Hey everyone! I'll be replying to as many comments as I can! 😃 Hope you like this ep, sorry it took so long (you don't wanna know how long the edit took). If you're not on my mailing list already, please sign up for video updates: stevenbridges.ck.page And if you're feeling generous, here's my patreon: patreon.com/stevenbridges
"I can assure you we are insulated from the real world." Yeah, thinking like that shows why they can insist on ID coming out of the bathroom for nefarious purposes and threatening to call the police. Unbelievable. Glad you were recording this.
I already figured out what you need to start doing, every big win you need to hand the money to another ''player'' or put the money in the trunk of your car and keep playing.
@@gregdrivesdriver5104 They aren't pegging you for a card counter based on how much money you are making. They will notice you from your bet spreads and betting patterns. Going from $5-10 bets to jumping to $200 all of a sudden is what will make you stand out. For me, my bet spread on a $10 minimum table is up to $50 on the high counts. Yes, I know that I'm missing out on value but I'm also staying under the radar because others at the table are normally playing between $30-50 anyways so I'm not standing out.
I know this video is a few year old, so you know all this, but that statement from them is such a load of shite lol. If anything it's the exact opposite. All these casinos talk to each other even if they are not owned by the same company or otherwise affiliated.
@@stevenbridgesI’m surprised you never made it a point as to why aren’t they checking other peoples IDS.I think it would be hilarious for Key and Peele to recreate a back off situation using there comedic take on it
I know that the intense back off/IDing was scary to go through, but don't forget that you can earn some serious money from settlements via lawsuits if a casino wrongfully "detains" you! Keep up the good work, looking forward to counting cards in the near future as well!
Yeah! I read The Law For Gamblers and in a way getting back roomed is the best EV possible 😂 This is partly why I specifically said to the Pitboss 'Can I cash out and leave or are you keeping me here?"
@@mattym8 They vary. Get "Law for gamblers" by Robert Nercesian. There are six figure settlements. I assume the payout to your lawyer would be somewhere in the neighborhood of 30-40%
@@gstacks510 Thanks. The snippet from the book available on AMZN said settlements have been 726k, 599k, 250k, 200k, and lower. Some have been confidential.
The biggest fear in that situation is that they'll insist that they banned you in the past and now you're trespassing. If they misidentify you as someone that's banned from the property that's going to be a pain in the ass for you. You'll get arrested legally since they'll have probable cause. Of course they'd never be able to prove a case against you since you actually weren't previously banned so you couldn't have been trespassing. But that's going down a road is far more messy than it's worth. You'll have to actually get a lawyer to defend you and you might even spend the night in lock up, even if you're freed in the morning.
Gosh, watching your confrontations as someone with social anxiety is more stressful than any movie I see! Love the series, each episode delivers above and beyond
I don't have social anxiety. I made money playing blackjack, but after a number of these altercations I gave up. Some places just say "no more blackjack", but I had the cops called on me and had casinos demanding ID, several unpleasant people breathing in my face etc. Too stressful for me. I made money, but returned to my hotel a wreck. I gave up.
For the last clip i feel like its possible they heard u were counting cards from another casino and maybe just wanted to throw u off your game a little bit. Ive heard casinos do weird things to mess with advantage players and that mightve been an example of that. And u left so it looks like it worked! Lol who knows. Love the vids
I think they probably heard about him from another location and wanted his ID so they could spread his info around. Casinos will tell each other known card counters since they make more money keeping them out in the first place.
I’m certain this is what happened: Casinos will often share pictures of card counters with each other, even if they aren’t affiliated. So, casino A (which you’ve already been backed off at) will contact someone from casino B as a heads up. So even though you’ve never been in casino B, they already have a surveillance picture from casino A.
Yes they have a database and they work with the Feds... beautiful thing js wear a mask thanks to covid for a disguise. Don't have a high bet spread like this gentleman if you plan to keep patronizing the places. But if you are just Yolo'ing go balls to the wall.
which unless owned by same group. I find that stupid. Like let your competition lose money. lmao. Then take over. like wtf? That's just how blindingly greedy they are. That they miss the chance to take out competition by explicitly not letting them know of a card counter lol.
(I’m not a counter at all) was in vegas on a b day trip this weekend. Made a joke abt splitting 10s and said “only a counter would do that” (count was roughly a true 2.5) dealer said “no one can count a 6 deck shoe.” I took it personally being drunk as shit and counted the next shoe and won abt 250 on a $5min game till my buddy said everyone’s looking u need to get up. Still don’t know of it was luck or good counting but I’d like to think I counted well while being 12 beers deep. This has nothing to do with your comment I just want a counters input lol.
Ah, thank you very much! Y'know, I don't even know how to play slots 😂 Never tried it! Out of curiosity, do you ask to film or do they just not mind when you do?
@@stevenbridges I typically just reach out to the casino management ahead of time and ask for their permission to record. Slots are very mind numbing and require zero thought and skill! Just a nice/expensive hobby to have some fun!
Anybody reading this pls stay away from the slots. No hate tho. If you can make content out of it I totally get it but 99.9% of ppl don’t so they should just stay away. Steven hasn’t played them for a good reason.
@@nickmason2345 60% of my videos are losing videos and I lose more than I win. People are smart and know that slots are the money makers for casinos. It's simply mindless fun.
@@LadyLuckHQ thanks for being transparent! In my experience that’s rare with ppl that play slots lol. I’m a father of 4 girls so maybe it was the Dad in me that had to throw that caution out lol.
This is the best series on youtube right now. I'm so invested and you're such a compelling storyteller. I'm so glad tom scott linked to the series a few weeks ago!
Yeah, Hank Green just did his annual survey and one of the questions is Who is your favorite TH-camr (other than him or John), and I answered - I can say Steven Bridges now that he's back again! So very good at storytelling and entertaining viewers. :))))
Correct me if I'm wrong, but unless for age verification, no private entity has the power to compel you to produce identification, much less hold you for refusing to do so.
they cant compel you under any circumstance. But they can also refuse service for any reason and are required by law to know your age for certain things like drinking or gambling but you giving you ID is completely voluntary in all circumstances.
