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Has anyone ever won the iPad or the 50,000?
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el chupacabra
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Sep 5, 2014, 01:09 PM
 
All those emails you get from hotels, credit cards, saying sign up for this and that for a chance to win an ipad or a million dollars etc.. Has anyone here ever won? Does anyone here even try? Ive never tried because I just assume they'er all rigged. I knew an exec from pepsi once who claimed all their drawings were rigged. When I was in college I was part of a scholarship committee once. It was rigged in that Managers had decided before applications were turned in who they wanted to win. But they encouraged everyone to apply anyway so they could get their information.

With all these enter to win stuff - Im curious if any drawings are winnable.
     
Mike Wuerthele
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Sep 5, 2014, 01:11 PM
 
I know ours here are -- that's all I can attest to.
     
akent35
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Sep 5, 2014, 01:22 PM
 
My wife and I think the same way whenever we go to one of the casinos we visit and get a chance in their "Grab a Grand" game. How it works is one slides their casino club card at a kiosk, signs in, and selects the Grab a Grand choice. On the next screen are 9 envelops to choose from. Just about all of the time, we "choose" one for $20, and then it is revealed under which envelope the $1000 "winner" was.

We always figure that the machine "knows" the level of player activity via the club card, and that will directly influence what will result from choosing an envelope. Since my wife and I are not heavy gamblers (also, we are just about even so far this year (has always been that way)), we'll never get the $1000.

The game is rigged, plain and simple. But, it's entertainment.
     
Laminar
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Sep 5, 2014, 01:24 PM
 
Originally Posted by akent35 View Post
The game is rigged, plain and simple. But, it's entertainment.
Wouldn't a casino have some pretty heavy oversight into the odds of winning an electronic game?
     
akent35
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Sep 5, 2014, 01:33 PM
 
Originally Posted by Laminar View Post
Wouldn't a casino have some pretty heavy oversight into the odds of winning an electronic game?
If by oversight, you mean either "watchful and responsible care", or "regulatory supervision", then yes. I actually suspect it is more in the line of "actively" preventing losses. As it is, a significant portion of a casino's income comes from slot machines (used to be called "One Arm Bandits"), and that is certainly valid. (They are definitely rigged, especially since they are just about all electronic these days). My wife plays the slots, and unfortunately, she loses most of the time. Myself, I play Spanish 21 (a form of Blackjack), and I win most of the time. (Table games are, of course, not electronic. Also, in Spanish 21 especially, the player has quite a bit more control than on the slots). So, that is why our gambling winnings and losings are just about even.

As for any iPad "promotion", I just ignore them, as I go along 100% with what the op stated.
     
Laminar
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Sep 5, 2014, 03:18 PM
 
Originally Posted by akent35 View Post
(They are definitely rigged, especially since they are just about all electronic these days).
What do you mean by "rigged"? The odds at electronic games are very specific and there is significant government oversight into the code used to program them.

I am a former casino surveillance tech. AMA! : IAmA

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comment..._a_casino_ama/

Although gaming devices are programmed by the manufacturers, the games are most often given a range of holds that can be chosen by the casino operators, and changed without the need for changing out EPROMS. However holds have a regulated range for legal operation set forth by whichever gaming authority you are under.
and

Whilst you're correct that the random number generator is a highly random as possible - it still must fall within the required +/- range that the slot machine is set up to, called a PAR percentage. You really can't tamper with an RNG though - shufflers have them on their boards, and slots have them built into the software. SHA1 codes, scrutinized by a gaming agent would reveal if the software has been tampered with.
Slots don't get 'tightened' on the weekend or certain hours at all - once they are set up for a bank/section, they usually remain that way, at that percentage, until the slot projects crew comes in to change their location (usually dictated by management who feels the slots could improve performance) or change their themes/cabinet manufacturer.
A casino knows exactly how much profit they'll make from every electronic game, table game, free buffet, and drink served.

You seem to think that casinos "rig" games like slots so that players always lose. That's...stupid. Of course the games are set up to net the casino a profit, this is not a secret or a revelation to anyone.
     
akent35
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Sep 5, 2014, 05:28 PM
 
"Slots don't get 'tightened' on the weekend or certain hours at all - once they are set up for a bank/section, they usually remain that way, at that percentage, until the slot projects crew comes in to change their location (usually dictated by management who feels the slots could improve performance) or change their themes/cabinet manufacturer."

That's rather clear that the slots are changed to "improve performance", ie, more profit for the casino. And, there is no way you are going to tell me that table games are not WAY more profitable than table games. That would be just plain .... stupid. And, while the casino might know how much profit they will make from table games and slot machines (free buffets and free drinks do not generate any sort of profit!), if a player is smart, they can control their actions at table games (especially Spanish 21) WAY better than at the haphazard slot machines. Of course, if there are stupid players at the table games (I do see that sometimes), then everyone will, most likely, get screwed and lose money. But, again one can exercise sound judgement at table games.
     
andi*pandi
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Sep 5, 2014, 05:43 PM
 
nope, never, nada.

