The Casino, Episode 2: Losing Streak

As we open the second episode of The Casino, Maurice tells Tim that he has a lead on a hot prospective gambler. Geoff Mills usually goes to the Mandalay Bay casino, where he has a line of credit between half a million and a million dollars. He’s a big gambler who regularly bets between ten and fifteen thousand dollars on a single roll. Tim is understandably intrigued by having a customer like Geoff, so he calls to invite him to play at the Golden Nugget. Geoff’s not interested until Tim tells him that they’ve just improved the odds in their dice pits from 3-4-5 to 6-8-10. Geoff loves those odds and agrees to come to the Nugget. In an interview, Tim says that the odds they’re offering will get gamblers like Geoff to the casino, but that it poses a risk for them if Geoff hits a winning streak.

Geoff and his friends arrive in Vegas and aren’t quite sure if the Golden Nugget is going to be the place for them. They think it’s a hangout for old people, and Kristin, Geoff’s girlfriend, says that’s where her dad goes every time he’s in Las Vegas. Bryan, Geoff’s brother, notes that there are no other limos headed in their direction and thinks maybe they should go somewhere else. But Geoff wants to give the Nugget a try. As long as the alcohol is flowing, they should have a good time.

When they arrive, John, the host, introduces himself to them and takes them to their complimentary suite. They love the place and quickly get ready to go gambling. Geoff puts on a truly hideous zebra print jacket, and Kristin says, “Honey, don’t do that.” I think at first she means wear that horrid jacket, but she actually means that he has stacks of hundred dollar bills hanging out of the pockets. Granted, that’s tacky too, but I think most people will be focused on the ugliness of the jacket, not what’s in the pockets.

Ooh, it’s my new TV boyfriend Matt Dusk! Matt meets with Tim and asks what he thought of last night’s performance. Tim thinks it was great, but wonders if they knew in advance that Lieutenant Governor Lorraine would be in the audience and would want to sing. Matt says they didn’t, and explains that he really wasn’t happy with the way things turned out. He says he’s afraid that entertainment director Joe is going to turn his act into karaoke and wonders if he and Tim are on the same page after all. Tim assures him, “You’re our guy,” meaning his and mine, I assume. He tells Matt, “Just do it your way.” Matt looks relieved and says he’ll do it “our way.” Sadly, Matt leaves the scene. Bye, Matt!

Tom joins Tim and asks what that was all about. Tim fills him in, and Tom points out that Tom is supposed to handle entertainment. Tim shrugs it off and says that he was saving Tom some time. But, on the other hand, Tom just approved the design for the commemorative chips, which was supposed to be Tim’s job. Both guys shrug it off – no power struggle today.

Geoff and his crew head to the casino. In an interview, Geoff explains that he likes to have a good time in Vegas, and part of that includes dressing up to play. I guess that makes the zebra jacket kind of forgivable; it’s not like he’d wear it to work. Jack approves a $50,000 line of credit for Geoff. Geoff and his friends start shooting craps, betting giant stacks of chips. Tim comes by to introduce himself and offers to help if they need anything at all. Later, the high rollers switch to blackjack and meet dealer Tommy, who happens to be John’s son.

But never mind that: we’re back at Zax nightclub, and my sweet Matt is singing! Matt says he’s going to sing some songs with a swinging sound. And speaking of swinging, meet Virginia, David, and Beverly, a swinging threesome on vacation in Vegas. The three of them hit Zax and scope out the room, looking for couples who look open-minded. They notice Maya and Chris, a young couple across the room, and Virginia heads over and introduces herself. She quickly learns their names and that they’re married. Virginia points out her husband and “our girlfriend,” which shocks Maya. Virginia says they’re an open-minded couple and have been married for over 14 years. Maya asks if they’re swingers, or what. Virginia says they are, which cracks up Chris. Meanwhile, David and Beverly watch from across the room. Beverly suspects that Maya just looks conservative, and deep down, has a freaky side. It’s a shame that all of this conversation is detracting from the adorable Matt, but whatever.

Meanwhile, Geoff is losing at blackjack. Tommy says in an interview that Geoff is having a major losing streak and is down $15,000. Geoff tells us that it’s hard for him to quit when he’s down because he wants a chance to turn his luck around. Kristin says that Geoff is a very aggressive gambler. It’s fun to play with him, but it also makes her nervous. When he walks away from the table for a minute, she scoops a stack of his cash off the table and puts it in her purse. She says she does that sometimes because it’s better for her to have the money than for him to just give it to the casino. Geoff notices that she’s stuffed something in her purse and seems to know what’s going on, but he doesn’t care.