Why I hate the Luxor...

thebrokenone · #1 (**permalink**) 06-13-2005, 02:11 PM

I just got back from my first trip to Vegas... I wanted to grab 12 $1 chips from Bellagio, NY NY and the Luxor. (BTW, we stayed at NY NY... no poker room... WTF?!) So... I strolled up to the cashier and asked for $20 worth of $1 chips... cashier says "Sorry, you have to get the chips off of the tables." BJ tables only had $5s so I jumped on a craps table... set my $20 down and ask for $1s... "uhm, no, sorry, it's a $5 minimum table we can only give out $5s".... I politely respond "I'd like to take some as souvenirs, would that be ok?" she replies, "Nope, sorry, we don't allow people to remove the chips from the casino", sets down 4 $5s and she refuses to talk to me anymore. I take my 5s to the next table -- "could I trade these in for some $1s?" he says... "No, it's a $5 minimum". Cashed out. Bastards.

Bellagio happily handed me over my 12 chips and the dealer at NY NY picked out the nicest chips she could find.

X-Files · #2 (**permalink**) 06-13-2005, 02:32 PM

I do not know where my parents picked up the $1 chip they got for me from the Luxor. I did not hear about them having a problem anywhere. Sorry to here your story.

PocketRocket · #3 (**permalink**) 06-13-2005, 02:41 PM

I still think a lot of it has to do with whom you encounter in such a hunt. I'd think that you could probably have encountered the same experience at either of the other hotels as well if you happen to have run into some cranky individual. Some of the those employees at the Strip hotels look pretty miserable and depressed; sometimes it looks like it is a strenuous for them to even feign being polite to you.

Your experience at the cashier's cage may have been totally different if you had gone during another shift.

scottwire · #4 (**permalink**) 06-13-2005, 03:20 PM

I have asked at a couple of cashiers in casinos as well with no luck.

The only way I have gotten $1 chips is pocketing a couple while playing Poker or table games which have the side bonus bets like Let It Ride or Carribean Stud. Pai Gow would probably work too. YMMV though because some casinos use $1 coins instead of chips for the bonus side bets.

I actually meant to pocket a $1 Luxor chip last time I played poker there and I forgot

thebrokenone · #5 (**permalink**) 06-13-2005, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PocketRocket

I still think a lot of it has to do with whom you encounter in such a hunt. I'd think that you could probably have encountered the same experience at either of the other hotels as well if you happen to have run into some cranky individual. Some of the those employees at the Strip hotels look pretty miserable and depressed; sometimes it looks like it is a strenuous for them to even feign being polite to you.

Your experience at the cashier's cage may have been totally different if you had gone during another shift.

Yeah, you're probably right. It was a bit disheartening though... and it was on my birthday... so that kind of sucked as well. At least I got some Bellagios... I love those chips.

PocketRocket · #6 (**permalink**) 06-13-2005, 03:48 PM

Try asking a floor supervisor (pit boss) or casino host. Also courtesy counts here as does the occasional toke.

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottwire

I have asked at a couple of cashiers in casinos as well with no luck.

The only way I have gotten $1 chips is pocketing a couple while playing Poker or table games which have the side bonus bets like Let It Ride or Carribean Stud. Pai Gow would probably work too. YMMV though because some casinos use $1 coins instead of chips for the bonus side bets.

I actually meant to pocket a $1 Luxor chip last time I played poker there and I forgot

Spaceman Spiff · #7 (**permalink**) 06-13-2005, 03:54 PM

I'm seriously amazed at this, but I suppose I can see how your average floor worker just thinks you're trying to steal casino property or something like that. They probably don't realize that you're willing to pay $1 for a "souvenir" that cost the casino, what, 70 cents? That's 43% profit baby, how many of those would you like, sir?

The only thing I can see is if they're worried you're just trying to get a sample so you can couterfeit. Still, counterfeiting $1 chips isn't exactly a get-rich-quick scheme.

Gaming Ore · #8 (**permalink**) 06-13-2005, 04:25 PM

Your Subject said Luxor, but I suspect you were talking about NY NY. The Luxor does in fact have a poker room and that is the easiest place to get $1 chips. Just buy-in for a rack ($100), pick out the best ones (a rack should yield about 15 good ones) and then cash-in the remainder either at the poker cage (booth) or at the main cage. I have even asked for and gotten a rack at the main cage. HOWEVER, I also know of other chippers that have been denied the acquisition of $1 chips at the main cage.

I would like to point out that the Luxor purposely culls out older/dirty/broken $1 chips and periodically does a re-order. The re-orders are continually placed into play, while the older ones are removed and destroyed. That process is what allows you to get about 15 good chips in a rack of 100.

It is also interesting (to me) that the older Luxor $1 chips are security tagged with seven different Ultra Violet (UV) markings. Those marking are exposed with a blacklight. The different codes are: 1. The absence of markings, 2. "CIRCUS CIRCUS" 3. "TUT" 4. "PYRAMID" 5. "EGYPT" 6. "LUXOR" and 7. "NILE". All new $1 chips are without the security code. I do not know about above $100, but everything up to $100 and including $100 do not have security codes. These (the $1's) were an experiment by Chipco.

As far as issues with getting chips from NY NY, I've never had any problems with getting chips from the cage. But I've only asked for 10 or so $1's and snappers ($2.50's).

If you are inclined to look at a Luxor chip with a blacklight, be sure to do so with all your chips. You would be surprised whats there on many of them.

Jim Follis

_Z_ · #9 (**permalink**) 06-13-2005, 04:43 PM

Quote:

If you are inclined to look at a Luxor chip with a blacklight, be sure to do so with all your chips. You would be surprised whats there on many of them.

I'll second that!

thebrokenone · #10 (**permalink**) 06-13-2005, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gaming Ore

Your Subject said Luxor, but I suspect you were talking about NY NY. The Luxor does in fact have a poker room and that is the easiest place to get $1 chips.

I went on a mini-rant because NY NY didn't have a poker room. That's where my wife and I stayed and I was looking forward to playing a few hands after she fell asleep.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gaming Ore

As far as issues with getting chips from NY NY, I've never had any problems with getting chips from the cage. But I've only asked for 10 or so $1's and snappers ($2.50's).

I didn't have any problems w/ NY NY either, they were more than happy to help me out