Physicists BANNED in Las Vegas for what?!

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[darkonc]

Physicists do math 12 hours a day. You look at the tables and do the math in 10 seconds. "nope! that's a losing proposition!" ... so they just did _other_ things.
Some of the better statisticians probably realized that they could win by card-counting at blackjack, spent 20 minutes figuring out a system and then proceeded to make the casinos even *more* unhappy than their colleagues who just walked away.

[dcjohnson]

I’m an old (octogenarian) retired scientist. I was in Vegas in the 1966-1970 (can’t remember the year). I sat down at a black Jack table when Barbara Streisand walked towards me from the left of the dealer’s back yelling loudly, flailing her arms yelling things towards me! She had two giant (6’8” I’m 6’3”) guards following close by. When I heard her say “this ain’t right Ed!” and the guy next to me said “I know Barbara, calm down” I realized I was setting next to Ed Sullivan “ The toast of the town (New York)”. After she said what she had to say, she walked away. Ed remarked to me and the dealer with a chuckle “and I came here for some peace and quiet”. We spoke a few words and I walked away after winning a few dollars wishing him good luck. A few hours later I was sitting on a couch and a repair guy came over to the slot machine and opened it to “repair” it. I had a perfect view of what he was doing. I was intent watching him when someone came over and sat down close to me and said “You seem very interested in watching that guy”. I realized it was Ed Sullivan! We talked a few minutes about what I did (Rocket Scientist on Saturn V, substage IV). The repair man had moved to the next slot machine and did the same moves as the one next to it. I told Ed I think the guy changed the odds in favor of the player and that I was going to test my assumption. I sat down at the first machine and Ed said “I’ll join you” They were dollar slots. Within a few plays I won $800! Ed said wow! Pretty good! I said I was going to hit the hay as it was about 01:30. He said he’d play a few more and then turn in too. As I was walking away the place seemed empty and Ed yells out “Yahoo! I did it!” I turned around and he waved at me. I waved back. I slept well that night.

[jackofsometradesmasterofnone]

Back in the 80s these mfs were dropping quarters in the arcades and not on casinos. They knew the odds and they knew they had much more fun trying to beat Kong and the likes...

[jonparker]

Many moons ago as Steve Wynn was opening his super-sized resort casinos, my wife and I visited to go to a convention.
In our taxi ride to The Mirage as we were marveling at the size and grandeur of these casinos, the taxi driver says,
“Yeah, they’re pretty spectacular..just remember as you’re gaming, these casinos weren’t built on people’s winnings.”

[AzerPaul]

We New Jersey librarians were told that our 1, 000s-strong annual conference in Atlantic City was canceled a month before it was scheduled because they got an application from a group that historically left more money on the tables. All that planning--gone. That was in the 80s too. I doubt casinos have changed.

[joshuarosen]

Been to a couple of Supercomputer Conferences in Reno. The casino's were completely empty, people who can do math don't gamble, MIT card counting team excepted.

[NeuroSpicySheri]

I’m a soil scientist. The Soil Science Society of America banned from Vegas too.

[wolfpat]

My dad was stationed at Nellis AFB in the early 50s. He and one friend would go into town.

They'd each take a dollar to the Craps Table. One would bet on "Come", and the other would bet on "Don't Come". When the dice were thrown, one would win a dollar and one would lose a dollar. Then the winner would give a dollar to the loser.

As long as they stood there doing this, they could drink for free.

[georgeporteous]

They knew the odds and they played the odds. Odds are that if you don't bet you leave with more money than if you do bet.

[mariehughey]

Actually there are a lot of people who evidently don’t make the connection between “free” liquor and losing a buttload of money.

[chadwickerman]

Who would have thought that smart people had no desire to throw money away at casinos.

[phelllandborn]

"Hey, a bunch of categorically smart people showed up at a casino and demonstrated a logical reaction to extremely poor odds. Please keep the mathematically literate people somewhere other than Vegas. We want thrill seekers and dopamine junkies, not people who prioritize practicalities over instant gratification and brain highs." Well done, A.P.S of the 1980s.

[michaeleasler]

Actually, the same thing happened at a medical convention. The welcome mat was rolled up, not out, for future medical conventions due to low casino earnings.

[ihbarddx]

Went there to an IT convention in the 80's. Mentioned the convention to the cab driver at the airport. He started yelling and cursing, because our crowd was known not to gamble.

[clutchyfinger]

I realized the state of the public's grasp on reality when, during this years World Series, a political ad about taxes was then followed up by 10 state sponsored gambling advertisements.

[KrisRyanStallard]

I can't remember the details because I graduated from college nearly 20 years ago, BUT on a field trip with the IT club to a nearby casino, I was delighted and horrified to get a lesson in psychology from the IT director of the casino (I was invited because I worked as an assistant to two IT professors despite being a psychology major). In between showing us the server room and telling us how the slot machines worked, he described in detail the psychological theory that explains why people gamble even though the odds are against you (it's basically a flaw in our thinking). He didn't say it directly, but he strongly implied that if you wanted to work for him he better not see you playing the slots when you're off work.

Fun fact, modern slot machines are just bingo! There are servers that generate thousands (if not more) of ball drops per second, and when you press the "play" button on the machine you're actually purchasing a randomly generated bingo card that gets matched with the appropriately timed ball drop. All the spinning stuff on the screen? Meaningless. It's there for show. 🤯

[palolv]

Reminds me of the quote about the COMDEX tech convention back in the day. "They come with their shirt and $20 and don't change either one all week."

[pixeldragon]

I work in Las Vegas casino. It’s a weird feeling that my livelihood comes from the addiction and stupidity of others.

[wildhogOW]

Casino: "How about a game of Texas Hold 'Em?"
Physicist: *counts cards and the odds*
Casino: "Wait, no, don't do that!"

[harryballzack]

My position on gambling,
You enter casino with a set amount. Let’s say $100. You enter with the understanding that is not your money that you’re giving it to the casino to entertain you.
The next step. You’re playing and doing well. You are above $100. Put that $100 back in your pocket and don’t touch it. At this point you have won. Even if that’s the only money you leave with your still a winner. And say you lost it all…. You paid them to entertain you so you didn’t lose.