books.

 

[VaultedTreehouse]

belch, you are only hurting yourself. reputable offshore books are head and shoulders above anything you'll find in Vegas, and a horse rebate goes a long way as well.

 

[silver7]

And there ain`t no Pinny in Vegas!

 

[Dante]

And there ain`t no Pinny in Vegas!

THAT is for sure

 

[Illini]

I find it hard hard to believe that any serious gambler has literally never even heard of offshore books.

No kidding. I'm still scratching me head on that one. I don't think the guy was a serious gambler, just your typical square that likes to bet because he loves sports and lives in a gambling culture. But still, I am with you on that.

 

[Illini]

Go into an office in Peoria and ask around and you will find the same, maybe 20% of the men know about offshore, but maybe 2-4% of them actually do it. Vegas probably increase the percentages a bit, but not that much.

I really don't think that sportsbetting is big as we would like it to be. Some people believe that everyone that is an NFL fan bets, but my experience in this part of the country has been different. Almost all of my friends love sports, but few of them have ever placed a wager, except for Vegas trips. At bars, you can tell who has money on the games, and it seems that most of them just have the parlay cards that the bars offer. I've talked to a few people that bet offshore, maybe 5 or 6. Every single one of them bets at either sportsbook.com or BOS.

 

[ChuckSims]

I live in Vegas and am by no means a square and I would never send my money offshore; way too many stories about way too much BS, most of them true. Of course, I only bet football and horses. BTW, I find it hard hard to believe that any serious gambler has literally never even heard of offshore books.

I like you had the same opinion years ago but after reading internet forums like The RX, I realized that some books like Pinnacle, WSEX and Olympic to name a few, are head and shoulders above Las Vegas Books.