I appreciate the positive feedback I received on my last article (issue #34) on how September 11 affected the attitude of the top managers who run the casinos in Las Vegas. I’m following it up with my thoughts about casino workers having to work during the upcoming holiday (you may not like what I have to say) and offer some tips to card counters and advantage players as to what they should do to capitalize during the holiday season.

Casino workers have historically referred to Christmas as the "losers holidays". We know that if you are not a counter or advantage player, you must be from Asia, recently divorced, have family that you don’t speak to, or you are just plain miserable. And you’ve come to Vegas during the Christmas holiday to make as many people as miserable as you are.

A casino worker’s role is much like a bartender during this time. Everyone thinks we want to hear all your sad stories. Well, we’re not your mother or your psychiatrist so we really don’t want to hear your problem, so keep your whining at home or better yet, tell it to someone that might care. Also, if you think the dealer, floor, etc., (who are away from their families on the holidays) care to hear about what you have, what you own, where your last vacation was, or what new expensive car you bought, think again. They are just trying to get through their 8 hours. And if you’re not tipping besides, the only thing going through their heads is that they hope you lose.

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