Casino Barometer, Author at Casino Barometer

On a Losing Streak? It is part of the Game…

As they say, gambling is a game of chance. This means that nobody is sure when one will lose or win.

However, there is only one fact that remains. In gambling, there is bound to be a loser. In fact, most people contend that a game is not to be considered as gambling if it will not have losers. This goes to show that when people gamble, they are bound to lose than win.

Today, more and more people are getting hooked up with gambling. They see this kind of activity as an outlet of their problems, a place where to get unwind from a hard day’s work, or simply a form of recreation. What they don’t know that when somebody starts to get hooked up with gambling, chances are he or she is bound to lose great things in the end.

So, how does it feel to lose gambling? Is losing really a part of the game? There are so many questions, yet, just a few answers. This is because people are not aware of the probability of somebody’s chance in winning the game of chance.

Here are some facts about gambling and its losing characteristic:

1. If people gamble more, chances are, they will lose more.

This is one great way how to lose in gambling. People just have to continue gambling and they will continue to lose more.

2. Because gambling entails a lot of money, most people tends to think that gambling is more about winning. They just don’t realize that losing in gambling has more impact and has more probability of getting it.

3. People will never win in gambling.

Statistics show that most of the people, who play gambling, will never be able to win because of the little chances that they have.

For example, in a game of card, there are 52 cards in a deck of cards, thirteen of which are four suits. A person’s probability of drawing the card that will make them win the game is only 1 in every 52 chances, and the chance of having a perfect hand of cards is 1 in 635,013,559,599.

Other examples are the games that use dice. Normally, each dice has six sides. This goes to show that for every 6 attempts people will throw, they will get 1 chance to get the number that they want. Though, there’s only 1 in 216 if the person will be using three dice.

Indeed, gambling is really a game of chance, even if some people contend it uses skills. With gambling, people are really bound to lose.

Quick tips: How to win in Blackjack

Blackjack is a popular card game – in fact, it is considered to be one of the most prevalent and well-liked games in the casino. This is because it is relatively easy to play the game and with the correct strategy, a player can lessen the dealer’s edge and at the same time get an advantage in winning the game.

In order to win blackjack, players must get cards that have a total of 21 or closer to it. If the player gets a card over 21, they will end up losing the game.

In winning a game in blackjack, there is only one concept that players must bear in mind. They should always remember to utilize the right strategy.

In order to win a blackjack game, the player must know the basic strategies. This is because these strategies are considered as the vital element in winning blackjack. The player’s capability to use a line of attack and manipulate the game is the basic skills that a player must learn in order to win.

So, for people who want to win a game in blackjack, here are some ways how to do it. These things may not guarantee the players to win the game but using them will give them a good chance.

1. Players should know when to hit or stand.

Statistics show that 3 out of the 10 people who play blackjack make hits or stands without even knowing when to do it. Most of them merely rely on their instincts. Instincts can be a pretty factor in winning the game but it is not always like that. So, it is a must that a player should know when to hit or stand just by looking at the cards already dealt and the cards of the dealer.

The idea of when to stand or hit is directly dependent on the dealer’s card.

2. Players should always assume that the dealer’s down card is 10.

This is based on the theory that if the dealer’s down card is a 10 and he gets a 6, chances are he will get the card. If he gets 7, chances are he would either be busted or the player’s probability of getting close to 21 is higher.

In this manner, depending on what card the dealer gets, the player can decide whether to hit or stand. The players will then have higher chances of winning.

Winning blackjack is, indeed, dependent on the dealer’s card.

Craps Terms – what you need to know…

So you want to play Craps huh? Well, you better know some terminology. In today’s article, we’ll show you some key Craps terms.

So you want to play Craps huh? Well, you better know some terminology. In today’s article, we’ll show you some key Craps terms. There are countless Craps terms out there, but we’ll go over just the main and fun ones.

Aces: This is a roll of two. When a two is rolled, both dice show one dot, hence the term.

2-Way Eleven: Dealers love this one. When you bet a 2-way eleven, you’re making a bet on eleven for you and the dealers. It’s a good move to tip the dealers when playing if you’re doing well.