I doubt there is a private entity in the US that can force you to produce ID. I certainly have never heard of such a statute. Casinos can toss you for any reason or no reason, but forcing someone to show ID is not within their authority, especially when that person is leaving, anyway.
really obvious that a lot of work went into this series, particularly this episode -- can't wait to see how it all pans out. also seems like your magic/live performance chops help a ton during these tense interactions with staff!
I’ve always been in awe of your brain and how clever you are but I have no idea how you manage to also keep so calm in these situations! From the table to the security I’d be a jittery mess!
I got followed all the way to and through the parking lot at a Las Vegas casino last year. I genuinely felt unsafe. I don’t understand this desire by some casinos to strong arm us like that when they could just be polite and we would happily walk out the door peacefully. Great series so far!
My heart rate increases when you get confronted. Cannot imagine what yours must've been like! They really don't like 'advantaged' players. Which seeing as they have the advantage in every other game seems unfair.
Funnily enough, they have the advantage in blackjack too. Being an 'advantaged player' doesn't mean you're advantaged against the house. Even with card counting, you only reduce the house's advantage over you from like 5% to 1%. But ya know, it's better to invent a silly term, that sorta sounds legit, than say "You know how to play blackjack, so please stop it and make room for those that don't, so they can lose more reliably than you." Sounds better if you get overheard by a customer too.
@@MrKoraboras Yeah, no. I don't know where you get your bullshit from but card counting gives the counter a 1% advantage. You probably need to work on your reading comprehension because the fact that you got the percentage right makes me suspect that you couldn't even be arsed to read your source properly before spouting bullshit.
Nice work again Steven! Looking forward to the continuation of this series. Just wanted to make a quick clarification on the $10,000 threshold you mentioned, I understand your comment was likely in an effort to keep explanations simple and concise. So this is for anyone curious about that or who wants more information. In the United States $10,000 is the threshold for what is called a currency transaction report. While winning $10,000 would be one situation where you cross that threshold, it actually applies to any currency transaction of more than $10,000. So if you buy-in for $5,000 and win $5,001, and try to cash the whole $10,001 at the cage, you will be required to provide identification, the same is true if you simply buy-in for $10,000+ total. This doesn't need to be one transaction either, this is about $10,000+ changing hands over the course of a 24hr period, in the casino's case, likely within what they consider their "gaming day". This is not just a casino/gaming law. The other situation where you would be required to show I.D. is if you were playing a machine based game and had a single game payout $1,200 or more, in which case, in the United States, a tax form W2-G is issued. There are other W2-G events that apply to certain table sidebets, tournament winnings, etc. However, for just traditional blackjack play, as Steven is doing, you will never be issued a W2-G. To United States players, you are still liable for federal income tax on all gambling winnings, whether it's a W2-G event, or not. Let me also make clear, I'm not a tax professional or a lawyer, if you're interested in learning more about tax law and gambling, I'd recommend listening to any of Russel Fox's interviews on Gambling With an Edge, reading "Tax Help for Gamblers" and visiting the IRS website.
I’m a former casino employee. Yes. Anytime you have bought in for more then $10,000 in the 24 hour period From 4 AM to 4 PM (this can vary by jurisdiction) the casino must legally halt your action until you give them your social security.
People don't realize the absolute balls this takes to pull off. I am trying to respect all the planning, dedication and effort you put in to this Steven. Well done, great series. Unfortunately it just distracts us from the fact that you were in a Star Wars film lol
Really glad you stood your ground. These conversations are so silted and strange. For any non-native English speakers, if you couldn't already tell, the security is speaking in an extremely indirect and subtlety threatening manner. This is not a normal interaction.
Man this series you're doing is fantastic. It definitely makes up for the 2 year gap in content. You've been busy!!! Lol. Thanks for the effort you've put in to this
Watched your new series first, then came back to watch this one. Crazy to see how your confidence has went up and calmness and authority when handling being backed off or pain in the ass casino staff since these videos.
13:12 Exactly what I was thinking. That would have been awkward as hell if you started card counting and they came back for you. It could have even got nasty.
Steven I discovered your channel like a month ago and I love the BlackJack content! You explain things very well, and the way you to talk to the security is pretty cool. It's very respectful, yet you show them your British 'Balls'!
I live in Washington and go to many of the casinos here, and I could tell you were at a lot of tribal casinos. I also specialize in Native history and casinos are a huge part of modern Native history. If the tribes are on good terms with each other (which many are in this region) they share information with each other a lot. Some tribes even have multiple casinos and those will for sure talk with each other. That's probably how that one knew your face. PS I love this series, great job!
Muckleshoot (iirc) uses some of the money to fund reviving the tribal language (Lushootseed.) A tiny amount I'm sure in the grand scheme of things, but it's good to see that the casinos are benefiting their enrolled members in some way.
Crazy to see how that security guard answered your question about card counting being cheating with “yea basically” is so sad. Like to the casino using your brain is just too unfair I guess lol. Love the videos man keep it up!
It's cheating the system for them 😂 I honestly don't know why casinos still offer blackjack, I guess they get enough bad players who think they can get an edge that it makes it worth it
hahah yeah I did find that response funny. It's interesting to see the variety. Some casino staff really respect counters, others hate them. An interesting mix. That guy was at least very polite.
@@SwordFishTheFish the amount made off of everyday people is going to far outweigh the money lost by the casino to counters, especially by the counters who aren't able to conceal it and get backed off and are most likely not going to be playing there again.
