1. Big Whale Casino Games
2. Big Whale Challenge
3. Big Whale Casino Las Vegas

Gambling is definitely an exciting form of entertaining. It can even deliver big profits when you’re on a hot streak. But as fun as gambling is, though, it’s ultimately a negative-expectation endeavor for amateurs.

Entertainment executive Ron Meyer found this out the hard way. Once a wealthy elite, Meyer is dealing with the fallout from losing $100 million through craps.

How in the world did Meyer lose such a big fortune through craps!? I’ll discuss more on Meyer below along with how he gambled so much money away.

Who Is Ron Meyer?

• The bubble aminations, flips from the whale and overall polished look and feel stand up well on any casino floor. The older game has plenty of charm. Most of the sea creatures are cheerful, with the top hat wearing whale drawn large on the top of the cabinet – surrounded by the.
• The whale and the ship’s captain are the second-best paying symbols, awarding up to 2,500 coins for 5 symbols on the reels. The next symbols to look out for are the ship and the tied-up sailor symbol, which both pay up to 500 coins for 5 symbols, while the woman in a pink hat and the Ace high card symbol both pay up to 300 coins for 5 symbols.

Casino Whales is an industry term for big spending high rollers in the world of gambling. These players can regularly bet hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars in a single session. If you follow movie trends, you might think that roulette and poker players make up most of the numbers (something to do with the James Bond film perhaps?). Casino Host – The casino host is the gatekeeper, confidant and make things happen person that works for the casino and manages the relationship with big players. Their only job is to keep players happy and deal with their requests, which could range from organizing a dinner to getting free show tickets, booking a jet, arranging private gaming.

Ronald Meyer was born in America in 1944. His parents were Jewish immigrants who fled from Nazi Germany to the United States in the 1930s.

Ron spent plenty of time watching Hollywood films with his family growing up. These movie nights shaped what would later become his future career.

Meyer dropped out of high school at age 15. By age 17, he joined the US Marine Corp and served for two years.

Ron got his start in showbusiness by working for the LA-based Paul Kohner Agency in 1964. He worked for Paul Kohner until 1970 and spent five years at the William Morris Agency afterward.

One day in 1975, Ron and his friends decided to start their own talent agency. They founded the Creative Artists Agency in 1975 and began recruiting future Hollywood talent.

The agency’s beginnings were humble. Their office featured card tables and folding chairs as furniture. The men in charge also relied on their wives to fill in as secretaries.

Nevertheless, the Creative Artists Agency become a success. It helped Meyer move on to bigger and better things in the future.

In 1995, he became the President and COO of Universal Studios. He served in this role until 2013, when he was promoted to Vice Chairman of NBCUniversal (Universal Studios’ parent company).

Meyer had an affair with actress Charlotte Kirk in 2013. This affair recently came to light, which caused him to lose his lofty position with NBCUniversal.

How Ron Meyer Frittered Away $100 Million Tossing the Dice

Ron Meyer was known first and foremost for his prominent role with NBCUniversal. Here, he dealt with some of the biggest names in television and movies.

According to the Daily Mail, he sometimes lost as much as $7 million in a single gambling excursion. Eventually, his losses ballooned to $100 million before Meyer’s habits became public knowledge.

The 75-year-old was making $25 million per year in his Vice Chairman role. Now, however, he’s currently seeking a golden parachute deal with NBCUniversal to save his future.

“One of the Biggest Craps Players Ever”

Information has come pouring in on Meyer’s gambling habits lately. One source told the Daily Mail that Ron would lose between “$5 million and $7 million at Caesars Palace” in single trips.

Caesars Atlantic City knew that Meyer would bet big. So, they sent a helicopter to pick him up from New York’s NBCUniversal and fly him to AC. One source explained:

He would stay at the penthouse suite at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York while on business. The vice president of marketing at Caesars Atlantic City would send a helicopter to take him to his casino. […] He’s one of the biggest craps players ever.

Why Is This Story Just Coming Out Now?

The media has been running with the recent story involving Meyer’s 2013 affair with Charlotte Kirk. He reached a $2 million settlement with her last year to keep the story hush-hush.

Meyer had been successful extorted by Kirk and her fiancé. However, the story came to light anyways when he stopped making payments to the couple.

When tabloids get ahold of a juicy story like this, they dig up more dirt on the individuals involved. It was only a matter of time before outlets like Daily Mail found out about Meyer’s gambling problem. A source recalled:

Once he exhausted his credit line [at Caesars Atlantic City], the VP would take him to Foxwoods and the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut where he would blow $3 to 5million as well at each place.

