Kids Birthday party and the Vice Squad Today,,

[TPC]

Maynard had an invitation to a Bratz birthday party today.

I walk him to the Duckpark for the party,, and across the street is the lodge.

Alice is sleeping off last nites brutal 12 hr shift, so I figure I'll walk over & watch football, and few Captains and Coke, some KENO, and get a little creative for an RD's place thread,, then pick Maynard up from the party and go home later.

I bring the Flip video camera to do a "bootleg/underground gambling" video thread for RD's place.com.

Some bars have the legal video game machines at the end of the bar.
Some have a slot on the side that if you insert a phone card, they instantly become gambling video poker machines, or all kinds of other vices available.

I thought it would make a cool thread.

So I drop off Maynard,, check out all the awesome moms,, and then walk over to the "Lodge".

I sit at the bar with 2 fine looking off duty LEO girl officers and buy a round. They know Alice, so they accept.

I'm thinking about how I'm going to tape the gambling machines for an interesting thread,, and then both Leo girls go over, insert their "phone cards" and start to play.

Sooo, maybe not start taping yet.
I just watch the Notre Dame game,, and order another round for the house. Easy to do when drinks are $1.25 each.

Then,, the vice squad comes in,, 4 officers.

They look the bar over,, do the usual check for bugs in the bottles,, ID'd age checks,,,,, then they warn the bartender Ralph that they recieved a gambling complaint,, and they exit.

-They mention they'll be back in a few hours.

Their are huge football pool charts on the walls, card draw combo registrations on the wall, $1000 per week pool tourney registration chart, shake-a-shift results,,, the lodge looks like Ceasars Sports book,, even without the bootleg video poker machines.

So they unplug the poker machines and get them off the property ASAP.

The video poker proceeds go to speach and physical therapy for distraught, poor moms with needy children in remote areas in Calif.

The State picks up very little if any money for the single, poor moms. They're very reliant on charity. The results of the therapy would bring tears to your eyes if you talk to the mothers. Amazing, astounding stories. It works.
The cops know this. They're members too.

Apparently a disgruntled wife of a Lodge member that had a gambling problem called the authorities as a last resort to get his problem in check.

The cops were cool.
It's not all bad with the LEOS.

Dam,, it woulda been a good thread,,, and the fund will loose about $500 a day.
Oh well, they'll think of something.

 

[BajaMike]

I'm confused.....I assume this must be on the California side and not an Indian casino?

And what kind of phone card.....like a long distance pre-pay card or a SIM card?

And those machines make $500 per day....damn, I would think every bar owner would like having those things....and keeping the profits.

:bday

 

[TPC]

I'm confused.....I assume this must be on the California side and not an Indian casino?

And what kind of phone card.....like a long distance pre-pay card or a SIM card?

And those machines make $500 per day....damn, I would think every bar owner would like having those things....and keeping the profits.

:bday

It's an eye opener to why their are so many video poker bars around Las Vegas. The money is per machine is huge.

It's all been removed, and is gone for good, so I can post how it worked:

It's a bootleg phonecard ya buy from the bartender or the candy machine.
The candy machine takes $20's up to $200.

The poker machines work where there is a pre-set value on the phonecard ya gamble with. Then, the machine has the ability to re-load more value on the card if you win, keep subtracting $$ as the player looses. $5 max bet makes accounting easier.

A savvy 14 year old computer kid can create or convert machines to do this this stuff easily. And they charge less than what the machine rakes in a few days. Most the parts avail online or at Frys.

Many private clubs around have this kinda thing. Many have been closed by the ABC for it.
Another place near LAX has a secret door that ya walk through with an even more sophisticated set up.

Plus all the poker and the pool playing is very serious.
The pool tables have slate heaters, the billiard balls pre-warmed,, it's a bfd to the players. One simple tourney can be worth thousands.

Bleachers, cocktail service, a vicious old "ladderman" watching the rules during pool tourneys.

Local dentists, doctors, lawyers, car dealers, carpet biz owners show up for the poker games daily.

The cops walk in,, the parking lot is full, and just three people in the bar drinking, it's obvious,, , so they give 2 hour notice to clean it up.

I occasionally deal charity blackjack and the proceeds from the tourney benefit a local elementary school that is all special needs kids.

Technically the game is legal because the players get only prizes in return for winning.
It didn't use to be that way until school officials thanked the lodge, but asked that the money be raised legit, and a safe rides be provided for the bar recipts end of the fund raiser.

So ya simply take the 32" HDTV ya won back to COSTCO and get the refund in cash.

I rake thousands over the felt during those charity events times about 30 tables.
That's a good head of lettuce for the kids for one nites work,, and it's legal, and they get it all.

 

[RiverDave]

LOL.. I've not been to the places your talking about TPC, but it's amazing to me that people are so oblivious to under ground gambling. It's more common then ya think. I used to know of quite a few places that had a kinda similar setup to what your describing, and same kind of arrangement going on with the cops. Except they didn't donate to charity or anything of the sort, just made a nice contribution to the cops fundraisers at the end of the year.

As far as Pool is concerned, if your serious on those tourney's, Myself and a ringer wouldn't mind coming up and checking it out. Surprised you mentioned "heated tables." that's more common in 3 cushion billiards, but pretty rare on standard tables.. I considered heating my home table with an electric blanket as a kind of band aid to help it play a little faster and consistent, but ultimately never did it.

RD

 

[TPC]

When I say pool RD I'm including all the various type tables in the room.
What is plugged in and what isn't I really don't know.

I was never better than perhaps a C- player at regular 8 ball on the quarter machine out in the bar, and couldn't tell you a thing about the other games or how they're played in the big room.
Though it's all interesting as hell.

