To the untrained eye, everyone in a casino is simply getting along, placing bets, and largely staying involved in their own machines or their own hand of cards. For those who know how to look for high rollers, though, the casino appears a bit differently. It’s full of people who are making outsized bets, really raising the stakes, and defying the odds. There are stacks of chips to be seen, wealthy players to be admired and major jackpots to be won. For those who want a better idea who the high rollers are and where they’re playing, a few guidelines can help a great deal.
Look for Players Flouting the Rules
Casinos typically have at least a few rules in place, the most prominent being that some casinos simply ban smoking. That’s not to say that there isn’t any smoking going on, however. Casinos typically allow their high rollers to enjoy a few privileges that non-high rollers don’t get to take advantage of. One of those is bending casino rules to permit smoking, friendlier drink policies, and a bevy of other perks throughout the night.
Look for Significant Amounts of Chips
Card games attended by a high roller are serious business, and many of a casino’s biggest players will bring at tens of thousands of dollars (or any local currency) to the table. Look for big bets, lots of chips, and a bunch of people who are eager to make bets that soar into the thousands.
Go to the Biggest, Most Profitable Casinos
High rollers bring stunning amounts of cash to play during a typical outing, but this cash is subject to a casino’s maximum bet limit. To sustain this limit, a casino has to prove that it can handle bets in the hundreds of thousands of dollars or any other local currency. Some are too small and simply cannot, and therefore true high rollers just don’t gamble there. Go to the big names with plenty of money behind the scenes, and high rollers will be a far more frequent sight.
Expect High Rollers to getoff the Elevator Last
Want a sneak peak at who the high rollers are? Here’s a hint: Stay on the elevator until it enters the top floors of a casino’s exclusive suites. High rollers are not just given access to these rooms for their stay, but they’re often given these rooms at no cost to themselves thanks to their outsized bets. Only those who can afford these ultra-expensive rooms, or those who gambled their way literally to the top, will be taking the elevator this far.
Check Express Lines in the Casino
Finally, high rollers typically enjoy a faster-paced line for hotel check-ins, buffet meals, or exclusive fine dining reservations. If one line is moving quickly while another stagnates, it’s safe to assume that the casino’s biggest players are getting their tables ahead of everyone else.
Spotting a High Roller is Actually Pretty Easy
Whether it’s their star treatment at casino restaurants or their mounds of chips and extraordinary bets, high rollers are a pretty easy breed of gambler to spot in the wild. To play alongside these “whales,” as the casino industry calls them, be sure to choose a big-name casino with a large gambling floor, exclusive suites, and plenty of corporate profits to back those big bets.
