Station Casinos of Las Vegas gambles at Graton Resort & Casino in Bay Area

I was a Las Vegas craps dealer in 1980 living in an apartment across the street from the Bingo Palace (now Palace Station) owned by Station Casinos on Sahara Avenue. I left Las Vegas because I didn't like taking money away from gamblers at the craps tables. Now Station Casinos has weaseled its way to my hometown area of San Francisco. It took 1:15 to drive from my home in the East Bay to the casino and here is my story...

On November 5, 2013, the Graton Resort & Casino opened with thousands demanding the doors to open early. Once inside the casino, it was a madhouse! The crowds have lessened since then and the jobs once promised was a pipe dream. Expect massive layoffs soon as most new casinos do after a grand opening. Smoking is allowed in 90% of the casino and prohibited in the poker room and restaurants. The resort and casino is owned by the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, but Station Casinos from Las Vegas manages the property. The Rohnert Park land was bought by Station Casinos and the construction was financed by them. They have a seven year contract to manage it.

The video poker at Double Double Bonus (DDB) video poker was 9/6 at $1, but the payouts were lower at less amounts. Many continuous shuffling machines (CSM’s) at the blackjack tables, which renders card counting at blackjack as useless. Some single/double deck blackjack with pathetic 6:5 blackjack payouts. Saw one eight deck shoe (no CSM) with 3:2 blackjacks. 3,000 slot machines litter the casino floor. The slot machines were not paying out! No one was winning!! If a gambler is in the Graton Casino slots area during a major earthquake, no need to panic, nothing ever hits in there!!! On a positive note, Graton has 34 EZ Baccarat and Dragon Bonus baccarat tables with $15/$25 minimums. The side bets at these baccarat (mostly mini baccarat) tables can be turned to the players advantage through card counting.

With the $800 million debt load to buy the land and build the casino and the terrible payouts for players, why is it called Graton Resort & Casino without a hotel, spa, and golf course etc.? They don’t even have a buffet! Where is the gamble if it’s difficult to win? Players will gamble at other casinos where their gambling money lasts longer. One can sign up for the Graton Rewards Loyalty Club and likely receive $5 free play. Graton Casino falsely advertised up to $500 in free play which fooled many in its television ads in the Bay Area. Graton Rewards points can be applied at Station Casinos in Las Vegas since they manage the casino. Who allowed Station Casinos to come into the San Francisco Bay Area to fleece its residents?

In 2000, Proposition 1A was voted in by Californians who authorized the governor to negotiate compacts with federally recognized Indian tribes on Indian lands in California to operate slot machines, lotteries and banking and percentage card games, subject to legislative ratification. Graton Casino circumvented the law by reservation shopping with Station Casinos who bankrolled the project. How convenient Graton Casino is located off the heavily traveled Highway 101 and close to my home. You can run from the casinos, but you can't hide from them.




 

Baccarat card counting: Dragon Bonus side bet

The Dragon Bonus is the most popular side bet at baccarat and is offered at casinos all over the world. Card counting this baccarat side bet can be done and this is how to do it. Use the JSTAT Count (2 - 9 = +1, 10 - K = -2) to beat the Dragon Bonus baccarat side bet at card counting. Make the Dragon Bonus side bet on the Player side with a JSTAT true count of +4 (divide the running count by the decks remaining to get the true count) and a surplus of 8's or 9's to be played. An 8 or 9 should appear every 6.5 cards. The count won't be positive on all shoes, so we can take a break until the next shoe, or slow down our betting by not playing every hand.

We look for casinos that offer these Dragon Bonus side bet payouts: A winning natural 8 or 9 pays 1 to 1 and a natural tie pushes. If a Dragon Bonus bet wins by 9, we are paid 30 to 1. Win by 8, pays 10 to 1. Win by 7, pays 6 to 1. Win by 6, pays 4 to 1, Win by 5, pays 2 to 1. Win by 4, pays 1 to 1. Win by 3 or less, you lose. With these payouts (according to the Wizard of Odds), the Player Dragon Bonus side bet has an house edge of 2.65% and the Banker Dragon Bonus side bet house edge is a dramatic 9.37%! That's why it is recommended to bet the Player Dragon Bonus side bet, when we have the JSTAT card counting advantage.

Dragon Bonus Baccarat was developed by Shuffle Master or SHFL Entertainment.

In the video below, mini/midi baccarat is being played at the best casino to play baccarat in Las Vegas. Minimum bet is $10, a bargain for gamblers with the small house percentage. 1.06% house edge for the Banker and 1.24% for the Player. All baccarat tables at the Rio include the Dragon Bonus side bet.

Blackjack Forum, The Blackjack Community

I did a Google search of "Blackjack Forum" and expected Arnold Snyder's site to be #1 in search. Snyder founded Blackjack Forum in 1981 as a magazine and continues today as Blackjack Forum Online. I was totally surprised that another site copied Snyder's Blackjack Forum brand to top Google search rankings. It is called 'Blackjack Forum, The Blackjack Community' administered by Norm, "Your Humble Servant". Norm states his Blackjack Forum is a friendly community where Blackjack players of all skill levels are welcome . Norm does not allow me to post there even though I am a member in good standing in other blackjack/gambling message boards. Arnold Snyder is the foremost blackjack authority in the blackjack card counting world. Snyder is in the Blackjack Hall of Fame and is my friend. I don't like it when a friend gets shafted. Snyder is also the Bishop of the First Church of Blackjack and don't think he appreciates a charlatan calling himself "Your Humble Servant" with a Gandhi avatar. Here my friends is the real Blackjack The Forum spiritual leader Bishop Arnold Snyder conducting a sermon at Ballys Reno in 1987. Enjoy!

EZ Baccarat Dragon 7/Panda 8 card counting strategy

The EZ Baccarat Dragon 7 side bet can be beaten with a true JSTAT Count (2-9=+1 and 10-K=-2) of +4 with less 8′s or 9′s left than normal. Also, when two or more 8′s or 9′s per deck than average (an 8 or 9 averages every 6.5 cards) are depleted with an even JSTAT Count, gives us the Dragon 7 advantage. You can confirm these numbers on this Wizard of Odds link. Card counting the EZ Baccarat Panda 8 side bet can also be beaten with a JSTAT true count (The True count is the running count divided by the number of decks that haven’t yet been dealt) of -4. A Dragon 7 side bet win is paid 40 -1. A three card winning banker seven gets the dough. The Panda 8 side bet pays 25 -1 with a player three card winning eight. Expect a large swing of variance, so bring your patience and the bankroll to weather the storms. The beauty of the JSTAT Count is that it can be used at blackjack card counting. At the Lucky Ladies side bet, it dominates. It also can beat the Dragon Bonus at baccarat or mini baccarat. More on this in a later blog. Good Luck to all!!!