It's all a ploy to get your valuable market research info.

that doesn't mean I don't try sometimes.
     
Waragainstsleep
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Sep 5, 2014, 05:59 PM
 
I just assume most are scams rather than even being rigged.

I would never play any of those online slot machines or most other online gambling (maybe going online to gamble on something IRL but otherwise none of it) because I assume they are all rigged even worse than the ones in physical casinos are. As for oversight, what can you do about online slots or the like? Check the source code? Wouldn't be hard for someone to switch out the live code for one weighted more heavily in your favour than the one you show the watchdog.
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
     
reader50
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Sep 5, 2014, 07:16 PM
 
Originally Posted by akent35 View Post
And, there is no way you are going to tell me that table games are not WAY more profitable than table games. ... free buffets and free drinks do not generate any sort of profit!
I'm going to disagree with the first part. Table games are exactly as profitable as table games.

Actually, I'll disagree with the 2nd part as well. Giving free booze to gamblers does increase the house profits. Even giving free drinks to non-gamblers may help them jump in because "that game looks easy". Or because the significant other (also nursing a free drink) might egg one into playing.
     
akent35
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Sep 5, 2014, 08:07 PM
 
Originally Posted by Waragainstsleep View Post
I just assume most are scams rather than even being rigged.

I would never play any of those online slot machines or most other online gambling (maybe going online to gamble on something IRL but otherwise none of it) because I assume they are all rigged even worse than the ones in physical casinos are. As for oversight, what can you do about online slots or the like? Check the source code? Wouldn't be hard for someone to switch out the live code for one weighted more heavily in your favour than the one you show the watchdog.
Yup, on line gambling is not the way to go. We of course have never, nor will we ever, participate in those. We only do it in person at the casinos we visit.
     
akent35
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Sep 5, 2014, 08:13 PM
 
Originally Posted by reader50 View Post
I'm going to disagree with the first part. Table games are exactly as profitable as table games.
Oops, I screwed up! My statement should have been "And, there is no way you are going to tell me that slot machines are not WAY more profitable than table games" (my fat fingers got in the way again!).

Originally Posted by reader50 View Post
Actually, I'll disagree with the 2nd part as well. Giving free booze to gamblers does increase the house profits. Even giving free drinks to non-gamblers may help them jump in because "that game looks easy". Or because the significant other (also nursing a free drink) might egg one into playing.
In some respects, that is true, as the gambler could start to do stupid things with their money while playing. And yes, for the non-gambler (and his significant other), that could be the case also. For my wife and I, the casino loses money by doing that, as we are always paying attention when we gamble.

Also, for the casinos we go to where we live, they do not give out free drinks. In fact, they charge quite a bit for them. And, for a while, one of the casinos was charging for water (ordered through a waitress).
     
Ham Sandwich
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Sep 5, 2014, 09:42 PM
 
Ten years ago I was very active in entering sweepstakes and won $500 and an iMac G5 just for entering them, along with a few smaller prizes.

It's not gambling if it's free... but these companies sure do love useless information.
     
Shaddim
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Sep 6, 2014, 05:51 AM
 
I won $1500 from a scratch-off the other day.
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
- Thomas Paine
     
akent35
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Sep 6, 2014, 01:06 PM
 
Originally Posted by Shaddim View Post
I won $1500 from a scratch-off the other day.
Congratulations! How much did you spend on such tickets (or similar gambling "activities") before winning the $1500?
     
Laminar
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Sep 7, 2014, 10:29 AM
 
Wait...who's been taking liberties with the delete button?
     
Mike Wuerthele
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Sep 7, 2014, 10:32 AM
 
Moderators.
     
akent35
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Sep 7, 2014, 11:32 AM
 
Good for them!
     
Laminar
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Sep 7, 2014, 12:02 PM
 
What happened to good ol' infractions? Am I not good enough for them?
     
Mike Wuerthele
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Sep 7, 2014, 12:31 PM
 
Dunno. Wasn't privy to the discussion.
     
reader50
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Sep 7, 2014, 01:40 PM
 
We only infraction those we love.
     
Laminar
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Sep 7, 2014, 03:34 PM
 
I haven't been loved in a year and a half.



I haven't gotten any infractions in that time, either
     
Shaddim
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Sep 7, 2014, 07:04 PM
 
Originally Posted by akent35 View Post
Congratulations! How much did you spend on such tickets (or similar gambling "activities") before winning the $1500?
When I use cash (rare) I usually just spend what change I have left; $20 bill, buy something for $15, get $5 in tickets. Lottery money goes to the state college tuition fund so, meh.
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
- Thomas Paine
     
   
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