Well the thing is, I'd literally never been to that casino and hadn't changed my betting amounts while there. So there's nothing that they could use to determine I was counting. I wouldn't have handed over my ID unless I thought it would help 😃
This series is one of the best things I've watched on youtube. Gripping! Listened to you first on Gambling with an Edge and was surprised to hear another English voice on there. Am also reading Colin's book so it's a brilliant insight into a CC journey.
I love how each video just keeps betting better n better! The waiting period in between each video is so worth it, and the quality speaks for its self. Cant wait for the rest❤️🙌🏽
Essentially if they detain you for anything that isn't an actual criminal offense, it's kidnapping/false imprisonment. As long as you cooperate and leave or state that you want to leave, they're liable if they don't allow you to. They can't force you to give them ID. All they can do is trespass you and tell you not to return.
Yep, just tell them you want to leave. Head towards the door. If they block or stop you from leaving then get a lawyer. Maryland Live Casino held someone to get ID and both the casino and police lost a nice lawsuit from the player: th-cam.com/video/LlMexfd2e8s/w-d-xo.html
Wow! This is like an action movie! I have always heard that casinos do some shady things to people who they think are "cheating" (not that I think you are cheating, but they may). So be safe! Also, I like how you know your rights. They will want to be careful not to violate your civil rights, but they'll push it as far as they can. They will bluff to scare you. So stay educated. Thanks for the hard work!..looking forward to the next one.
I really enjoy this series, I only just found it and I always wanted to see how real card counters operate because you guys are almost like Robin Hood figures taking on the big bad casinos. Bravo! 👏
I just went outside and stopped some people. I kept saying like, like, like to them as I liked their comment. I then followed them home and showed them my dog ( actual dog ) I asked them then if they wanted to be friends. I also, told them about nu man for men..
One time in my awkward years a person cutting my hair messed up real bad, I was awkward years embarrassed... my dad gave me the best advice that I thought was the worst at the time... he said, “just play crazy man” 🤦🏻♂️ Come to find out, it is the best advice when dealing w people who think they know more than you about you. Way to stay strong.... Got em player.
00:54 For the standard blackjack table out on the floor dealers are trained to call out "pay or take table maximum" when any player bets the max or close to the max. On the other hand, dealers are also trained to call out "checks play" anytime a player bets $100 or more for the first time. So betting $400 or $500 doesn't make that big of a difference when trying to stay under the radar. You will get the same amount of attention from the floor person and/or surveillance.
@@stevenbridges No, I wouldn't recommend that. It's just part of the game. Plus if one dealer calls out "checks play" and then later you make a $100+ bet with another dealer, the next dealer will call it out again. Floor persons will just keep the call out in mind and not necessarily pay attention to it right away. I would not change your betting based on their call outs. Your not trying to cover, your just trying to hit it hard as possible with a count in your favor. Eventually you will be asked to leave and on to the next one.
Any knowledge on the profitability of UK/London casinos? I can imagine the US being quite disparate and not communicating as much between properties, whereas UK ones seem to have a lot of chains, and I can imagine them having better tech to share backoff info. Loving the series, such an honest representation of your experiences and the difficulty of what you're doing!
You got it in one. Lots of CSM's, but also lot's of chains. You can't play in the UK without being a member, so when you're backed off it takes out a load of options.
You have to act like Danny dyer making a tv show to never get caught in London. Hi, I'm Danny dyer and I am bricking. I'm here at a casino at 6.30 on a Sunday and it's all kicking off..
@@Dynamikcheese Not between each hand of blackjack. If they have an autoshuffler it simply stores the cards placed in it, and puts them on the end of the shoe after about a deck or 2 worth is added back, or they autoshuffle and then place in a standard shoe.
@@PBMS123 no. That's not how it works. The only pre determined set of cards are the 14 once a card is pulled it randomly pulls one into the last ones place. You can't card count on a auto shufflers
Great video as always, appreciate the quality editing :) Super intense situation. Q: Did you read up on US law or talk with a lawyer before going to the casinos? Did you prepare answers in advance to this kind of scenario?
Thanks Johan, this one took aaaaages! Yeah so I've read a book called the Law For Gamblers and also I've learned from my mentor Colin my rights. The only thing is... this was a Tribal Casino. They have different laws sometimes. And they have their own police. So at those casinos I'm a litttttttle bit less sure. But I still was pretty confident showing ID was not needed. It definitely is NOT needed to cash out under 10k.
You can always say you have an emergency and just cash out and leave without having a conversation with anyone. Your not required to speak to anyone unless you’re being detained. Cheerio
One of the casinos sent your picture to the casino accusing you. The security manager was probably informed by the surveillance guys/back room personnel, that you matched a photo they had (they use facial recognition software). They probably didn’t have a name to run against the photo. They sent the security manager out to probe you, (he may not have been fully convinced), and you did a great job throwing them off. He allowed you to stay, but I guarantee they were watching your every hand on the camera.
You should have had a contingency plan for this scenario. Just say "I'm leaving" and walk out. They can't stop you. Get someone else to cash out your chips later.
from what i know in some states card counting is protected by law as the justification is that in any game anyone can have an advantage over other, as in football it may be being physically big or in a casino playing blackjack you're using your head a lot more. Which i think is good
The casino at 2:30 is hawks prairie in lacy, I deal there and can even tell you who is dealing in the clip lol. BTW dealers don't care if players are counters or not as long as they tip when they win especially in the smaller card rooms where everyone keeps their own tips.
That dealer was a nice dude! Do you have any more advice regarding tipping? One of the issues I've found is that the edge is so small that we risk tipping away our whole edge. If I'm betting 2X$400 but then only tip a couple of bucks will that be more offensive than not tipping?
@@stevenbridges a few bucks on a big win is fine. I've just ran into a few counters that don't tip at all regardless of winning or losing. Most dealers wouldn't expect you to tip if your losing and understand if you don't.
