The Jaragua Casino in SD...things to beware

[sweetdbt]

Here's the one and only difference between a "good" casino and a "bad" casino. A "good" casino presents a facade of friendliness, competence, security and fairness while they are cleverly and professionally seperating you from your money! Therefore, you stick around longer and let them take you for more.

[RHM]

Originally Posted by sweetdbt

Here's the one and only difference between a "good" casino and a "bad" casino. A "good" casino presents a facade of friendliness, competence, security and fairness while they are cleverly and professionally seperating you from your money! Therefore, you stick around longer and let them take you for more.

Any experienced gambler knows this, Sweetdbt. But they go because they like the overall experience. Personally, I like the atmosphere in a well-run casino. But the Jaragua is now a pit of vipers and their days are numbered.

The Hilton is much, much cleaner. It is more modern and the service comes with a smile. People look for a positive experience, regardless of winning or losing.

Scandall

[laurapasinifan]

Originally Posted by Scandall

Any experienced gambler knows this, Sweetdbt. But they go because they like the overall experience. Personally, I like the atmosphere in a well-run casino. But the Jaragua is now a pit of vipers and their days are numbered.

The Hilton is much, much cleaner. It is more modern and the service comes with a smile. People look for a positive experience, regardless of winning or losing.

Scandall

excellent!
the jist of the point scandal!!!!!!!

people know winning is not a constant and most go for the fun, with the hopes of a lucky day.

bob

[Musicqueen]

Originally Posted by Larry

I dont know what you are talking about. I started the thread to warn people. Tourists do not "know they will steal your money" here as you stated. On the contrary, any tourist would expect that a place as nice as the Jaragua would be run properly, be safe and completely legitimate. I have been in casinos on cruise ships where the dealers and wait staff were completely professional and competent AND the vast majority of them were from 3rd world countries. So, arguing that I should expect casino staff to be incompetent because that casino is located in a third world country is rediculous.

And no they do not "have my permission" to steal my money as you say. That statement is rediculous. The casino in the Hilton is a 10 minute walk from the Jaragua and the staff is excellent there and the casino security does not let the riff raff you find in the Jaragua into the Hilton. So don't tell me to go to Vegas MQ...go back to your sankie threads where you have some insight to add.

Larry

You love to twist things around to try and make a point, don't you?

I wasn't talking about 'third world countries' or anything like that...I meant casinos as a whole...anywhere in the world...they are just big houses where you go deposit your money on a table or a slot and just look at it dissapear!!!

But your answers just proves my point...only dumb people go to casinos...especially when travelling to another country ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD...instead of going to absorb the culture and sightsee...

And stop the damn offenses with the sankie crap...Or are you another one that has been 'sankiefied' and feels ashamed to admit it?

MQ

[RHM]

Originally Posted by Musicqueen

But your answers just proves my point...only dumb people go to casinos...especially when travelling to another country ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD...instead of going to absorb the culture and sightsee...

Painting with a pretty broad brush, MQ? Did you bother reading any of the other posts about why people play?

Scandall

[HOWMAR]

Originally Posted by Musicqueen

pear!!!

But your answers just proves my point...only dumb people go to casinos...
MQ

At least the casinos give you a small chance to end up with a few pesos left. Sankies?????

[rellosk]

Originally Posted by Larry

DO NOT change money in this casino. They will shortchange you about 10% on whatever the going rate is. They can do this because they deal with a lot of tourists who either are unaware of the actual rate or simply do not care as they are on vacation and want the convienence of changing money there.

This is nothing new, most Casinos (and Hotels) have always given bad exchange rates, especially at the gaming tables. Although a 10% differential is quite high.

Originally Posted by Larry

Another thing to beware is that this casino is crawling with theives. Many of the girls hanging around the tables are prostitutes and are looking to either pickpocket you or steal your chips. They are bold and will steal your chips directly off the table if you are not looking. The security cameras turn a blind eye to this activity as do the dealers. I am not completely sure why although I suspect that security and staff are in cahoots with the theives and recieve kickbacks from money stolen off patrons.

Do you have any first hand experience with this? It sounds like some tourist picked up a prostitute, got drunk, and had his chips stolen by his escort. I find it hard to believe that the Jaragua would be in cahoots with the thieves.

[laurapasinifan]

hey rellosk i dont find that to be totally true. I have exchanges money every month since last summer down there and I have also gone to the casino at the gran almirante and exchanged money. the two times I remember what the rate was( I wasnt about to walk out of the casino to go find another place to exchange the 100 dollar bills i had, since I was only looking to cash in three of them. The rate was exactly what i got elsewhere. I got 34.5 once!.....over semana santa i got 32 even.... that seems to be the going rate. I cant say much bad about that casino.. I enjoy it, and have had no problems there at all.

bob

[Larry]

Originally Posted by rellosk

Do you have any first hand experience with this? It sounds like some tourist picked up a prostitute, got drunk, and had his chips stolen by his escort. I find it hard to believe that the Jaragua would be in cahoots with the thieves.

I have seen hookers steal chips from other players stacks at the blackjack tables in the Jaragua. Once, the dealer saw that I saw and she did nothing. I said nothing as it was none of my business, and I live here and don't want these people to decide I am their enemy. The security cameras MUST see this activity going on but they obviously do nothing. That's why I am speculating that they are involved...I really do not know.

Now, the last few times I have gone in there, I was very aware of those around me after what I had witnessed during previous visits. Anyway, I was playing blackjack recently and a Dominican girl sat next to me and started playing. I paid very close attention to her hands and at one point when she thought I wasn't looking, right before the dealer dealt the cards and after I had placed my 200 pesos bet.... as quick as a cat, she took a chip of the top of my pile in front of me and added it to MY bet. She did this to see if I noticed...if I hadn't noticed, the next time it would have been added to her pile. I immediately turned to her and said DONT TOUCH MY CHIPS! She looked bewildered and replied "I put it on your bet, I didn't take it"! And so I said it again...DONT TOUCH MY ****ING CHIPS!! So, she got up and found someone else to sit next to at another table. I think they do this all the time.

Larry

[Malibook]

Originally Posted by Musicqueen

...only dumb people go to casinos...especially when travelling to another country ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD...instead of going to absorb the culture and sightsee...
MQ

If you were referring to people who spend most of their time and lose money they can't afford, I would agree with you.
Since this is not your point, I will simply consider the ludicrous source of the "dumb" comment and not give it a second thought.