In the last decade or so, the autonomous Chinese region of Macau has become incredibly popular with gamblers. These days it has more slots than Vegas and as many casinos as the Strip, but it’s still not quite earned itself the same reputation for gambling as Sin City.
Essentially, what it comes down to is the culture, and although there are several high rollers who flock to the tables on an annual basis, the number of pro gamblers is somewhat thin.
Let’s take a look at Macau and see how it stack ups to Las Vegas and why it hasn’t quite managed to get the pros playing the circuit.
A Different Gambling Culture
In the USA gambling is viewed very much as a recreational sport, and everyone plays. In Macau, despite the lack of pro gamblers, every single player seems to be in it to win it, and to really push themselves in playing the games.
Whereas Vegas has more of an entertainment side to gambling, in the major tournaments and high stakes games, in Macau the atmosphere is very different and people view gambling as an investment. Thus everything is geared towards this, and gambling is a bit less flashy and perhaps not as fun.
Higher Stakes
For gamblers who love high stakes games, Macau is the place to be. Unlike Vegas where there are games suited to all sized budgets and the pros can play around a bit in games they can afford to lose, Macau is all about the big money and the big wins.
Everything is more expensive here, so this may be part of it.
Game Choices
In Vegas Poker and Blackjack are where you’ll find the pros, but in Macau it’s all about Baccarat and Sic Bo. These 2 games are an Asian favourite and as such they are a major feature in very casino you visit.
There are also an abundance of slots much like the Australian slots online that you can enjoy at home, but these are not games that most pro players choose to spend a lot of time at, so their choices are far more limited.
A Different Mindset
Drinking is also not very commonplace in Macau and many of the casinos serve tea or Coke. While the pros may advise against drinking alcohol, especially in big tournaments, being able to have a drink now and then is a perk of gambling and one that many players will want.
There are also crowds of people, especially over Chinese New Year, so waiting times for tables can get quite long, and you’ll be playing with a huge number of eyes on you.
This may not bother the real pros, but players who really need to concentrate or take their gaming seriously may find that there are far too many distractions.
Vegas Is a Pro Players Dream
Macau is not a bad option for pro players, but at the end of the day, after comparing the two, Vegas is still tops.