Unfortunately, Meyer had such a big gambling problem that he’d go to the casino executives and ask for multimillion-dollar loans.

He’d use this money to rack up even more losses at the craps tables. As an unnamed VIP host noted, the casinos shouldn’t have been granting him these extra gambling funds. The host explained:

It’s really not a nice thing to do, because the gambler is in heat and wants that money. But if you really care about your player, you send him home. But it shows you how reckless the gambler is and how the people in the industry don’t give a s***. Because they’re getting paid commissions on what you lose. So they want to take as much money as possible from you.

Casino High Roller Treatment

Casinos know how to get people coming back to the casino. They treat high rollers like kings and offer them plenty of casino comps.

Ron Meyer was no different in this regard. Casino executives personally got involved with recruiting Meyer because they knew a potential multimillion-dollar payday was awaiting. One of Meyer’s VIP hosts explained:

Big Whale Casino Games

He was probably in the top three most sought-after whales in the gaming industry. Everybody tried to get him to come play at their casinos.

Some of the comps that Meyer received included 20% loss rebates and six figures worth of promotional chips. In addition to the free helicopter ride, he’d also get a penthouse suite, stretch limousine, and comped meals at the finest resort restaurants.

Double Life

Meyer was very guarded with his gambling addiction—even with his own family. His second wife, Kelly Chapman, didn’t even know he was such a big gambler until the two split from each other in 2018.

She told accountants to do a forensic sweep of Meyer’s finances when they were getting divorced. She thought that he was hiding money when he’d really blown it all in casinos.

He was even borrowing money from loan sharks in the 1990s. Meyer owed the loan sharks several million dollars and only saved himself after securing another loan from producer Ray Stark (The Goodbye Girl).

Financial Difficulties

Following decades of losing millions of dollars in casinos, Ron Meyer is in serious financial trouble. He’s especially hurting after losing his $25-million-a-year job.

Meyer no longer has the money to bet millions of dollars per night at the craps tables. In fact, he’s relying on the aforementioned golden parachute with NBCUniversal to stay afloat.

Whether he’ll get much of a deal remains to be seen. Meyer will definitely be hoping for some money given that he no longer has a cushy entertainment job.

How to Avoid Losing Big Like Ron Meyer

You almost assuredly don’t have $100 million to blow on gambling like Meyer did. Nevertheless, you should have a plan if you play craps or any other game.

Map Out a Bankroll Plan

The best place to start with your gambling funds is casino bankroll management. You want to figure out how much you can risk without affecting your normal finances.

This task involves going through your finances and determining what free money you have available. If you can comfortably afford to lose $500, for instance, then this should be your bankroll amount.

Next, you should figure out a safe average bet size. Doing so helps you decide what bet sizes you can use while still making your bankroll last.

Here’s an example:

• You have a $500 bankroll.
• You’re playing craps.
• You plan to place two $5 wagers every round ($10 total).
• The average house edge on the bets is 1.46% (Place 6 + pass line).
• 10 x 0.0146 = 0.146 ($0.146 lost per round)
• 500 / 0.146 = 3,425
• Your bankroll should theoretically last for 3,425 rounds.

If the table sees approximately 30 rounds per hour, then your bankroll will last for over 114 hours. Therefore, you should definitely get plenty of entertainment out of a $500 bankroll and $10 bets.

Stick With the Best Bets

No details are available on what type of wagers Meyer enjoys making. However, I highly doubt that he was placing the top wagers that craps has available.

Casinos offer plenty of sucker bets in games like craps, roulette, and baccarat. These prop bets promise exotic rules and large payouts.

But if you continually make these risky wagers, you’ll be surrendering more money to the house. Here are some of the worst craps bets for reference:

Control Your Emotions

Some gamblers get too swept up in emotions and risk more than they should. Ron Meyer probably got wrapped up in the emotional side of things when he suffered multimillion-dollar losses.

Craps—like other casino games—features negative-expectation bets. Even with pass line (1.41% house edge), you’re still facing a long-term losing proposition.

The best way to treat gambling is as entertainment. Assuming you get lucky and win, then great! Don’t be surprised when you fail to win, though, and try earning the losses back.

Conclusion

Ron Meyer has gone through a whirlwind of emotions over the past few years. He got divorced in 2018, recently had an affair exposed, and is now dealing with fallout from a $100 million gambling loss.

Most people never have to deal with anywhere near this amount of stress in their lifetimes—let alone all within the span of a few years.

At 75 and with his recent drama, Meyer has seen the best days of his career come and go. Therefore, he probably won’t be reloading his craps bankroll any time soon.

