Sunday, September 21, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

NEVADAN AT WORK: BOBBY FLORENCE, Blackjack dealer

With blackjack patent, ex-UNLV hoops star goes from nets to bets

Bobby Florence's game used to be basketball, which he played at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Now his game is blackjack. He holds the patent for a new type of blackjack game. Photo by Gary Thompson. Bobby Florence

The only player to lead the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' men's basketball team in points in four consecutive years hopes to score big with the new blackjack table game he and his wife are selling to Las Vegas casinos.

UNLV graduate Bobby Florence, an inaugural member of the school's sports hall of fame because of his hoops exploits from 1970-74, has been dealing blackjack in Las Vegas casinos for almost 30 years.

Florence, now a dealer at the Palms, and wife Celsa, an MGM Grand blackjack dealer, are beginning to see results from their invention, Royal 20's, a blackjack game that offers a couple of side bets.

Their company, Diversified Minority Gaming, already has contracts with four Las Vegas-area casinos. Four of their Royal 20's tables are on the floor at the Rampart Casino in Summerlin and two are on the floor at Fitzgeralds.

Single Royal 20's games are in the table pits at the Palms and Green Valley Ranch.

Like other blackjack games that offer nonrequired side bet options, Royal 20's players can just play blackjack if they wish. The game also allows players to make side bets on whether the dealer or player will get a 20 on his first two cards.

If the player places a bet in the circle labeled "dealer" next to his main blackjack bet, he wins five times his side bet if the dealer gets a 20 with his first two cards. If the two cards totaling 20 are in the same suit, the payoff jumps to 10 times the side bet, and if the two cards are exactly the same, like two kings of diamonds, the payoff's 25-to-1.

Palms casino shift manager Roy Brennan said the game was installed about two months ago and is very popular.

"There's a lot of blackjack games with side bets, but Bobby's game allows a player to bet that the dealer or the player will get a 20," Brennan said. "It's pretty cool."

Rampart table game boss Patrick Hughes said the game "significantly" increased the hold percentage for the blackjack table and prompted the casino to add three additional tables offering Royal 20's.

Fitzgeralds table games boss Theo Smith said casino patrons enjoy playing Royal 20's, "especially when the dealer is running hot and pulling 20s more often. They can bet on the dealer and win more."

Green Valley Ranch casino operations director Bill Burt called the game an exciting new betting option.

Florence and his wife hope to parlay the game's appeal to players with the stated goals of many casino operators' to try to spend more money on minority-owned businesses.

Question: How did you create Royal 20's?

Answer: Dealing for 30 years, I've learned a lot about players' psychology. When people play blackjack, they always play like the dealer has a 20. The dealer's 20 is the bait that makes them want to play.

Question: It seems like this game would be susceptible to card counting.

Answer: As far as counting goes, the casino executives say that people who count cards don't waste their money on side bets.

Question: When did you invent Royal 20's?

Answer: My wife, Celsa, and I created it in 2001. We received our patent and trademark and copyright last year, to protect the game and the name. We received (Nevada Gaming Commission) approval last year as well.

Question: Did you hire an intellectual property lawyer to get the patent, copyright and trademark?

Answer: No, I did it on my own. For a game, it's not a complicated process.

Question: Did you have an expert figure out the expected house edge for the side bets, so that you could sell casinos on the game's profitability?

Answer: Yes, we hired Michael Shackleford, the "Wizard of Odds."

Question: When did you begin dealing?

Answer: I began dealing when I was 22. Right after two short stints (trying out for the Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Lakers), I chose my career.

Question: Did you go to dealing school?

Answer: No. Because of my UNLV basketball background, people were willing to help me out. People at the Sahara taught me in the Congo Room.

Question: Why did you, as the leading scorer in Iowa high school basketball, opt to attend the University of Nevada, Las Vegas?

Answer: I had 150 to 200 scholarship offers for football, basketball and track. When I came out here and saw the glitter and glamour, I thought this would be an opportunity to be comfortable.

Question: What was your greatest strength as a basketball player?

Answer: I was a scorer, but my greatest skill was offensive rebounding.

Question: Back to your game, what are Royal 20's best selling points?

Answer: Customers know from experience that the dealer might get a 20. They might overestimate how often. My wife (an MGM Grand blackjack dealer) and I hear it all the time: "I wish I could bet on you." This game is very simple for the player and for the dealer. This game is fun. It's interactive. That's why people come to Las Vegas -- to have fun. Plus, our game is the only minority-owned game in the country on a major casino floor. Companies say they want to help minority businesses. Royal 20's gives them a good way to do that. We feel this will revolutionize the way people play blackjack. Royal 20's is also less expensive (for the casino) than the other side bet games.

Question: The house edge for the main blackjack bet would be the same 1 percent to 2 percent edge as a regular blackjack game with no side bets? The advantage side bet games have for casinos is that the side bets have a much bigger house edge than the regular blackjack wagers. How much of an edge does the casino get on the Royal 20's side bets?

Answer: About 18 percent.

Question: How were you so quickly able to get your game on the floor of four casinos?

Answer: I've been fortunate to have a lot of good contacts in Las Vegas because of basketball. (Las Vegas Sun Editor) Brian Greenspun's a good friend, and he's helped. Who you know plays a big part. Brian loved this game.

Question: What's your goal for Royal 20's?

Answer: To promote Royal 20's in every casino around the country. We want to prove our ability in Nevada first, but I believe the game's already proven itself, and very quickly.