Over the years, there have been numerous stories about video poker players getting banned in one form or another from casinos in Nevada. And after it happened to me for a while at two Las Vegas casinos 6 years ago as well as being escorted out of Casino Arizona here in the Phoenix area after winning a jackpot while training an out-of-town player, I became interested in all the chatter I’d been reading about.

The subject interests me because I simply don’t buy into the fact that those video poker “experts” who say they’re “advantage players (AP) that play with an edge” are any threat at all to casinos. If they were, wouldn’t they be getting banned one after the other in a parade of glory? In fact, through the massive amount of promotions we see every day, they are actually WELCOMED in everywhere with open arms – and all the time!

If you’re like me, you tire of reading how several experts claim they’ve been “banned” here or there – only to find out the only thing that’s happened to them is a restriction or reduction in point accumulation being put on certain machines with the better pay tables where they play. The funny part is, they’ll continue to create other reasons to keep on playing at the same place anyway!

And don’t talk to me about video poker “teams” who chase progressives and so-called positive plays. Casinos ban them all the time not because of any perceived prowess, but because they’re detrimental to hotel guest relations. There’s nothing worse than wanting to get a seat at a favorite machine, only to have to witness tag teams of players playing there around the clock until the royal flush is hit.

Additionally, some of these AP’s continuously write about how and where they win, how they are showered with such lucrative gifts, comps & cash back, and are then invited to come back in and do it all over again and again! Sort of like rubbing it in casino exec's faces. Does that make sense?

Sure, they can infrequently have a lucky day or two, but outsmart & outplay the casinos at their own game over the long-run? So when I pull out my calculator and plug all this information in, it just doesn’t add up. That’s why when something like the following occurs, I take a good look at it in order to ascertain as much of the truth as possible.

I’ve actually spent a lot of my spare time talking to some casinos about this subject, and finally, after a recent incident at the South Point, I’ve got something to put my hands around...sort of. In case you aren’t aware, the South Point has always had a number of good video poker “plays” (to AP’s, >100% expected value with slot club benefits added in) that attract those who believe they’re playing with an edge in such situations.

This has to do with my friend Richard Radner, a longtime Las Vegas AP who bought a nice home nearby the South Point partially because he enjoyed what that particular casino had to offer their playing customers. And if you’ve ever been there you’d know why. It’s a clean & comfortable casino, the rooms are fantastic, the spa is inviting, and their array of restaurants are top notch. They also have Michaels, which in my opinion is the best in the city.

Rick has been a daily visitor to the south Point for a long time. Yet an incident there about 6 weeks ago has left him permanently unable to go back into his favorite property. To try to get to the bottom of it all, I interviewed both him & South Point top management, and a half dozen employees at random.

South Point contends that Mr. Radner, a high stakes video poker and sports betting player, was very rude to several floor employees about 4 months earlier, and they gave him a warning not to do it again or else he’d be gone. Rick concurs with all of that. But in a more recent incident at the hotel front desk, where he and a girlfriend were checking in, the casino determined that he had crossed the line and both of them were consequently removed from their hotel room and walked out.

But here’s where Mr. Radner is crying foul. He maintains that it was not him – but his girlfriend who caused the commotion while he tried in vain to calm her down. And since he was winning a great many video poker jackpots in 2008, his conclusion is that he was bounced because of his ability to beat the casino. He’s also adamant that he is a very well liked customer to a majority of those employees whom he comes in contact with.

In support of that claim, I’ve been to Rick’s house, I’ve seen his rather large pile of South Point issued W2G’s, I’ve been a witness to his high stakes play, and I was with him multiple times as he traded friendly words and even an occasional hug with their employees. In addition, I recently went to the South Point and randomly asked 6 employees if they knew Richard Radner. Five did, four said positive things, and one had only heard of him through this incident. The casino sees things somewhat differently. The hotel’s General Manager, Mr. Horst Dziura, was kind enough to spend some time explaining South Point’s side of the issue to me. While he does not deny the popularity of Mr. Radner nor his loyalty to South Point as a high stakes player, Mr. Dziura was very clear on his property’s strict policy regarding customer behavior, and after a thorough study he concluded that Mr. Radner no longer met those standards.

When I brought out the issue of how Mr. Radner felt his winning had something to do with the decision, Mr. Dziura said emphatically “That has absolutely nothing to do with it”. While he did convince me his decision was genuinely based on what he said it was, I believe if winning had nothing to do with it, then perhaps a cooling down period with possible reinstatement might be best for both parties.