The most important thing for him now involves getting some settlement money from NBCUniversal and avoiding the craps tables.

Being a high roller is one of the most-coveted statuses in gambling. After all, high rollers (a.k.a. whales) enjoy the best perks that casinos have to offer.

When envisioning a high roller, you may think of somebody who is:

• Flown to the casino via a private jet.
• Transported via limousine once they touch down at the airport.
• Escorted up to their penthouse suite, where they enjoy the finest liquor and meals.

Considering everything that these whales are privy to, it’s no wonder why so many people envy high rollers. You yourself may dream of entering this status someday.

I’m going to answer this question by discussing more on exactly what high rollers are along with different ways that you can attain elite status at casinos.

What Constitutes a High Roller?

No concrete definition exists for a gambling whale. However, they’re generally be defined by their betting habits.

A table-game high roller typically bets at least $100 or more per hand. Slots high rollers normally wager $25 or more per spin.

Of course, you don’t become a whale by betting big for just a single session. You instead have to show casinos that you’re consistently willing to give them lots of play.

Not all high rollers are treated equally. Somebody who bets $1,000 per blackjack hand, for example, is going to get better treatment than somebody who’s wagering $100.

Whales don’t typically add as much to a casino’s bottom-line as you might think. In fact, the vast majority of money that gambling venues make comes from middle and upper-class players.

Big Whale Challenge

Nevertheless, a big high roller can make the difference between a profitable or unprofitable quarter. Casinos therefore go out of their way to make these gamblers feel special by showering them with various perks.

A whale can expect special transportation to and from the casino, whether this involves a private plane or just a luxury car. They may also receive special loss rebates that a normal player can’t get.

Of course, big high rollers can automatically expect to receive a choice hotel room, the best dinners, and expensive liquor. They may also receive a VIP nightclub table and front-row show tickets.

What Special Perks Can High Rollers Expect?

I already covered some of the benefits that whales receive. But they can actually get a number of other rewards beyond what’s discussed above.

First off, a high roller can negotiate for exactly what they want in terms of comps. Some gamblers may want to arrive in style in an Aston Martin rental, while others may simply want the best blackjack rules the casino can give them.

Regarding the latter, famed blackjack player Don Johnson once negotiated for such good rules that he actually gained an edge over casinos. It wasn’t until Johnson won $15 million dollars that casinos knew what hit them.

You’re very unlikely to talk your way into gaining the edge over gambling venues thanks to Johnson. But you can at least ask for comps that are tailored to your specific wants and needs.

Maybe you’ll be going to the casino with your wife or girlfriend and plan on hours of shopping. In this case, you can request a cash card that covers your shopping expenses up to a certain point.

Perhaps you want a penthouse suite that offers a specific view of the Vegas Strip. You can therefore tell the casino that you’ll arrive when this certain room is available.

Loss rebates are another popular perk for high rollers. Bigger rebates give gamblers a percentage of their losses back up to a certain amount.

Here’s an example of a loss rebate:

• You negotiate a deal to get 10% of your losses back up to $10,000.
• You lose $50,000 over the course of a weekend.
• The casino gives you a check for $10,000.

Yet another special reward for high rollers includes exclusive freeroll tournaments. You might get invited to a special blackjack, poker, or slots tournaments that includes other wealthy gamblers.

These aren’t just any freerolls either, because they offer big prize pools worth $20,000 or more. Assuming it’s just you and 19 other players, for example, you could expect $1,000 in theoretical value (20,000 / 20) from such a tournament.

In summary, whales have the power of negotiation. Their situation differs from the average gambler, who has a much smaller selection of benefits to choose from.

A low-stakes player may be able to specialize their comps to include bottle service at a nightclub, rather than a free meal. But they won’t be able to ask for free top-shelf liquor and a lost rebates if they’re not giving the casino enough action.

Ways to Reach Whale Status

Reaching high roller status isn’t confined to completing a specific task. Instead, there are a variety of ways to become a whale.

You can do everything from placing huge bets to making a deposit that catches the casino’s attention. Here’s a closer look at the different ways to become a high roller.

Bet Big

The most-obvious thing you need to do to get the casino’s attention is make large bets. Of course, the amount that you need to wager differs based on where you’re playing.

You may be looked at as a serious high roller at a regional casino in the Midwest for betting $100 per hand. But that same amount isn’t going to get you much preferential treatment at a Vegas Strip Casino.

