What Las Vegas lingo calls “whales” is, in fact, the cream of the high-rollers species. They are a handful of people who in some opinions do not exceed 500 individuals in the world. Las Vegas hoteliers are crazy about them; some claim that four or five of those whales bet much more than the rest of the thousands of customers they receive daily. It’s no wonder they are suspected of going as far as selling their firstborn to get one of those whales in their play area.
Five tips for recognizing a whale
* the bet size: $ 50,000 is the lower limit; Australian mogul Kerry Packer likes to play seven hands of blackjack at once; His maximum bet was $ 375,000;
* the line of credit: 4 to 5 million dollars for a weekend; a fortune for us ordinary earthlings, pocket money for a “whale”;
* the delight: the whales get all the freebies from the hotel they play in: good food, luxury accommodations, private jet transportation, expensive gifts … often the US visa for Asian high rollers;
* the escort: usually includes bodyguards, beautiful girls and close friends; Las Vegas history saved for the record a legendary legend in which Saudi prince Adnan Khashoggi made a bet on Stardust with an entourage of a dozen people;
* generosity: win or lose, everyone is happy while playing; “Whales” don’t skimp on tips and gifts.
While there are only a few hundred “whales” in the world, the numbers they can afford to lose are simply staggering; that is why hoteliers pay specially trained personnel for “whaling”. Asians make up a large part of this exclusive market, around 80%. The bottom line is that they keep coming, at the same rate, after eleven past nine.
Unfortunately, Las Vegas seems to be experiencing a decline in whale numbers these days. One reason all hoteliers agree is that they don’t get as much privacy in Las Vegas casinos as they would normally get in other gambling destinations around the world. While hotel owners in Las Vegas await approval of their VIP lounges, the “whales” are played in Macau, Monaco or Australia.