Whenever I counted cards, I would walk around with a drink and act drunk, I would also act like the biggest noob at the table. I never got backed off. One time I was actually pretty nervous it was going to happen when I noticed every single pit boss was looking at me and getting closer, but alas nothing ever happened, I figured they were just wondering how a blabbering drunk was winning so much money lmao.
are you tipping the dealers? I've found this has actually helped me in the past, backed off fast when not giving tokes, yet when I was betting/tipping for the dealers they would 'forget' to announce and big bet and not notify the floor or pit boss.
I've experimented with and without tipping. Depends on the situation. I don't like when companies don't pay their employees properly but obviously not tipping doesn't help fix that problem.
@@stevenbridges Think about this, in my scalping/business I pay people to help me get the job done, so you are also paying the dealers to remain silent and help you the entire time.
Man this early interactions are incredibly painful to watch. No insult intended, it's incredible to see how far you have come in handling these sorts of people, many kudos. Once one gets beyond the illusion of power and fear of the unknown it becomes a lot easier to simply speak straight and clear.
I love watching this series but it feels kinda bad for you because you're gonna be on youtube and now people will be actively looking out for you even if you have not gone into their casinos because u are making content and identifying yourself to us in the process.
I worked in surveillance before. They had an image of you posted up and notated at the end. We were trained in counting to watch for bets and when/how played. Security is another dept because of gaming laws so they were 2 different entities. One government (surveillance) and one tribal (security). Easy to get messages mixed
That “whaaat ?” When he said you looked like the previously backed off player, sublime. Reminded me of mark Wahlberg in the happening: “whaaaat ? Noooo !”
Really getting into this series man. I'm in Washington state and would love to get your rating/review for the casinos you visited so we know where to avoid. Maybe behind a pay wall? Still honing by bs and beginning to practice counting on the app without knowing the deviations
They honestly mistook you for another guy and I know exactly who that guy is. You guys do look alike too in some pics but this made me laugh! I sent the link of this to my buddy.
Hey everyone! I'll be replying to as many comments as I can! 😃
Hope you like this ep, sorry it took so long (you don't wanna know how long the edit took).
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I'm feeling generous, but I'm also so very broke. :P lol
How much is the card counting course?
The edit took over 3.5 years. 😁
@@bartholomewsimpson6584 hahahaha
When will the next episode be out?
"I can assure you we are insulated from the real world." Yeah, thinking like that shows why they can insist on ID coming out of the bathroom for nefarious purposes and threatening to call the police. Unbelievable. Glad you were recording this.
😂 Yes great point!
I already figured out what you need to start doing, every big win you need to hand the money to another ''player'' or put the money in the trunk of your car and keep playing.
@@gregdrivesdriver5104 They aren't pegging you for a card counter based on how much money you are making. They will notice you from your bet spreads and betting patterns. Going from $5-10 bets to jumping to $200 all of a sudden is what will make you stand out. For me, my bet spread on a $10 minimum table is up to $50 on the high counts. Yes, I know that I'm missing out on value but I'm also staying under the radar because others at the table are normally playing between $30-50 anyways so I'm not standing out.
I know this video is a few year old, so you know all this, but that statement from them is such a load of shite lol. If anything it's the exact opposite. All these casinos talk to each other even if they are not owned by the same company or otherwise affiliated.
@@stevenbridgesI’m surprised you never made it a point as to why aren’t they checking other peoples IDS.I think it would be hilarious for Key and Peele to recreate a back off situation using there comedic take on it
I know that the intense back off/IDing was scary to go through, but don't forget that you can earn some serious money from settlements via lawsuits if a casino wrongfully "detains" you! Keep up the good work, looking forward to counting cards in the near future as well!
Yeah! I read The Law For Gamblers and in a way getting back roomed is the best EV possible 😂
This is partly why I specifically said to the Pitboss 'Can I cash out and leave or are you keeping me here?"
I was just about to say... That sounds like a +ve EV scenario 😂
Interesting… What’s the typical settlement? How long does it take for a settlement? What’s the typical legal bill?
@@mattym8 They vary. Get "Law for gamblers" by Robert Nercesian. There are six figure settlements. I assume the payout to your lawyer would be somewhere in the neighborhood of 30-40%
@@gstacks510 Thanks. The snippet from the book available on AMZN said settlements have been 726k, 599k, 250k, 200k, and lower. Some have been confidential.
Them essentially not allowing you to leave without showing ID felt a tad kidnappy. You played it off very well! x
i would have 100% shown my id. i am scared of authority lol
@@pvic6959 funny thing is, they have 0 authority
@@pvic6959 sheep
@@DannyxboyXxz Just human
@@pvic6959 slow people like you is how they stay power hungry. Learn the law and you won't be scared. Smh
When they mistook him for the other guy all I was thinking was, “damn it’s gonna be real awkward when he counts cards too” 🤣😂
The biggest fear in that situation is that they'll insist that they banned you in the past and now you're trespassing. If they misidentify you as someone that's banned from the property that's going to be a pain in the ass for you. You'll get arrested legally since they'll have probable cause. Of course they'd never be able to prove a case against you since you actually weren't previously banned so you couldn't have been trespassing. But that's going down a road is far more messy than it's worth. You'll have to actually get a lawyer to defend you and you might even spend the night in lock up, even if you're freed in the morning.
Gosh, watching your confrontations as someone with social anxiety is more stressful than any movie I see! Love the series, each episode delivers above and beyond
Stressful to be there believe me 😂
I don't have social anxiety. I made money playing blackjack, but after a number of these altercations I gave up. Some places just say "no more blackjack", but I had the cops called on me and had casinos demanding ID, several unpleasant people breathing in my face etc. Too stressful for me. I made money, but returned to my hotel a wreck. I gave up.
For the last clip i feel like its possible they heard u were counting cards from another casino and maybe just wanted to throw u off your game a little bit. Ive heard casinos do weird things to mess with advantage players and that mightve been an example of that. And u left so it looks like it worked! Lol who knows. Love the vids
I think they probably heard about him from another location and wanted his ID so they could spread his info around. Casinos will tell each other known card counters since they make more money keeping them out in the first place.