The serious players add such a professional character to the air. The mean old "refs" give a significant sense of importance to every single shot.
Ya gotta be there to get immersed in it.

The wives and GFs love the place because they know where their squeeze is, and it's very private with some kinda cheap gambling avail.

No making passes at anyones woman so their husband or BF won't be chasing skirts,,, it's a comfortable atmosphere with cheap drinks.

If you come and play, I'll $ponsor you.

 

[DeltaSigBoater]

This "lodge" wouldn't be an Elks Lodge would it?

 

[TPC]

This "lodge" wouldn't be an Elks Lodge would it?

If I tell you my balls will be pounded flats with the mystic onyx, eyes will be burned out with a red hot poker, tongue nailed to my upper lip,, then I'd be skewered with a sharpened baseball bat.

 

[DeltaSigBoater]

If I tell you my balls will be pounded flats with the mystic onyx, eyes will be burned out with a red hot poker, tongue nailed to my upper lip,, then I'd be skewered with a sharpened baseball bat.

Ok... well then we'll just leave it at that

 

[Nord]

I was going to become an elk this year..............so when I'm old I'll have a lot of years under my belt.

 

[DeltaSigBoater]

I was going to become an elk this year..............so when I'm old I'll have a lot of years under my belt.

I was going to become one too, unitl I realized that I'd be the youngest member, by 25 years!

 

[BoatCop]

When I was back in New Jersey, the town my Station was in was a real White Trash/Archie Bunker kind of place. A church on every corner and a bar between every church. It was located across from Philly, and just south of Camden. The bars were located in residential neighborhoods, and had names that were just the address. Like "Club 403", when the address was 403 Cumberland or something. 401 and 405 Cumberland were people's houses.

Every bar had a poker machine or 2. Just like the quarter slots in legal casinos, but only added up credits. They didn't pay out. But if you became a regular and the owner/bartender knew you, he'd pay you off for your credits.

When you racked up an even number of credits (40/80/120, etc.) you'd signal the bartender and he'd come over, check the machine and use a key in the back to zero it out. Then you'd go to the bar and order a beer, give him a dollar or something and when he brought your "change" your winnings would be in it.

They got real good at knowing when the ABC was U/C in the joint. If you didn't know they were there and signaled to the bartender, he'd come over and say something about the machine malfunctioning and zero it and turn it off. Then the next time you came in, he'd pay you your winnings.

Those were the REAL white collar bars. Every one had a stripper stage, where the girls would come in from 11:00 - 2:00 for the lunch crowd. The stage was only about a 4 foot by 4 foot platform behind the bar. Free hot dogs or meatball sandwiches, and standing room only. There were even "steps" along the back walls so the crowd in the back could get up above those in front, so they could see the show.

In NJ the girls couldn't show their nipples or pubes where they served alcohol, so a lot of them would have nipple colored pasties and even had skin tone G-strings with fake pubic hair. (Remember, this was in the '70s)

Occasionally some of the girls needed really good tips, and would get butt naked and strut across the bar-top, even allowing the clientèle a little gynecological exam time. A few times the place would get raided by the local cops. They'd barge in in full uniform, double breasted uniform coats, hats, billy clubs, about a dozen of them. They'd haul the girls and the bar employees out in hand cuffs, right into the paddy wagon. (didn't even let the girls get dressed) Tell the patrons to leave and not to come back. Made a big deal about putting a big chain and padlock through the front doors.

We thought it was just a big show for the local residents, who were usually out in their yards or on the sidewalk nodding approval. Especially since the next day it was business as usual.

 

[Guest]

When I was back in New Jersey, the town my Station was in was a real White Trash/Archie Bunker kind of place. A church on every corner and a bar between every church. It was located across from Philly, and just south of Camden. The bars were located in residential neighborhoods, and had names that were just the address. Like "Club 403", when the address was 403 Cumberland or something. 401 and 405 Cumberland were people's houses.

Every bar had a poker machine or 2. Just like the quarter slots in legal casinos, but only added up credits. They didn't pay out. But if you became a regular and the owner/bartender knew you, he'd pay you off for your credits.

When you racked up an even number of credits (40/80/120, etc.) you'd signal the bartender and he'd come over, check the machine and use a key in the back to zero it out. Then you'd go to the bar and order a beer, give him a dollar or something and when he brought your "change" your winnings would be in it.

They got real good at knowing when the ABC was U/C in the joint. If you didn't know they were there and signaled to the bartender, he'd come over and say something about the machine malfunctioning and zero it and turn it off. Then the next time you came in, he'd pay you your winnings.

Those were the REAL white collar bars. Every one had a stripper stage, where the girls would come in from 11:00 - 2:00 for the lunch crowd. The stage was only about a 4 foot by 4 foot platform behind the bar. Free hot dogs or meatball sandwiches, and standing room only. There were even "steps" along the back walls so the crowd in the back could get up above those in front, so they could see the show.

In NJ the girls couldn't show their nipples or pubes where they served alcohol, so a lot of them would have nipple colored pasties and even had skin tone G-strings with fake pubic hair. (Remember, this was in the '70s)

Occasionally some of the girls needed really good tips, and would get butt naked and strut across the bar-top, even allowing the clientèle a little gynecological exam time. A few times the place would get raided by the local cops. They'd barge in in full uniform, double breasted uniform coats, hats, billy clubs, about a dozen of them. They'd haul the girls and the bar employees out in hand cuffs, right into the paddy wagon. (didn't even let the girls get dressed) Tell the patrons to leave and not to come back. Made a big deal about putting a big chain and padlock through the front doors.

We thought it was just a big show for the local residents, who were usually out in their yards or on the sidewalk nodding approval. Especially since the next day it was business as usual.

I too, miss the good old days....:beer