Bizarre is right. A little background information for the morbidly curious: The casinos here are still often referred to as “the boats” even though they are no longer boats but are brick and mortar buildings. The original idea – and what the Missouri voters approved - was that the river boats would actually take a leisurely cruise up and down the Missouri river. The cruises were to be two hours in duration; 30 minutes at the dock for boarding, one hour for cruising, and 30 minutes for de-boarding. You had to PAY $2 to get on the boat and you had to GET OFF after two hours. If you wanted to continue gambling you had to PAY $2 AGAIN and get back on. This is how the two hour $500 loss limit was enforced.
But then there were problems. Increased river traffic interfered with shipping lanes, bad weather, ice on the river, people trying to do themselves in by jumping overboard (and often succeeding.) So, the boats stopped cruising. And soon you didn’t have to get off after two hours. And then you didn’t have to pay the $2 (but the casino still pays the $2 to the state coffers for your entrance.) And then buildings replaced the boats. Now, except for the loss limit and the chip controls, it’s pretty much like any “normal” casino operation.
I don’t always play poker. Often, the only games available are no-limit and $3/$6. I don’t care to play these. The higher limit limit games which I prefer are open only when there is a demand and most people play the $3/$6. I don’t like these games because it’s basically playing showdown. Nobody folds! So anyway, as far as table games, I like Pai-Gow poker, Let-It-Ride, and good ol’ Blackjack. I do play craps also and my favorite gambling memories and stories are about playing craps! :laugh:
j