@@timah9420 yeah casinos are connected and all have a shared list of known suspects, at least in the same region.
They have facial recognition technology and they will share with other casinos
It’s why they wanted to scan your id. That way they can share it with other casinos and stop you at the door
Dude no joke, they have luck killers that they pay to just come around you and fuck up your game when your winning a Hollywood park in Los Angeles.
I’m certain this is what happened: Casinos will often share pictures of card counters with each other, even if they aren’t affiliated. So, casino A (which you’ve already been backed off at) will contact someone from casino B as a heads up. So even though you’ve never been in casino B, they already have a surveillance picture from casino A.
Yeah I reckon you could be right!
Omg he needed to just leave and go to a different casino!!!! Or just play a different game.
Yes they have a database and they work with the Feds... beautiful thing js wear a mask thanks to covid for a disguise.
Don't have a high bet spread like this gentleman if you plan to keep patronizing the places. But if you are just Yolo'ing go balls to the wall.
which unless owned by same group. I find that stupid. Like let your competition lose money. lmao. Then take over. like wtf? That's just how blindingly greedy they are. That they miss the chance to take out competition by explicitly not letting them know of a card counter lol.
But why? If it’s a different company why would they care if they lose money? If anything they should want them to
"there's a guy that we backed off before, for being an advantage player"
"is that, like, cheating?"
love it
(I’m not a counter at all) was in vegas on a b day trip this weekend. Made a joke abt splitting 10s and said “only a counter would do that” (count was roughly a true 2.5) dealer said “no one can count a 6 deck shoe.” I took it personally being drunk as shit and counted the next shoe and won abt 250 on a $5min game till my buddy said everyone’s looking u need to get up. Still don’t know of it was luck or good counting but I’d like to think I counted well while being 12 beers deep. This has nothing to do with your comment I just want a counters input lol.
The way you put this video together and edited it is pretty awesome! Kudos Steven!! Really enjoyed this video.
Ah, thank you very much! Y'know, I don't even know how to play slots 😂 Never tried it!
Out of curiosity, do you ask to film or do they just not mind when you do?
@@stevenbridges I typically just reach out to the casino management ahead of time and ask for their permission to record. Slots are very mind numbing and require zero thought and skill! Just a nice/expensive hobby to have some fun!
Anybody reading this pls stay away from the slots. No hate tho. If you can make content out of it I totally get it but 99.9% of ppl don’t so they should just stay away. Steven hasn’t played them for a good reason.
@@nickmason2345 60% of my videos are losing videos and I lose more than I win. People are smart and know that slots are the money makers for casinos. It's simply mindless fun.
@@LadyLuckHQ thanks for being transparent! In my experience that’s rare with ppl that play slots lol. I’m a father of 4 girls so maybe it was the Dad in me that had to throw that caution out lol.
The "you look just like a card counter we backed out previously" conversation was just too funny! 🤣
This is the best series on youtube right now. I'm so invested and you're such a compelling storyteller. I'm so glad tom scott linked to the series a few weeks ago!
Very kind of you! Thank you! 😃
Yeah, Hank Green just did his annual survey and one of the questions is Who is your favorite TH-camr (other than him or John), and I answered - I can say Steven Bridges now that he's back again! So very good at storytelling and entertaining viewers. :))))
Where did Tom Scott link to Steven's series?
@@DarkSaruman in his weekly email!
Correct me if I'm wrong, but unless for age verification, no private entity has the power to compel you to produce identification, much less hold you for refusing to do so.
they cant compel you under any circumstance. But they can also refuse service for any reason and are required by law to know your age for certain things like drinking or gambling but you giving you ID is completely voluntary in all circumstances.
I doubt there is a private entity in the US that can force you to produce ID. I certainly have never heard of such a statute. Casinos can toss you for any reason or no reason, but forcing someone to show ID is not within their authority, especially when that person is leaving, anyway.
I love how realistic the progression is.. And i can feel his joy idk why..
hahah I wasn't very subtle during the big win 😂
You handled the back off quite well, I couldn't do the same.
Just wait.... there's a backoff I do NOT handle well coming later 😂
really obvious that a lot of work went into this series, particularly this episode -- can't wait to see how it all pans out. also seems like your magic/live performance chops help a ton during these tense interactions with staff!
Thank you Oaklati! Over 30 hours in the edit for this video alone 😂
I’ve always been in awe of your brain and how clever you are but I have no idea how you manage to also keep so calm in these situations! From the table to the security I’d be a jittery mess!
hahah just wait until a couple more episodes, I do not handle every situation well.
I got followed all the way to and through the parking lot at a Las Vegas casino last year. I genuinely felt unsafe. I don’t understand this desire by some casinos to strong arm us like that when they could just be polite and we would happily walk out the door peacefully.
Great series so far!
You are under no legal obligation to show them your ID. They can make you leave the casino that's it, they can't just bully you into producing it
My heart rate increases when you get confronted. Cannot imagine what yours must've been like! They really don't like 'advantaged' players. Which seeing as they have the advantage in every other game seems unfair.
Funnily enough, they have the advantage in blackjack too. Being an 'advantaged player' doesn't mean you're advantaged against the house. Even with card counting, you only reduce the house's advantage over you from like 5% to 1%.
But ya know, it's better to invent a silly term, that sorta sounds legit, than say "You know how to play blackjack, so please stop it and make room for those that don't, so they can lose more reliably than you."
Sounds better if you get overheard by a customer too.
@@MrKoraboras Yeah, no. I don't know where you get your bullshit from but card counting gives the counter a 1% advantage. You probably need to work on your reading comprehension because the fact that you got the percentage right makes me suspect that you couldn't even be arsed to read your source properly before spouting bullshit.
This is not just a great series, but also such a cliffhanger. I'm so curious what your final total is gonna be!
