This is a first time report on this forum. I have thoroughly read and enjoyed many of the reviews posted and felt like I should also contribute to this wealth of information. Being from the US, aka sex prison, I was looking forward to my first punting experience here. Flying in the previous night on a 15 hour flight, I caught the last ferry to Macau from the hong kong airport. The baggage transfer went smoothly from the airline to the ferry. The ferry had less than 30 people on it, and we flew through immigration. I had plans to drop off my bags at the hotel and try to get in a session around midnight. Didnt decide on which sauna and figured I check the forums one last time before selecting. But alas, the damn baggage delivery system takes forever! We were waiting over 45 min for baggage where immigration took5 minutes. After being confined in an airplane for 15 hours, waiting for an hour at the airport, then the 40 min ferry ride, all I needed was another 45 min waiting for my baggage.
Finally retrieving my luggage, it tuns out that the final shuttle to my hotel had left 15 minutes prior. I had reservations at the Sofitel ponte 16. I lugged my bags down to the taxi line only to be greeted by another damn line! For being an airport, there definitely is a shortage of taxis at this time of night. By this time I'm in a pretty foul mood and lost all thoughts of visiting the saunas.
Finally upon reaching my hotel (by the way, it's pretty far removed from the saunas and casinos), I checked in and took ashower to go to bed. Being on a different time zone and feeling refreshed from the shower, I couldn't go to sleep. It was about 2 am at this point and I was feeling restless. Unfortunately I found myself downstairs at the casino. Now you guys probably know where this is going. For those of us living in the states, blackjack is not the same blackjack. Here the dealersonly have 1 card showing and take their cards at the end of the hand. Not only that you have people jumping in and out and there is no basic strategy. It really is pure luck almost. Not only that, but out of the nearly hundred table, there were only 2 bj tables open. Long story short, I lost quite a bit and called it a night.
Forgetting to set my alarm, I get up at 4 in the afternoon. After a quick shower, I headed to the MGM as I was told that they have a game that is similar to the western style where the dealer has two cards. Lo and behold the damn minimum at the table is $1000 hkd
after wandering around for an our and finding no other game, I decided to try my luck at the high limit. As I sat down, I tried to ask the rulers for blackjack. Unfortunately the day shift supervisor didn't speak very good english and they had to call a host over. Fortunately for me, the guy playing at third base spoke English and explained the rules. Almost the same as Vegas rules except with the continuous shuffle machine. As we played, is went back and forth with about $10k hkd. However, I got down to the last hand with a $7k aces split. I didn't have enough money to split and decided to hit. Third base insisted that I take his money to split. Now granted, this guy was averaging $20k per bet on three hands, but how could I take money from a stranger. Now it was against a 5 showing, so I took his money. Get a 18 and 20. Feeling pretty confident, I told third base the second 20 split was his. But I opened my mouth too soon, the dealer pulls a 21!!!!
Feeling like shit, I tell third base I need to run back to my hotel to get my passport. I cant pull out that kind of cheddar without my passport having already passed my withdrawal limit for the day. He insists that it's okay, but I can't take money like that and I got up to leave and say I will be right back. Walking toward the exit to grab a taxi, the guy playing next to me runs up and tells me the "big boss" says it's okay. Now when I first heard this, I'm not sure what he meant by big boss, but obviously he is a man of some clout as I realize it's not just the man sitting next to him, but also two other guys that were sitting on the couch behind us. At this point, The though crossed my mind, "am I going to get the shit kicked out of me for $7k hkd???" nah....it's the MGM casino....but then again it's Macau.....
Fuck......so I go back with the guys after they kept on saying it was okay. As I sat back down, I told him I already hit my daily withdrawal limit from the ATM and to do a cash withdrawal I needed my passport. He then asked what I was planning to withdraw. I told him I was planning on getting $10k to pay him back the $7k and use the rest to relax at a spa. Now then, he gives me a sly grin. He then proceeds to tell me about the Macau saunas.... It was never my intent to make it known about my visit to the sauna, but now I have the boss and his buddies going into details about which ones are the best. To make it even worse, there were several supervisors and staff watching him. Now the entire high limit area knows that I am going to get laid at a sauna... To make it even worse, one of the casino hosts is a hot chick in her late twenties I had my eye on. Talk about embarrassing...
Now we are about 15 minutes into the sauna discussion and the whole pit crew snickering....well I can't understand mandarin....but with the various Sauna names being thrown around and how hot the girls are....I thought it was pretty obvious. At this time, the dealer started getting on a hot streak. Finally the big boss says, you play 1 hand for me... I was like wtf...I had just lost all my money and owed him money. I told him I didn't feel comfortable doing that. He told me win or lose it didn't matter. Seeing my reluctance, he told the pit boss about his request and the pit boss reiterates he won't hold it against me. Now there is no limit on how many hands you can play at the table, so I didn't know why he insisted I play. It was something about luck or some other. Anyhow, I finally agree.
Now I figured it would be just until the cards turned around. I started getting dealt hands. fuck!!!! I lost the first 5 of 7 hands. Now I'm thinking I just lost him another $60k....I'm definitely getting beat later that night... He continues to insist I play. It was pretty obvious that I felt very uncomfortable and squirming. Now the big boss and his cronies are not even batting aneye but just chatting and having fun. They were asking what I was doing in Macau and what I did for a living. I'm not sure what I said being more concerned about losing more of his money. finally one of his buddies shows up. At thispoint, I'm around $120k in the hole. His friend says its because I'm only playing 1 hand for him. After watching me play for only 5 minutes he says Im playing correct basic strategy and I should be playing all his hands.... Now I'm regretting ever even thinking about coming to Macau.
Now being responsible for $80k (4 hands at table max), I started playing. At one point i was down $360k. Finally I start getting on a heater. After about 20 minutes Im almost even at which point I say I don't want to play anymore. The boss chuckles and says thank you for playing for me. He tosses me a $10k chip and says forget about the $7k from before and use the $10k for the saunas or casino girls. I insisted that it was not necessary for the chip, but his new arrived friend said follow them. We then moved over to the other side of the room to the baccarat table. Now I already thought he was a high roller, but now I can see why he didn't even blink an eye on blackjack. The table minimum at this table was $2 mil hkd!!!! The reason for the bj table was to kill time until his friend arrived. Funny note, when they switched tables, it seemed the entire pit crew of 8 or 9 people followed as well.
after this crazy gambling ordeal, I felt lucky to alive. Watching the guys play, they are already up a few million a piece pretty quicly. I was pretty exhausted at this point despite being up for only for a few hours. I then told them it was a pleasure to have played with them. The big boss then says I should try the 18 sauna. If I wanted, he would call the manager there for me if I wanted to go. I was already indebted to him and told him I needed to grab some food before heading over.saying our goodbyes, he then hands me his business card and says if I come back to gamble, to come find him. Honestly,I thought the guy was a gangster or mafia by the way everyone keeps calling him big boss in English. However, it turns out he is a very famous Beijing business man. It seems everyone knows who he is, but I don't recognize the company.
Realizing having rubbed shoulders with business royalty, I finally felt much better and finally had the desire for the company of some fine women! Due to my play using the big bosses money, I also scored a free buffet!!!
My sauna report is to follow....it's damn hard typing this out on and iPad.....
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Last edited by pilcrshr at 8-3-2012 14:59 ]