The latter requires really large wagers when considering that some players bet up to $100,000 per hand. Of course, you don’t have to wager this much just to be considered a whale. But Vegas Strip casinos are probably going to want to see you risk at least $500 or $1,000 per round.

Make a Big Deposit

Some gambling venues are more interested in how much you’re willing to deposit versus how much they initially see you wagering. After all, a big deposit gives off the impression that you’re willing to lose plenty of money.

You’ll be treated well by any casino if you deposit at least $100,000 or more. Of course, you can still get preferential treatment at a lot of establishments for depositing $10,000.

Many gambling venues also offer lines of credits to players who, at least on the surface, appear as if they can cover big losses. The same casinos may offer certain gamblers a high roller suite or other good perks when they open up a big credit line.

Of course, casinos are going to run background checks on you first. They need to minimize the risk that you’ll lose a bunch of money and refuse to pay it back later.

Terrance Watanabe, the former CEO of the Oriental Trading Co., once got into a situation like this. Caesars Entertainment had to sue him over $14.75 million that he refused to pay back.

Play at Smaller Casinos Where Your Big Bets Are Valued

I already discussed how the prominence of a casino plays into how you’ll be treated. Therefore, you can target smaller gambling venues to really be treated like royalty.

If you lose $5,000 at the California, you’re going to get some of the best rewards they have to offer. Lose the same amount at the Bellagio or Wynn, and you still won’t get the red-carpet treatment.

I’m not saying that you can’t still receive some nice comps at high-end Vegas casinos after losing thousands of dollars. But you’re going to get the best treatment when you wager and lose big sums at smaller venues.

Become a Non-Gambling High Roller

Gambling isn’t the only way to collect rewards at casinos. These establishments are resorts that offer a number of entertainment options.

You may not even have to be noticed by the staff in order to start earning quality comps. Instead, you merely need to sign up for the rewards program and use your card whenever paying for anything.

Major casino chains like Caesars and MGM Resorts allow you to earn points on your card at any of their properties across the world. Assuming you spend a good deal, then you’ll be eligible for some great comps.

The casino may eventually notice if you continue living lavishly on their properties. They’ll likely want to speak with you about specializing your rewards package and how you can get even better comps.

Speak to the Casino Host About the Requirements

A casino host’s primary function is to help make players happy. They especially spend plenty of time appeasing high rollers.

They can set up comps to your liking and handle any other arrangements you may need.

You can even develop a relationship with hosts at your favorite casinos. Such a relationship allows them to figure out what you do and don’t like, then better tailor your perks.

A host may even be able to solve most issues or problems you have during your stay. If you don’t like your room’s view, for example, you can tell the host and see if they can get you a different one.

Of course, their powers only go so far. They likely have no jurisdiction over a bad meal you have. You’d instead need to speak with whomever is running the restaurant in this case.

Bet Big in the Beginning and at the End

One common technique that gamblers use to get more comps involves betting more at the beginning of a session. The start of a gambling session is when the pit boss monitors your first few wagers to determine how you’ll be rewarded.

You can then lower your bets after they leave so that you’re getting comped on the higher wagers — even when betting at a lower rate.

But high roller play is a little above making huge wagers at the beginning to get more rewards. After all, your play will be more heavily scrutinized by the staff in this situation.

However, you can still benefit by making larger bets when the top brass is looking. You should especially gamble big at the beginning and end of a session.

The early big wagers make the pit boss/floor supervisor rate you higher. Betting big at the end leaves a good impression and makes it more likely that you’ll receive more comps.

This technique doesn’t always work, especially when you’re playing for large stakes and have more attention on you. But it’s worth trying just for the chance at getting additional rewards.

Play in the High Roller Slots Room

Most whales are found at the tables. However, some casinos also feature high roller slots rooms that can deliver pretty good comps.

The amount that you must bet to be considered a slots high roller varies based on the establishment. However, you can generally look forward to some great reward when you’re wagering at least $25 per spin.

Slots players lose more money than anybody in the casino, because they play at a faster rate. Assuming you also play a quick rate and bet big, then you can expect some really good rewards.

Casinos usually comp regular slots players at a 0.1% rate. As a high roller, though, you could be privy to a 0.2% or 0.3% rate.

Here’s an example on the rewards you could expect to earn as a slots whale:

• You play slots with a 0.3% comp rate.
• You bet $100,000 over the weekend.
• 100,000 x 0.003 = $300 in rewards as a high roller
• You only have a 0.1% rate at a different casino.
• You bet $100,000.
• 100,000 x 0.001 = $100 in rewards as a regular player

Work Your Way Up the Online Casino VIP Ladder

Online casinos definitely can’t compare to land-based establishments in terms of the luxuries they offer. Gaming sites can’t send a limo for you or serve fillet mignon to you.