Thanks so much! 😃
This series is SO GOOD and I can’t wait to see where it goes !!
Loving this series so far. Criminally underrated.
Thank you Jono! 😃
Nice work again Steven! Looking forward to the continuation of this series.
Just wanted to make a quick clarification on the $10,000 threshold you mentioned, I understand your comment was likely in an effort to keep explanations simple and concise. So this is for anyone curious about that or who wants more information. In the United States $10,000 is the threshold for what is called a currency transaction report. While winning $10,000 would be one situation where you cross that threshold, it actually applies to any currency transaction of more than $10,000. So if you buy-in for $5,000 and win $5,001, and try to cash the whole $10,001 at the cage, you will be required to provide identification, the same is true if you simply buy-in for $10,000+ total. This doesn't need to be one transaction either, this is about $10,000+ changing hands over the course of a 24hr period, in the casino's case, likely within what they consider their "gaming day". This is not just a casino/gaming law.
The other situation where you would be required to show I.D. is if you were playing a machine based game and had a single game payout $1,200 or more, in which case, in the United States, a tax form W2-G is issued. There are other W2-G events that apply to certain table sidebets, tournament winnings, etc. However, for just traditional blackjack play, as Steven is doing, you will never be issued a W2-G. To United States players, you are still liable for federal income tax on all gambling winnings, whether it's a W2-G event, or not.
Let me also make clear, I'm not a tax professional or a lawyer, if you're interested in learning more about tax law and gambling, I'd recommend listening to any of Russel Fox's interviews on Gambling With an Edge, reading "Tax Help for Gamblers" and visiting the IRS website.
Excellent comment! Thank you for sharing!
You're right, I did try and keep it simple, but this comment still taught me a lot!
I’m a former casino employee. Yes. Anytime you have bought in for more then $10,000 in the 24 hour period From 4 AM to 4 PM (this can vary by jurisdiction) the casino must legally halt your action until you give them your social security.
People don't realize the absolute balls this takes to pull off. I am trying to respect all the planning, dedication and effort you put in to this Steven. Well done, great series.
Unfortunately it just distracts us from the fact that you were in a Star Wars film lol
hahahah thank you Dr BEN! I was indeed in Star Wars 😂
Really glad you stood your ground. These conversations are so silted and strange. For any non-native English speakers, if you couldn't already tell, the security is speaking in an extremely indirect and subtlety threatening manner. This is not a normal interaction.
Man this series you're doing is fantastic. It definitely makes up for the 2 year gap in content. You've been busy!!! Lol. Thanks for the effort you've put in to this
I really appreciate you sticking around and waiting!
Watched your new series first, then came back to watch this one. Crazy to see how your confidence has went up and calmness and authority when handling being backed off or pain in the ass casino staff since these videos.
13:12 Exactly what I was thinking. That would have been awkward as hell if you started
card counting and they came back for you. It could have even got nasty.
Steven I discovered your channel like a month ago and I love the BlackJack content! You explain things very well, and the way you to talk to the security is pretty cool. It's very respectful, yet you show them your British 'Balls'!
Really nice to read comments like this so thank you
These videos are amazing, the time and effort put into these is through the roof!! Such as smart way to do this kind of series!
I live in Washington and go to many of the casinos here, and I could tell you were at a lot of tribal casinos. I also specialize in Native history and casinos are a huge part of modern Native history. If the tribes are on good terms with each other (which many are in this region) they share information with each other a lot. Some tribes even have multiple casinos and those will for sure talk with each other. That's probably how that one knew your face. PS I love this series, great job!
Muckleshoot (iirc) uses some of the money to fund reviving the tribal language (Lushootseed.) A tiny amount I'm sure in the grand scheme of things, but it's good to see that the casinos are benefiting their enrolled members in some way.
Loving this series so much! Thanks for all the adventures, cant wait for the next one :)
Thank you! Glad you like it 😃
Crazy to see how that security guard answered your question about card counting being cheating with “yea basically” is so sad. Like to the casino using your brain is just too unfair I guess lol. Love the videos man keep it up!
It's cheating the system for them 😂 I honestly don't know why casinos still offer blackjack, I guess they get enough bad players who think they can get an edge that it makes it worth it
hahah yeah I did find that response funny. It's interesting to see the variety. Some casino staff really respect counters, others hate them. An interesting mix.
That guy was at least very polite.
@@SwordFishTheFish the amount made off of everyday people is going to far outweigh the money lost by the casino to counters, especially by the counters who aren't able to conceal it and get backed off and are most likely not going to be playing there again.
It's just economically more profitable to just offer it than not, also they can kick you out immediately if they feel they are losing too much.
I think the story of “you look like that other guy” was only to distract you enough to get your ID. Look forward to seeing where this series goes!
Well the thing is, I'd literally never been to that casino and hadn't changed my betting amounts while there. So there's nothing that they could use to determine I was counting.
I wouldn't have handed over my ID unless I thought it would help 😃
@@stevenbridges they got your photo from another casino. He was playing you.
This series is one of the best things I've watched on youtube. Gripping! Listened to you first on Gambling with an Edge and was surprised to hear another English voice on there. Am also reading Colin's book so it's a brilliant insight into a CC journey.
I love how each video just keeps betting better n better! The waiting period in between each video is so worth it, and the quality speaks for its self. Cant wait for the rest❤️🙌🏽
I'll have to make the next one terrible just to reset the standard. so much pressure 😂
Thank you 😃
Wow this series gets better and better. Good to have you back Steven!
Essentially if they detain you for anything that isn't an actual criminal offense, it's kidnapping/false imprisonment. As long as you cooperate and leave or state that you want to leave, they're liable if they don't allow you to. They can't force you to give them ID. All they can do is trespass you and tell you not to return.
Yep, just tell them you want to leave. Head towards the door. If they block or stop you from leaving then get a lawyer.
