That title looks like a headline from a small-town newspaper.
In fact, I’m talking about Terrible’s Casino in Las Vegas. A lousy, but memorable name for a neat little casino. You may have heard of or even visited the former Continental Casino in Las Vegas. It went bankrupt several years ago, and the Herbst family purchased it, then converted and expanded it into a Tuscany-themed casino hotel.
The Herbst family is known as operators of the Terrible Herbst chain of gas stations, convenience stores, taverns, and their association with Von’s supermarkets. They also own and operate a couple of other casinos in nearby Henderson and further away in Pahrump. I was there on a comp, provided by their Off-Road Racing Team, because of my association with the sport.
When I first stayed and played at Terrible’s casino, they only had one craps table installed. With a table minimum of $2, the crowd of players was mostly comprised of locals and a few of the travelling RV retired set. However, it provided me with an unusual experience that I want to tell you about.
There was a Precision-Shooter who was shooting and betting from the “Darkside”. What is unusual about this is that most skilled players are shooting to avoid the “7”, except on the Come-Out roll. This guy was just the opposite. When I first saw him carefully setting the dice, then lofting them in a carefully crafted manner, I decided not to bet against him. In fact, initially I did nothing but watch.
I didn’t have to watch long because he 7’d Out within three rolls. Hmmm, I though, this guy might have something worth watching on the next round. I subsequently had a good 16-roll hand, and the dice made their way around the table again until they reached Mr. Precision-7-Out.
Again, I watched his Come-Out rolls where he produced a couple of 3’s, one Loser-7, and then he established his Point number of 9. I decided to bet with him, so I Layed the No-4 for $51. The very next number was 7-Out. Nice…very nice I thought. His betting was pretty simple: $2 on the Don’t Pass, backed up with inversed 3x, 4x, or 5x Odds. Nothing more to it than that.
Three more trips around the table, and he produced quick 7-Outs on every one of his hands. On each one of those subsequent rounds, I increased my No-4 bet to $100, then $200, and eventually $300 on his final hand before I colored up with a $625 profit, mostly generated from his and my shooting. I had to get to a meeting across town for dinner, so I had to leave. I told him I enjoyed his shooting, and he said that he could be found there or at any one of the Boulder Strip casinos almost any day of the week. I made a note of his name when he introduced himself, and an even stronger mental note to keep an eye out for him during my future visits to Sams Town, Boulder Station, Nevada Palace, Castaways, or Arizona Charlies East.
As you know, I get a Player’s Card at nearly every casino that I play at. I’ve explained the logic and the reasons to do so in previous articles like Random Thoughts and More Random Thoughts. If you are unconvinced about the relative merits of those cards, I would urge you to re-read them.
If you need further motivation to sign up for a card, especially their card, here’s one compelling reason: FREE GAS! No, I’m not talking about their Chinese Chicken Salad and Boston Cream Pie comp special in their coffee-shop. I’m talking about free gasoline from any of Terrible’s gas stations throughout the greater Las Vegas/Clarke County area.
When I was coloring up to leave the table, the boxman said, “Be sure to stop at the Promotions Desk to get your free gas.” Of course, I too thought that he was talking about their Moogoo Gaipan, Lemon Chicken and Raisin Pie 4 pm to 2 am special!
“No”, he assured me, “we give away $5 in free gas for every 20 minutes of play at your level of play, and you’ve got $30 in gas coming to you.”
When I went to the Players Club desk to collect my gas vouchers, they also gave me a voucher for a free car wash. Unfortunately I only hand-wash my Porsche 911 Carrera, so I gave it away to a kindly-looking retired couple in the parking lot.
So if you are looking for a change of pace away from the mega-resorts on the Strip, have a peek inside a Terrible Casino for what could be a great…and profitable time.
Good Luck and Good Skill at the tables…and in Life.
The Mad Professor