Any Seven: This is a one-roll wager. Make this bet and if the next roll is a seven, you win. A seven can be rolled: 1-6, 2-5, 3-4, 4-3, 5-1, and 6-1. The bet pays 4:1. The house edge is high on this one since it’s a one-roll wager. Of course, you’d think it was a pot of gold when you’re standing at an ice-cold table.

Big 6: This bet is located in the lower section of the layout. It’s called the big 6, because the wager space is a huge 6. It’s a gimmick wager though, because it only pays even money. If you were to place the 6, you’d get odds on your payout. This bet stays up until it loses or you take it down.

Big 8: It’s the same as the Big 6, except it’s an 8. You’ll win every time an 8 is rolled and lose when a 7 is rolled. It pays even money. Unless you’re very lazy, place the 8 instead.

Big Red: No, it’s not a stick of gum. This is a codeword for making a wager on Any Seven.

Bones: Throw them bones. The bones are the dice.

Black: This is slang for a $100 cheque-also called a chip by the layman. “Give me a stack of black,” would be saying that you want a stack of $100 cheques, which is $2,000-there are 20 cheques/chips in a stack.

Boxcars: Keep making this wager and you might be living in a boxcar. This is slang for the number 12-6-6 on the dice.

Boxman: This is the guy who is in the suit and sitting down in-between the two dealers on the inside of the Craps table. He’s the boss of the table. It’s his job to make sure payouts are okay and to watch the game. You’ll also see him tracking players for rewards.

The Boys: Perhaps a bit sexist in these days since there are more and more female Craps dealers, but this is slang for the dealers at the table. “Here’s $20 for the boys,” means that you’re giving $20 as a tip to the dealers. In the old days, you’d only find male Craps dealers.

Today, we continue our Craps Terms series with more terms. We stopped off at “for the boys” last session. Today, we pick it up with an animal-the Buffalo. Let’s get started.

Buffalo: Okay, it’s not an animal. When you make a buffalo wager, you’re betting on each of the Hardways and Any Seven. If you want to mix it up, you can make a Buffalo-Yo wager, which is all of the Hardways and a Yo (eleven) bet.

Buy: When you place a number, you can buy it. When you buy the number, you’re paying a 5% commission for true odds. You’ll rarely see the 5,6,8 or 9 bought. It’s almost always the 4 and 10. Why? Well, when you buy the 4 and 10 you get 2 for 1 odds rather than 9 for 5. Imagine you bought the 4 for $25. Each time the 4 hits, you would be paid $50. Your commission would be $1. The commission is off the bet not the win. Also, the commission is rounded down, as most Craps tables don’t have 25-cent cheques.

C and E: This is an extremely common wager on the come out roll. When you make a C and E wager, you’re betting on Any Craps and Eleven (Yo). It’s a one-roll wager. You can make this bet any time, but most people do it on the come out roll to protect their Pass Line bets.

Charting: If you go to the casinos in Downtown Las Vegas, you’re likely to see a charter. Charting is when you record the action of a table. Usually this is done on a notepad. Why chart a table? Many people who do it believe there are patterns in the dice-not true. Others do it on a person by person basis, because they believe people have certain patterns. If you play online, you can do this easily and without standing out like you would at a real table.

Change Only: IMPORTANT! If you do nothing else, remember this command. When you are at a real Craps table and you throw money down, it plays where it stays unless you say “Change Only.” Many unsuspecting people have thrown their money down expecting change only to see it gobbled up after it lost. Now, if you want the money to be a bet, just don’t say another word or say “Money Plays.” That’s the command for letting the money sit and play. The dealer shouldn’t touch the money.

Cheques: This is the official term for what many call chips. Let’s say you have a $100 cheque and you want a stack of $5 cheques, you would put down your cheque in the Come area and say “Cheque Change.” That’s the dealer’s cue that you don’t want it to play and that you want smaller cheques/chips.

Coloring: There are various terms that involve color. The first is color in, which is said by the dealer to let the boxman know that cheques are coming in. The next is coloring up, which is said to inform the boxman, or whoever, that the cheques are being exchanged. For instance, if you handed in a stack of red ($5 cheques, which is $100 total), the dealer might say color in, then coloring up. Next, he’ll say color out and hand you one $100 cheque.

