Have you visited an Atlantic City casino lately on a weekend with the intention of playing your favorite table game? If so, unless you are a moderate to high stakes player, in all probability you did not find the game you were looking for at the stakes you wanted to play. Perhaps you didn’t realize that there’s another place where getting a seat, even on weekends, at a lower minimum table is no problem at all and you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home. Weekends are a great time to play Live Dealer Games!
Why the Atlantic City Casinos Are So Crowded on Weekends
Weekends are the most popular time for casino players, and that holds true for offline and online casinos alike. However, the difference between weekday and weekend attendance is especially noticeable in brick and mortar casinos. There are several reasons for this.
One obvious reason there are many more people at the casinos on weekends than weekdays is the increasing number of young people (millennials) who are frequenting the casinos. Many of them work full time during the week for another employer. Therefore, the weekend is the only block of time when they can get away and enjoy themselves without worrying about having to get up early the next morning.
More People Means Higher Table Minimums
In addition, for many of these people, the primary attraction these weekend getaways hold is not so much the gambling as other resort amenities like the clubs, bars, restaurants, and shows. The weekend is when the casinos bring out their top entertainers. However, sooner or later, even though gambling in the casino many not be their primary purpose in coming, more likely than not, they do wind up in the casino playing. Since gaming executives know that with all of these people ready and willing to play, there will be plenty of takers if they raise the table minimums, that is precisely what they do.
Casinos Are Also Catering to More High Rollers on Weekends
Weekends are also a very popular time for high rollers to show up. Where an average Joe might have to fork over several hundred dollars to stay overnight at a casino hotel on a weekend and another couple of hundred dollars or more for meals and show tickets, an individual who is a big enough player can simply call his or her host and get all the above and more free.
There are only so many tables in a casino and, of course, the high rollers need to be taken care of first, but the minimum bet at the tables intended for them will be much higher–$100 and up. That leaves the “quarter” tables for the masses, take it or leave it.
What About Players Who Can’t Afford a $25 Minimum Table?
So where does this leave you if you prefer table games to slots? Out in the cold if a $25 minimum table is not an option. Players looking for lower minimums on a Friday or Saturday evening will have very slim pickings at best.
Playing at a Higher Minimum Than You Can Afford is Not Recommended
It’s extremely disappointing to travel all the way to a casino, only to discover that you might not even be able to play. If you make the trip on a weekend, you might find that there are no tables at all with the minimum bet you want. Or if you do find one or two $15 minimum tables (forget $10 minimums), every seat will probably be taken.
Rather than walk out the casino without playing, many people will then take an available seat at a $25 minimum table despite being undercapitalized, only to learn the hard way it was a bad idea. Suppose, for example, all you have in your wallet is $200 and you sit down at a $25 minimum blackjack table. You lose the first three hands, so you’re quickly out $75 and down to your last $125. Then along comes the next hand, a pair of 8s against a dealer 7. You split them and get a 2 on your first 8. Of course, the correct next play is to double down, but you are now down to your last $75 and haven’t even played your other split pair yet. So you might decide to just hit rather than risk another $25 on a double. You will feel like an idiot when a 10 hits the felt.
Or let’s say you play the hand the way it’s supposed to be played, but lose anyway. Then do you go to the ATM and pay $5.99 on top of your own bank’s fee so you can continue playing?
Clearly, playing beyond your means is a bad idea. Here’s a much better one.
Play Live Dealer Games on Weekends Instead
One of the reasons many people enjoy coming to the Atlantic City casinos on weekends is for the social experience. If you are a relatively small player, you don’t have to give that up. You can still visit your favorite casino with your friends and have a good time. Just save your table game play for when you get home.
Live Dealer Games Provide the Same Social Experience as a Casino, but More Affordably
If you have an account at GoldenNuggetCasino.com or BetfairCasino.com, you can play Live Dealer blackjack, roulette, or baccarat at a $10 minimum table even on weekends, if that is your preference. The games aren’t open 24/7, but they do stay open until 3 a.m., which is late enough. Best of all, you will still feel like you are in casino. You can follow all the action and watch everything the dealer does in real time, just like in a casino. You can also engage in a conversation with the dealer and other players at your table. So how could you not enjoy yourself? You will probably find the Live Dealer games a lot more fun than playing with scared money at a $25 table in Atlantic City.
Leave and Return Whenever You Want
Also, when you visit a real casino, you can’t always leave at the time you want to leave. You might be stuck there until the bus comes or your companion is ready to leave, or you’re staying overnight and can’t leave till the next day. However, you can stop or resume playing a Live Dealer game any time. If you’re running bad, simply take a break. You can always return later.
Betfair Weekend Bonus—Another Great Reason to Play Live Dealer Games on Weekends
Betfair Online Casino is offering a special Live Dealer Games Bonus, and it only available on weekends. Players who opt into the offer online and make a deposit of $10 or more and wager $500 the same weekend will receive a $10 bonus. Or if they make a deposit of $10 or more and wager at least $1,000 the same weekend, they will receive a $25 bonus. All bonuses are in the form of Site Credits and have no expiration date. See my post on this website next weekend for the full details on this exciting promotion.