Maryland Live Casino held someone to get ID and both the casino and police lost a nice lawsuit from the player: th-cam.com/video/LlMexfd2e8s/w-d-xo.html
I don't know how you're always so level headed in those situations! The series is going amazingly =)
hahah thank you! I wish that were the case always. In two episodes time you'll watch me not handle it well
Wow! This is like an action movie! I have always heard that casinos do some shady things to people who they think are "cheating" (not that I think you are cheating, but they may). So be safe! Also, I like how you know your rights. They will want to be careful not to violate your civil rights, but they'll push it as far as they can. They will bluff to scare you. So stay educated. Thanks for the hard work!..looking forward to the next one.
hammer to the hand usually sets them straight.
@@mikekinsela7210 I don't think you'd be allowed back in the casino if you hit them with a hammer.
@@JoeBlac the casino hits the cheater in the hand with the hammer . watch the movie Casino.
@@mikekinsela7210 but the bruiser they send in to rough you up turns out to be an old buddy, allowing you to rob the whole casino.
Card counters are not cheating, they are only winning too much for the casino’s liking.
Have I said I love this series! Can't wait for the next episode Steven, happy to support
Thanks mate! 😃
This is becoming my most looked forward to series… keep it up!
Thanks so much! 😃
Loving the series, thanks for putting this together!
I really enjoy this series, I only just found it and I always wanted to see how real card counters operate because you guys are almost like Robin Hood figures taking on the big bad casinos. Bravo! 👏
I feel like we (viewers) are not doing a good enough job promoting this series by sharing it and such. It delivers every episode!
hahah well sharing on Reddit can help a bunch 😃
I just went outside and stopped some people. I kept saying like, like, like to them as I liked their comment. I then followed them home and showed them my dog ( actual dog ) I asked them then if they wanted to be friends. I also, told them about nu man for men..
So what? You want to see our ID? Should we get out? :D
One time in my awkward years a person cutting my hair messed up real bad, I was awkward years embarrassed... my dad gave me the best advice that I thought was the worst at the time...
he said, “just play crazy man”
🤦🏻♂️
Come to find out, it is the best advice when dealing w people who think they know more than you about you.
Way to stay strong....
Got em player.
dude this is like a netflix-tier series. love that you reply to lots of people too, please keep it up
Thank you so much! 😃
Another fantastic episode!
Thanks Charli! 😃
Tom Scott shared your first video in this series in a newsletter some weeks ago, I couldn't stop watching since!
Tom's such a cool dude!
Man, you are doing a really good job of showing just how shady the whole casino industry is!
I'm so glad the channel views are coming up for you pal. I've only just discovered this series and it's like bloody catnip! Take us with you!
Thank you very much! Yeah this series was a slow burn but seems to be popping off now
Just amazing. You learned how to cardcount and documenting it all by your self. You are very brave to jump into this adventure. Great vlog 💪
Thank you! 😃
00:54 For the standard blackjack table out on the floor dealers are trained to call out "pay or take table maximum" when any player bets the max or close to the max. On the other hand, dealers are also trained to call out "checks play" anytime a player bets $100 or more for the first time. So betting $400 or $500 doesn't make that big of a difference when trying to stay under the radar. You will get the same amount of attention from the floor person and/or surveillance.
Do you reckon it's a good cover strat to bet $100 once as soon as you sit down?
Provided it's safe regarding bankroll etc
@@stevenbridges No, I wouldn't recommend that. It's just part of the game. Plus if one dealer calls out "checks play" and then later you make a $100+ bet with another dealer, the next dealer will call it out again. Floor persons will just keep the call out in mind and not necessarily pay attention to it right away. I would not change your betting based on their call outs. Your not trying to cover, your just trying to hit it hard as possible with a count in your favor. Eventually you will be asked to leave and on to the next one.
Any knowledge on the profitability of UK/London casinos? I can imagine the US being quite disparate and not communicating as much between properties, whereas UK ones seem to have a lot of chains, and I can imagine them having better tech to share backoff info.
Loving the series, such an honest representation of your experiences and the difficulty of what you're doing!
You got it in one. Lots of CSM's, but also lot's of chains. You can't play in the UK without being a member, so when you're backed off it takes out a load of options.
You have to act like Danny dyer making a tv show to never get caught in London. Hi, I'm Danny dyer and I am bricking. I'm here at a casino at 6.30 on a Sunday and it's all kicking off..
Plus most casinos use auto shufflers.
@@Dynamikcheese Not between each hand of blackjack. If they have an autoshuffler it simply stores the cards placed in it, and puts them on the end of the shoe after about a deck or 2 worth is added back, or they autoshuffle and then place in a standard shoe.
@@PBMS123 no. That's not how it works. The only pre determined set of cards are the 14 once a card is pulled it randomly pulls one into the last ones place. You can't card count on a auto shufflers
THIS IS AWESOME! I like this so much, such a great series keep up the good work!
It’s just hilarious that the casinos want to kick you out because you’re winning.
They sure won’t kick you out when you’re losing too much 😂
Love the videos man! Thanks for documenting your journey!
Great video as always, appreciate the quality editing :)
Super intense situation. Q: Did you read up on US law or talk with a lawyer before going to the casinos? Did you prepare answers in advance to this kind of scenario?
Thanks Johan, this one took aaaaages!
Yeah so I've read a book called the Law For Gamblers and also I've learned from my mentor Colin my rights.
The only thing is... this was a Tribal Casino. They have different laws sometimes. And they have their own police. So at those casinos I'm a litttttttle bit less sure.
But I still was pretty confident showing ID was not needed. It definitely is NOT needed to cash out under 10k.
@@stevenbridges Agreed stay firm.
@@stevenbridges Just leave before they pressure you too much. You can always go back later and cash out the chips.
You can always say you have an emergency and just cash out and leave without having a conversation with anyone. Your not required to speak to anyone unless you’re being detained.