Come Bet: To place a Come wager, you place the desired cheque(s) in the Come area, which is that big space right below the numbers. Think of the Come bet as the Pass Line bet. First, you place your wager. Second, a number is rolled. Your wager is moved to that number. Finally, when the number is rolled a second time, your wager is taken down and paid. You can put odds on your wager once it gets placed in a number. When you place a wager in the Come area, it will win instantly if the next roll is a 7 or 11, but it will lose instantly if the number is 2, 3 or 12. The Don’t Come Bet is just the opposite. If you bet this, you want to see the shooter throw a 7 before your number.

Come out Roll: This is sort of the start of every cycle if you will. The purpose of the come out roll is to establish the point. If the shooter throws a 7 or 11, all Pass Line wagers win and all Don’t Pass wagers lose. If the shooter throws a 2, 3, or 12, all Pass Line Wagers Lose. The Don’t Pass wagers win on 2 and 3, but push (bar) on 12.

Comps: These apply to any game. When you get a comp, you get something for free from the casino. For instance, maybe you’re playing Craps and the pit boss decides to comp you lunch. Comps are usually handed out to players who meet certain criteria. It’s important to note that there is no way you can get a comp unless you’re being tracked. This means you must register for the casino’s player card. And when you get change at a table, give them your card to. Comps are also called rewards these days and most casinos have went to a system to reward players automatically.

Crap: So, what is a Crap anyway-aside from the obvious? The numbers 2, 3 and 12 are Craps. And if you wager on Any Craps, these are the winning numbers you want to see rolled. When someone throws a 2, 3 or 12 on the first roll, it’s called Crapping Out.

Next time, we’ll venture into the D’s with Craps terms like dealer, dime, don’t come, double odds and more.

Bingo Tips – How to play successfully online

Bingo has been played for many years in halls and clubs around the world. Online bingo has made the game more readily accessible to a wider audience than ever before.

Bingo has been played for many years in halls and clubs around the world. With the advancement of computer and internet technology, cyber bingo has become the next stage in the evolution of this great game. Cyber bingo has made the game more readily accessible to a wider audience than ever before.

Bingo online has all the characteristics of its land based cousin, although the online bingo version allows for easier ways to produce different patterns needed to win than the land based version can.

When you are playing bingo, whether its online or at a hall, there are some tips that you can follow to help you enjoy your gaming experience:

Only play online bingo with money you can afford to play with. If you cannot afford to take the risk of losing, then rather do not play, or wait until you can afford to.
If you can afford to risk money on playing bingo online, gamble with half of what you can afford to play with. This allows you to have enough to play another day if you feel you are currently on a losing streak.
In gambling it is extremely unrealistic to expect to win every time you play. In online bingo it is no different, so do not get angry with other players if they win and you do not.
When deciding when you should play online bingo, you should take note of the number of players in the online room. The less people in the room the better the chance of you winning (remember in bingo online there is always a winner).
On the flipside of the above, the less people playing a game the less the size of the winnings will be.

Best Casino Movies

Las Vegas and its casinos have always been an inspiration for filmmakers looking to inject excitement and intrigue into their movies.

Las Vegas and its casinos have always been an inspiration for filmmakers looking to inject excitement and intrigue into their movies.

One of the most famous movies with a Las Vegas backdrop is 1960’s ‘Ocean’s Eleven’, which sees the members of the original ‘Rat Pack’ – Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis – planning to rob five of the top casinos in Vegas in just one night. Things go according to plan – at least until after the heists.

‘Ocean’s Eleven’ was remade successfully in 2001 by Steven Soderburgh, who cast George Clooney in the leading role of Danny Ocean and Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Elliott Gould as gang members, amongst others. The 2001 version updated the storyline while still putting across the same glamorous image of Vegas as in the first movie.

Nicolas Cage visited Las Vegas in 1992 for his film ‘Honeymoon in Vegas’. This comedy tells the story of Jack Singer (played by Cage) who decides to wed his long-time partner Betsy (Sarah Jessica Parker) in Vegas. However, when they arrive, Betsy is spotted by a high-stakes gambler who decides he wants to spend a weekend with her. He engages Singer in poker games in an attempt to wrestle her from him. With Cage acting his best as the love-struck bridegroom, James Caan as the sinister gambler, and a number of parachuting Elvis impersonators, ‘Honeymoon in Vegas’ offers plenty of laughs.

