Does anyone pocket chips while playing BJ to seem like a smaller winner or bigger loser? I've been playing rated as a green chip player buying in 1k and sneaking off the occasional black chip. My actions are pretty smooth (I shuffle a small stack of blacks while I play and occasionally reach into my pockets to check my phone).

If the pit boss or surveillance happens to spot me, will they think much of it?

Btw, part of my cover is I try to look like I'm grinding comps.

Depending on where you are, blacks are more carefully tracked than green or red.

Rat the greens.

Theyre your chips. You can stick them up your ass if you so desire.

legal issues aside, i don't think that spitting on a quarter, dropping trau, and gritting your teeth while you pop that bad boy up into your ******* is the most subtle thing in the world.

What're the sensors they have on the tables at Aria? I heard something about the tables having sensors so they are able to track your bets. But I'm sure you can still get away with ratholing chips if you do it smoothly. And yes I would say it's usually to your benefit if it doesn't appear as you're winning as much.

Yeah but I'm regularly betting and receiving blacks while shuffling a stack of 7-10 so no one should be noticing the occasional chip slipping in my pocket.

Elaborate please. To rat the same dollar value in greens I'd have to make 3-4x as many "drops" and walk away from the table with chips clicking in my pockets.

Seems riskier

I'm mainly wondering what surveillance or the pit boss does if they see a player ratholing chips. I would imagine it looks suspicious and that they'd watch your play more closely but maybe beingI'm paranoid.

Basically, I'm trying to figure out if the risks of getting "caught" are worth it.

Sheets?

I'm not SheetWise, but I do have a bit of experience dealing blackjack. If you are the only person betting a certain color at the table, don't bother trying to pocket any chips of that color. The floor supervisor will always know how many you have just by glancing at the rack. Pocket whatever color other people at the table are playing. It's much harder for him to track who has what this way.

Lots of people pocket chips all the time. They win a little bit and stick it in their pocket so that they're only playing with "house money." Invariably they take it back out when they begin to lose, but that's another story. Other non-counters pocket chips with the idea that they will get more comps if they appear to be a loser instead of a winner. If part of your cover is to appear to be grinding comps, you'll fit right in with this crowd (if you are spotted). I'm not 100% sure, but I believe these people are wasting their effort - comps are based on average bet and time played, not your win or loss.

You are probably being paranoid. If the place is big enough, then most likely no one is watching you. Most floors don't know the difference between a true count and a hitter's count, and they don't care whether the chips are on the felt or in your pocket. Their job is to track the blacks as best they can, rate the players, and call their pit manager if someone is winning big.

Blacks and higher are tracked very closely by the floor. They're constantly counting them down. It's extremely likely that any blacks ratted are going to be added back to your total regardless after you leave. The floor person needs to account for changes in the number of black chips in the tray, and he's going to do that by assigning them to you. It's unlikely, but possible that this may get you some added unwanted scrutiny.

Greens are not tracked so closely, and there are often more players betting them throughout the night. Don't worry so much about ninja palming them one at a time ... instead just nonchalantly pocket a handful periodically when the floor person isn't staring directly at you. Your numbers should look significantly better using this approach.

Thx for sharing thoughts everyone. I'm kinda surprised that the pit bosses keep such close track of blacks given they're always going out of their way to ask how much I'm taking off the table when I leave. I guess they're just checking the math?

Don't underestimate the communication within the club, including the cage. Chances are -- even if you're not playing with a card -- they're tracking you throughout the club, have assigned you an identity. and the cashier will frequently let the pit know what you cash out. The days when you could cash or drop gaming checks at a neighboring club are long gone -- and they keep pretty good records, considering what they're up against.

There is some good advise in this thread. Primarily: No not rat hole black. Rat hole green. Black IS closely monitored. And don't over do it. You only have to rat hole your EV to go from looking like a plus EV player to an even player, slightly more than EV to go from looking like a +EV player to a losing player. That's all you want to do. Don't over do it. If you get 'caught' ratholing, it completely defeats the purpose and will do 3 times as much harm as they then will assign any 'missing amounts' to you. When they are tracking chips if they can't figure out where some went they will 'assign' that amount to you as if you have won it. If you are playing rated they will note this on your account and on future trips any missing chips may be assigned to you as well. So really....be careful. Don't over do it. One of the best times to rat hole is during a bathroom or phone call break (which should coincide with negative counts). Getting 'caught' rat holing does not mean anyone will say something to you. It just means that from this point on, your ratholing is rendered ineffective for what you were intending to do and now is actually a liability.

what do you do with the chips when you leave the table? and leave the casino?

how do you convert chips to cash? all at once, some every couple hours....