Internet casinos instead have their own ways to reward high rollers. Some programs feature a number of perks for the highest VIP level, including a dedicated online host, huge freerolls, big deposit bonuses, the best cashback rate, merchandise, and even vacation packages.

The nice thing about being an online casino high roller is that everything is clearly laid out. You merely need to visit the loyalty program page and see how many points are needed to reach the highest level.

• Copper level = Instant upon deposit
• Silver level = 10,000 lifetime points
• Gold level = 100,000 lifetime points
• Platinum level = 1 million lifetime points

You can see in the example above that VIP levels are based on how many points somebody accumulates over their lifetime. But some of these programs also use the number of points collected each month to determine loyalty status.

In the latter case, you need to earn a specific number of points to maintain your status. That said, make sure you know the rules of an online casino VIP program going into the matter and generate enough points to hold your level.

Is It Worth Becoming a High Roller?

Whether or not you embark on the quest to become a whale all depends upon your personal preferences. If you’re going to gamble lots of money in casinos anyways, then you might as well consider doing what it takes to become an elite VIP.

I discussed a number of ways that you can go about reaching high roller status. The easiest way to do so is by speaking with a casino host beforehand and/or making a large deposit.

Doing one or both of these things ensures that you can be viewed as a whale immediately, rather than having to gain the casino’s attention. Furthermore, you can negotiate for the comps you want before placing a bet.

Of course, you can always just show up to a casino and start betting big. The only problem with this method is that the casino won’t know you’re a high roller until the right people notice your bet sizes.

You can also reach a higher loyalty status by spending money in other parts of the casino. These resorts rely on much more than just gambling to earn profits. They’re willing to do whatever it takes to keep somebody around who spends big in restaurants, the hotel, nightclubs, and the spa.

As an online gambler, you need to work your way up the VIP program by betting enough money. Visit a gaming site’s loyalty page to see what type of points you need to reach the highest level.

You should also learn what rewards the highest VIPs receive. After all, you don’t want to waste your time becoming an online whale, only to receive less rewards than you’re expecting.

One key point to keep in mind, though, is that comps aren’t worth your theoretical losses. Even as a high roller, casinos expect you to lose more than they’re giving out in rewards.

This fact presents a grim picture on how you can lose far more money than what you’re getting back. However, becoming a high roller is about more than just the money.

Many whales love the preferential treatment they get upon arriving at a casino. They may be flanked by staff members as they walk across the gambling floor, with onlookers in the background. They’ll also be able to impress their buddies and associates by inviting them up to the penthouse suite.

Of course, you can receive the same type of treatment by spending big at five-star restaurants and non-gambling resorts. But if you like gambling and want to be treated like a king/queen, then it’s worth pursuing whale status.

Conclusion

Becoming a gambling high roller isn’t a cheap pursuit. You need to bet quite a bit of money to impress the casino and earn their most-lavish rewards. Nevertheless, you should consider pursuing the highest VIP status if you have the bankroll to do so.

You’ll especially appreciate whale status if you like being pampered and made to feel important. Casinos will give you this feeling through choice hotel rooms, delicious meals, convenient transportation, and front-row tickets to shows.

But you don’t have to just accept the general high-roller perks. You can instead negotiate with the casino host to get exactly what you’re looking for.

Maybe you want the best blackjack rules or the largest loss rebate available. Perhaps you want to look like the biggest VIP in the nightclub or have free room service all week.

Whatever the case may be, you can tailor comps to your liking as a high roller. Of course, the first order of business is actually reaching this status first.

Big Whale Casino Las Vegas

Most casinos expect you to bet $100 per hand or make a $10,000 minimum deposit before they’re willing to negotiate. These amounts only increase when you’re dealing with more-lavish casinos, like those found on the Vegas Strip.

Assuming you’re a mini whale, then you might start with smaller casinos. These casinos appreciate big action more and are willing to cater to any high roller’s needs.

The key, as always, is to bet within your limits when attaining whale status. The last thing you want to do is get carried away and gamble above your means just to look important.

Watanabe serves as the perfect example for what not to do. He squandered an estimated $200 million on gambling, including a $127 million loss at Caesars Palace alone.

Chances are that you don’t have this kind of money. But you can get the picture on how easy it is to lose yourself in the high-roller lifestyle.

As long as you have a good handle on bankroll management, you shouldn’t have to worry about this. Moreover, you can place big wagers within your budget and enjoy being a whale.