Matt Damon is Mike McDermott, one of the world’s best poker players in the 1998 film ‘Rounders’, who has given up the game in order to concentrate on finishing law school. When his old friend Worm (Edward Norton) is released from prison, he persuades McDermott to return to the game in order to pay off some bad debts he’s accrued. McDermott consequently finds himself playing in a series of poker games where the stakes are forever increasing and the tension is forever building.

Finally, a list of casino movies is incomplete without a mention of the 1995 Martin Scorcese movie ‘Casino’, which is considered by many to be the definitive casino film. This tells the true story of Sam ‘Ace’ Rothstein, a mobster who moves to Las Vegas and becomes the operator of the Tangiers casino. Robert De Niro makes the lead role his own, as Rothstein copes with marriage to a drug addict (played by Sharon Stone) and friendship with Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci), a fellow mobster slowly spiralling into a world of violence.

How to detect a Compulsive Gambler

A compulsive gambler is a person who is not able to resist urge to gamble. The compulsiveness leads to severe personal and social consequences. The desire to gamble becomes so difficult to control that stress can only be calmed by gambling more.

1. Walks, Talks and Breathes Gambling

The compulsive gambler preoccupies himself with gambling. He tells story of previous experiences. The compulsive gambler often discuss with anybody willing to listen, his new schemes or next winning strategy.

2. More, more and more

The compulsive gambler finds himself gambling more and more money. In most cases he is not gambling for a bigger prize but for an increased thrill or excitement. The time he spends gambling usually lasts longer than planned.

3. Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop

The compulsive has repeatedly been unable to curb his gambling. Worse, he becomes irritable and restless when attempting to cut back or stop altogether. Unfortunately, gambling is a way of escaping or relieving his problems.

4. Lies, lies and more lies

The compulsive gambler starts lying to family and friends in order to hide his habit. But lies and brags about winnings. He denies having a problem when confronted. Often becomes angry if the issue is pursued. The lies start to become a way of life for the compulsive gambler.

5. Show me the money

He starts depending on others to help on dire financial situation. He often borrows from family and friends to support his increasingly worsening problem. Mortgages and loans are refinanced. Life insurance is cashed in, as well as his 401k. The gambler may then start committing fraud and theft to finance gambling.

6. Self Destructing

Career is jeopardized or relationships with loved ones and friends are eroding. There is a tremendous amount of shame and remorse felt after gambling. Will consider or attempt suicide due to extreme helplessness of situation.

7. Losing control

A shift in personality often happens to the compulsive gambler. He starts being manipulative, irritable, argumentative, critical, and controlling. The compulsive gambler starts losing interest on his regular activities and hobbies. Then makes poor excuses or evades questions on his whereabouts. Often withdraws from love ones and friends. Sees gambling as a way to cope and deal with his problems.

8. No Sense of time

The compulsive gambler begins gambling to celebrate and in crisis. He starts spending his time gambling on holidays and special events.

Prevention is difficult and will not always be likely. Counseling may help people who are more susceptible to compulsive gambling. People who know of relatives that are compulsive gambler might be at risk and must be especially wary.

There are several online organizations that can give both practical advice and emotional support to problem gamblers. Gambling Therapy is one of them and could be a good starting point.

Craps – the story behind the game

The historian may have a little trouble clearly defining the history of Craps. In some circles, Craps has a debatable history. I found it fairly challenging to trace the game of Craps back to one single origin.

The historian may have a little trouble clearly defining the history of Craps and we found it fairly challenging to trace the game of Craps back to one single origin.

If popularity is to rule the day, then we should go with a widely accepted origin. It’s largely accepted that Craps evolved from an old game called Hazard, which was allegedly created by Bernard de Mandeville.

While his name might sound French, Hazard didn’t come into being in France or even Europe. Nope. Hazard was forged right in the USA. The time was 1813 and the place was none other than party town New Orleans-figures right? As the legend goes, Hazard grew in popularity.

Many found Hazard to be too complicated, so they simplified it. The new name? Craps. Many people today think Craps is extremely complicated. Can you imagine what Hazard must be like?

In the glory years, Craps was part of American culture. It was played in casinos and on many American streets. It was a game that was at least known about by most of society. And then the fall came. Some believe that gamblers just don’t want to think much. They want to put their money down and have a set path with limited choices. The popularity decline of Craps over the past 20 years would seem to support this theory.

