Posted on 02/14/2004 8:57:30 AM PST by em2vn
Edited on 06/29/2004 7:10:21 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
The New Deal Carlos Serrao Blackjack is a simple game, but blackjack tables are fast becoming sophisticated hotbeds of surveillance technology. Casinos now monitor cards using invisible codes, track chips with radio-frequency tags, and scrutinize players through facial recognition software. The odds of winning are getting worse, too. Play at your own risk. 1. Spying on Players The second you walk into the joint, cameras record your mug and plug it into a facial recognition database. With thousands of electronic eyes scanning a casino floor, security can probably tell who needs to clip their nose hair. But they're looking for cheaters. When the database finds a match, a large fellow in a dark suit may boot the suspect. 2. Stacking the Deck A new technology from MindPlay reads invisible codes on cards as they're dealt from the shoe. The system knows, in real time, what players are holding and betting. Casinos can snare card counters by comparing their play with known counting strategies. MindPlay also helps dole out fairer comps because it tracks how much cash players drop. 3. Following the Money Conventional gaming chips are made entirely of plastic or clay. Newer chips in some European casinos conceal radio-frequency tags that make it easy to track inventory, betting patterns, and VIP status. A cashier can count 100 of the RF-tagged chips in seven seconds. So far, they're deployed solely in Europe, but US casinos will be on board this year. 4. Shaving the Odds A natural blackjack traditionally pays 1.5 to 1. But in recent years, casinos have discovered they can get away with lower payoffs - and players don't seem to mind. An ace plus that face card you just got may pay only 6 to 5: A $10 bet that once earned $15 yields only $12. Casino owners are laughing all the way to the bank.
(Excerpt) Read more at wired.com ...
I was convinced after pre-algebra.
Basically then, if I,m understanding this rightly, anyone that knows how to play the game is banned from playing and only those that do not know how to play are allowed to play.
Heaven help Ya, If you keep one hand close to your side...got any nervous habits?...really paranoid.
Gee, we wouldn't want someone sharp enough to count cards to take some of the Casino's money. That's cheating! Everywhere else in America it's known as accounting....
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