Mark Grochala has a plan for his future. He is part of one of the top casino management team in the world. This has not made him complacent. He took the time to develop a new casino game called "Props and Hops". This game will be unveil at the Raving Table Games Conference in Las Vegas.
The convention is at the Paris Hotel. I spoke with Mark prior to the tradeshow and asked him a series of questions. If you are creative, you will definitely enjoy this.
1). How long have you worked on
developing this game?
"It took us about six months from concept to where it is now."
2).Where was this idea develop?
"I was supervising one of those crap games where that had heavy prop action every
roll. One of those games that the staff and players really dislikes. We started talking
about how the game of craps has changed. When I started dealing in 1983, prop bets were generally made on the come out roll. The old timers would make place bets
and come bets, then come down with odds. The games were fast and they would
flow. Now the game has slowed considerably. The newer players like the high payoff bets. On that particular day, a dealer sarcastically said "I'm
gonna invent a game with nothing but prop bets and hop bets". Everyone laughed,
but then we just looked at each other and light bulbs went off! Then we just ran
with the idea and Props & Hops was born."
3). Tell the readers about your game.
"We have a layout that fits on BJ table that has
every one roll bet from a crap table, plus a new one called Any Double. This bet
includes the hard ways plus the two and twelve, obviously. This game is similar
to roulette where you have inside bets (any individual combination of the dice)
and outside bets(field, any craps, any seven, any double). After the wagers are
made the dealer will offer the dice, which are contained in a shaker cup, to the
first player to his left. The player will shake the dice and then set the cup
down. The dealer will reveal the two dice total, mark the "point", then pay and
take. The same player will continue to shake the dice until he shakes a seven.
I often say Props & Hops is like playing roulette but the player spins the
ball."
The beauty of this game is it is fast, fun,
and easy to learn!
4). You are planning to attend a gaming
conference. Is this your 1st?
"Yes. I will definitely be attending future conferences. I'll see how this goes
before deciding on
which ones. I think it is going to be an enjoyable
experience."
5). What do you hope to accomplish while
in Las
Vegas?
"The main reason for this trip to Las Vegas is to expose Props & Hops to the
gaming industry. I expect to learn a lot about networking and marketing myself,
my company, and the game (and maybe future games). What happens on this trip
will dictate what direction we take with marketing."
6). Give the readers some of your
professional background.
7).What's Next?
"The game was displayed to casino representatives from across the country. I think it got a warm reception. Now we'll see what numbers it generates when it debuts. It's all about the numbers."
10) What is the best part about your day job?
"The best part of my job is the
interaction with my coworkers. Every casino has a diverse workforce, which
makes things interesting. I like learning about and interacting with different
cultures."
11) Your Favorite restaurant is?
"My favorite restaurant is Nobu in South
Beach. It is the most
famous Japanese restaurant in the world. I love the cuisine!"
famous Japanese restaurant in the world. I love the cuisine!"
12) Last book you read and what you got out of it?
I want to thank Mark for taking the time to do this. This game should do well. Operators are looking for new ways to appeal to the customers. "Props and Hops" is a winning combination.
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