Craps’ decline helped give rise to other games-like Blackjack. In the early 1990s, Las Vegas casinos experimented with a simpler version of Craps. Many of the decisions were taken out and it was more of a carnival came. There was one dealer-think Blackjack table here. You’d make a bet and throw the dice. It failed.

Real Craps players weren’t interested in the novelty game and non-Craps players just didn’t give a, well, crap. The casinos saw that there wasn’t any real money in the game and ditched it.

I think the game failed, because of one critical issue-community. Most real world Craps players play the game, because of the atmosphere. They want to be where the action is. Also, they want others to throw the dice to mix things up. There’s nothing better than a full table of happy Craps players. No matter where you are in the casino, you’ll hear the shouts.

Craps also has an interesting twist. An empty table is hard to fill. Craps players go where other Craps players are. Take a look at any other game, like Blackjack. An empty table can be a welcomed sight. There’s no other game as passionate as Craps.

Roulette strategies – tips on how to win

Roulette is played by one to seven persons. You place your bet by positioning chips on a certain number that you would like to win.

The chips are for roulette only and cannot be used for other games. Each player have a different color of chips, in order for the dealer to recognize who the chip belongs to, making it easier for him to do the payouts later. With this, a rule is set that hands are to be kept out of the table as soon as all the betting is done. The dealer then, spins the wheel.

Bets in roulette are of two types, the inside and the outside betting.

One important thing to have in mind is that roulette is not a game of prediction and possibility. All numbers that are on the roulette wheel lands unplanned, or at random.

If you are losing, do acknowledge the fact that you are not simply lucky “today”. Do not keep on playing hoping that you could gain back your losses. You may end up losing too much. Stop, because there might be better days ahead.

As in any other casino game, before the game, consider following these suggestions:

Keep in mind that you are in the casino to enjoy yourself, to be entertained.
If playing online, read carefully the rules as well as the terms and condition of the casino site.
When playing online, be sure to check the authenticity of the site.
Always allocate a certain amount for the game, for the day. Strictly stick to the limit.

Some guidelines to keep in mind while playing Roulette

As with any game, a general rule is to gamble only the money that you could afford to lose. Never use the money allotted for paying other bills such as rental, utility bills, etc. You’ll need professional help if you do gamble this way.
Practice makes perfect. Before playing for real money, take the time to acquaint yourself first with the game. “Feel” the game.
Don’t gamble with so much money in just one spin. You may lose all in an instant.
In roulette, what counts are your overall winnings. If you are having a bad day, stop. You can go back and try your luck again another day.
Skip the drinks. Alcohol will have a negative impact on your decision making skills. Have a clear mind while you play roulette.
Play when odds at a table are only zero.

Some betting strategies to help you a be winner at roulette

“Martingdale” is a betting strategy that is the most used by players. This works in such a way that a player begins with a fixed bet, which is doubled when a player loses. The doubling of the money continues until such time that one wins a hand. With this, one automatically gain all loses. One thus begins again, with a fixed bet.
“reverse Martingdale” is a betting strategy which is basically has the same concept as the “Martingdale” betting technique but is a reversal of such strategy.
“Progressive Betting”. This is applied in such a way that a player begins with a fixed initial bet, and every time one wins the bet, he increases the present bet by that initial amount. Whereas each time a player loses, the bet will be, betting the current amount but the initial fixed bet is taken away. This works well since as long as a player is winning continuously, the bet is also raising in such a pattern. If a player is losing, the bet will be also in a descending pattern.
“D’Alembert” Raising ones bet according to a fixed amount when losing and lowering the bet when winning.
“Reverse D’Alembert” works the same as D’Alembert type of betting, but a reversed method.

Roulette is an enjoyable game. You can have a lot of fun with it – and that is what you should aim for. To have fun at casinos. Nothing more, nothing less.

Rolling the Dice…. Craps Strategies

Games at casinos are of two kinds. The game of skill which is one counts on the acquired skill of a player. Such games include blackjack, baccarat and poker. Games such as roulettes, slot machines and craps are games that rely on the player’s luck, which are called games of chance.

The game of crap is played with a dice. As all players know, each dice has six sides with number one through six accordingly. Crap uses two dice. With it, two (1, 1) the smallest number that can be rolled, and twelve will be the biggest number (6, 6). Seven being the most common number that is rolled, establishes and determines the odds.