Cheerio
Incredible series. Thank you so much for posting, very interesting and entertaining. Can’t wait until your next video
Thank you so much!
One of the casinos sent your picture to the casino accusing you. The security manager was probably informed by the surveillance guys/back room personnel, that you matched a photo they had (they use facial recognition software). They probably didn’t have a name to run against the photo. They sent the security manager out to probe you, (he may not have been fully convinced), and you did a great job throwing them off. He allowed you to stay, but I guarantee they were watching your every hand on the camera.
Loved it, so fun to watch. What a great serie
You should have had a contingency plan for this scenario. Just say "I'm leaving" and walk out. They can't stop you. Get someone else to cash out your chips later.
Yeah, I didn't have access to anyone to help with cashing out.
Also wouldn't make for an interesting TH-cam video....
from what i know in some states card counting is protected by law as the justification is that in any game anyone can have an advantage over other, as in football it may be being physically big or in a casino playing blackjack you're using your head a lot more. Which i think is good
Loving this series
Thanks so much!
I still curious about that Hockey prop payout promotion
ooooh new part! very excited to see what's up..!
edit: did not dissapoint, very good episode!
Hope you like it, LOTS happens!
The casino at 2:30 is hawks prairie in lacy, I deal there and can even tell you who is dealing in the clip lol. BTW dealers don't care if players are counters or not as long as they tip when they win especially in the smaller card rooms where everyone keeps their own tips.
That dealer was a nice dude!
Do you have any more advice regarding tipping? One of the issues I've found is that the edge is so small that we risk tipping away our whole edge.
If I'm betting 2X$400 but then only tip a couple of bucks will that be more offensive than not tipping?
@@stevenbridges a few bucks on a big win is fine. I've just ran into a few counters that don't tip at all regardless of winning or losing. Most dealers wouldn't expect you to tip if your losing and understand if you don't.
Not sure why you're talking to them. Just leave when they ask for ID. No use trying to win a war of words.
Excited to see the rest of the series !
Thank you! 😃
Whenever I counted cards, I would walk around with a drink and act drunk, I would also act like the biggest noob at the table. I never got backed off. One time I was actually pretty nervous it was going to happen when I noticed every single pit boss was looking at me and getting closer, but alas nothing ever happened, I figured they were just wondering how a blabbering drunk was winning so much money lmao.
Hahaha I have tried the acting drunk approach before. But I was playing very high stakes so not enough
Just tell them dumb luck and if your lucky they fall for it 😂
Dude this is such a great series! I can't wait for your next upload! 👍👍👍
Still loving the series! Hoping it gets much more exposure both for you and for all the people who would be lucky to get to enjoy watching it!
Thank you very much 😃
The Way you handled the Back off was so satistfying and insane (stress wise)
are you tipping the dealers? I've found this has actually helped me in the past, backed off fast when not giving tokes, yet when I was betting/tipping for the dealers they would 'forget' to announce and big bet and not notify the floor or pit boss.
I've experimented with and without tipping. Depends on the situation. I don't like when companies don't pay their employees properly but obviously not tipping doesn't help fix that problem.
@@stevenbridges You should always be tipping, it's their salary.
@@gregdrivesdriver5104 How much?
@@stevenbridges Honestly, like $5 is good. If you want to be really nice I'd do $10, but I can only afford $5.
@@stevenbridges Think about this, in my scalping/business I pay people to help me get the job done, so you are also paying the dealers to remain silent and help you the entire time.
Steven I've been subscribed for ages and this series is absolutely amazing!
im legit scared for you hahaha
This isn't even the most intense experience of the trip 😂
"...we are completely insulated from the real world." No truer words were ever spoken.
They wont ID you if you lose 1 million$.
truth!
Man this early interactions are incredibly painful to watch. No insult intended, it's incredible to see how far you have come in handling these sorts of people, many kudos.
Once one gets beyond the illusion of power and fear of the unknown it becomes a lot easier to simply speak straight and clear.
"Do I need to call a lawyer?" is a great line.
"okay.. you wait just a few minutes.... I just need to google a lawyer..."
The small casinos are really polite about kicking you out which is awesome.
I love watching this series but it feels kinda bad for you because you're gonna be on youtube and now people will be actively looking out for you even if you have not gone into their casinos because u are making content and identifying yourself to us in the process.
Indeed, it is the trade off for making a series like this.
You went to all my local casinos, respect!
It doesn't seem worth the effort. However it's wildly entertaining and informative
Amazing as always!! I want more my friend
Oh my, the ID ambush by the bathroom was so freaking scary!!! I do not think I would have been able to keep my cool as well as you did! >.
The lady thanking him for his business was like the sweetest backoff lol bless her
Love these vids man. Keep it up!
I worked in surveillance before. They had an image of you posted up and notated at the end. We were trained in counting to watch for bets and when/how played. Security is another dept because of gaming laws so they were 2 different entities. One government (surveillance) and one tribal (security). Easy to get messages mixed
So glad i found this Channel super cool to see this hope the luck continues
Thanks so much Trent!
This is a fantastic series! I'm loving it
That “whaaat ?” When he said you looked like the previously backed off player, sublime. Reminded me of mark Wahlberg in the happening: “whaaaat ? Noooo !”
Really getting into this series man. I'm in Washington state and would love to get your rating/review for the casinos you visited so we know where to avoid. Maybe behind a pay wall? Still honing by bs and beginning to practice counting on the app without knowing the deviations
My fav youtube video series! This is epic, cant wait to see where it goes!
Very kind of you! 😃
“Completely insulated from the real world”
Truer words were never spoken.
Ive been waiting for this videoo!!
It's taken soooooo long to edit!
Geez dude that was scary, I'd pee myself if i get confronted like that. Great job!
hahah thanks man
Wow these videos are awesome Steven, great job man!
They honestly mistook you for another guy and I know exactly who that guy is. You guys do look alike too in some pics but this made me laugh! I sent the link of this to my buddy.