July 11, 2006

Land of casinos

.....Macau.


I think this is the only city in Asia with so many casinos in one place. On the tourist map more than a dozen are marked. I suppose these are the bigger ones only. Almost every big hotel has a casino. When you walk about the city at night, you can’t miss the neon casino signboards. Some casinos require you to show your passport or IC before you can enter. The casinos here are purely for gaming, no other entertainment – unlike our upcoming Integrated Resorts.

The livelihood of many people here depends on them and so does Macau’s economy.

I went to 3 casinos – Lisboa, Sands and one in a hotel. Lisboa and Sands are the two bigger ones. There are many betting games. I was watching people betting at a ‘big-small’ gaming table at Lisboa. There were quite a lot of people at this table.

There are various betting combinations. I don’t know how they work. Your fortune is determined by the three dies. I only know that if you bet on ‘big’ and the total of the numbers of the 3 dies is bigger than half (the maximum is 18) then you win.


It happened that ‘small’ came out 6 times in a row. So most of the people placed their bets on ‘big’. You know what next – 5 on each die, total 15. Big, right? But the rule is that if the 3 numbers are the same, then whether you buy big or small you also lose. The same if the total is exactly half. I am not sure what is exactly half.

After some time we felt quite bored. I don't think I will be a gambler even I live next door to a casino.

I think Singaporeans need not worry too much about our IRs making more people become gamblers. I feel that only few will get addicted. The only thing is that those who are already gamblers will have a nearer place to go to.

4 comments:

Kongming said...

with tat entrance fee, it already turn me off. hehee

A.C. said...

I quite agree with your last paragraph. Without casino, people can still turn to casino ships to ease their addiction. Or worse, some may go underground gambling dens (not sure if there're still such venues in Singapore or not)

Victor said...

"I think Singaporeans need not worry too much about our IRs making more people become gamblers."

Singaporeans may not be worried. But the gahmen clearly is. If not, why does the radio keep appealing people who are addicted to gambling to seek treatment?

If the outcome for 大细 (Dai Sai or Big Small) is all 3 dies showing the same number, then banker wins, unless the bettor has betted on the specific outcome itself. This rule makes the game stacked against the bettor. If not, the game has equal chances of winning for both the bettor and banker and the casino can close shop liao(unless the dies are loaded).

I am not a gambler and also not a mathematician. But I don't think there is such a rule as "when total is exactly half of maximum" then banker wins. In a casino, 9 is not half of 18. Neither is 10. "Exactly half" should be 9-1/2 (which is not possible).

fr said...

Vic, you are right..
being curious, I did a search and it says:
Big:- 11 to 17
Small:- 4 to 10
(provided the numbers are not identical)