Here are reasons why players often lose the game. Understanding this, one can have a better game:

More often then not, these gamblers rely on their luck.
Usually these players already have losing in “mind”.
Often, players have very little understanding of the game.

Here are different strategies that one can count on in playing craps:

Betting the Pass Line. When one wins, this pays an even winning. Place your bet on the Pass Line area. If the result of the rolled dice is seven or eleven, you win. While if two, three or twelve, you lose. If the results are other than these numbers, you continue dicing until you roll a seven, you win. If it comes out before a point, you lose.
Betting the Don’t Pass Bar. This is the exact opposite of betting the Pass Line bar. You win when the result of the come out roll is two or three. You lose if the result is seven or eleven. If the result is the number twelve, it is declared a push. You keep on rolling the dice until such time a point seven is rolled. You win id before the point, seven comes out.
Come out bet. This type of a bet can only be done after a come out roll resulting in the following numbers – 4, 5,6,8,9, or 10. Similar to the Pass Line bet, if the result of the next roll is the number two, three or twelve, you lose. While if the resulting next roll is seven or eleven, you are a winner.

The bottom line in any game is to always play wisely. Think with your head and never rely on your luck when betting. Look at the statistics; they will increase your chances of winning, as they will show you the betting probabilities. Having a solid game plan, the discipline to execute them, as well as effective and precise money management will increase your winning chances.

Cheating: Texas Holdem’s First Deadly Sin

Cheating in Texas Holdem is a definite no-no. Learn what kinds of cheating to watch for and how it can ruin a great game of poker.

Don’t do it. Not at the Texas Holdem table. Not anywhere else. ‘Nuff said. Right?

Oh, you already don’t cheat? Well congratulations and good for you (and for the rest of us too). But as honest as you may be, cheaters do abound, as much in Texas Holdem as in any other game, and you’ll need to know their tricks in order to spot them before they turn them loose on you.

Fortunately, many forms of cheating at Texas Holdem are subverted in online play by the nature of the internet. Online players, for example, can’t miscall their hand, manipulate the deck, short pots, or practice any other form of devious sleight of hand.

Online Texas Holdem players can however collude, and collusion is cheating just the same. Collusion is when two or more players partner up to mislead the other players at the table and unfairly take their money . There are a number of ways that online Texas Holdem players can do this, including:

Codes

Using the chat window, the colluders communicate in a pre-established code, right in front of the other players’ eyes, whereby they compare their two hands and then fold the weaker of the two, only playing the stronger

Sandwiching

The colluders take turns betting and raising heavily into a third player, forcing him or her to either keep calling ridiculous bets or keep folding out of every hand.

Signaling

In offline Texas Holdem, this can occur as hand gestures, bodily cues, or careful arrangement of one’s chip stack, but in internet play this occurs by communicating through some alternate method — telephone, private email, or an instant message.

Cheaters don’t always travel in pairs, however. In fact, one of the most common forms of cheating in online Texas Holdem is when a single player sits down in multiple seats at a single table. How? Simple. Multiple computers. Now this one player is able to perform the same dirty tricks as a couple of colluders, except more efficiently since they have no one else to try to subversively communicate and strategize with. And the lone cheater is doubly motivated by the fact that he doesn’t have to split his “winnings” either.

Now, there are those who protest that the very nature of Texas Holdem is the art of deception and as such they are free to use whatever means necessary to be the best deceivers they can be. This is a fallacy, a clever rationalization designed to deceive (go figure) — nothing more. Don’t be fooled.

Cheating is an offense to the game of poker. And it has no place at the Texas Holdem table. One of the great appeals of Texas Holdem is that anybody, expert or beginner, can win. And that is as it should be. By sitting down at the Texas Holdem table you are implicitly consenting to play by the same rules as everyone else there. That too is as it should be.

Cheating is the bad apple that spoils the whole bunch. It gives Texas Holdem a bad name. Cheating is stealing — plain and simple. That’s why it’s incumbent upon honest players like yourself to call out cheating whenever you spot it. Report it with a vengeance. And get yourself to a different Texas Holdem table as fast as you can.

With the help of honest players like yourself, a cheater can only “win” at Texas Holdem for so long before eventually getting found out. And you can take that to the bank.