MovieChat Forums > Ocean's Thirteen (2007) Discussion > Some plot holes (including the exit stra...

Some plot holes (including the exit strategy)

posted 7 years ago by Joes_Mom
5 replies | jump to latest

Of course this is one of those "don't think about it too hard films"... you should just sit back and enjoy it.... and I do enjoy seeing each time it's on cable. However, there are a couple items that never add up, no matter how much suspension of disbelief I try:

1.) Livingston's work on the black jack machines: He says he's trying to rig the machines so that they give all the players 20 and 21, but the dealer busts. Reprogramming the machine won't impact that at all because it all depends on the what order the cards are in, which the machine can't manipulate.

2.) The 'Exit' strategy: The end plan is to get all the players out of the casino with all of their winnings (instead of having them keep playing and lose them right back). So, they have that fake earthquake to trigger an evacuation with all their chips. However, until those chips are cashed in, there is no money leaving the casino... and I'm quite certain the evacuation plan didn't call for all the players to cash in first and then run from a crumbling building.

[–] armenianmovieman 7 years ago

1. WHile throughout the movie we must assume that the team (and especially Roman) are so darn good they can rig absolutely anything, upon further analysis after the film one theory is that they rigged the machines on the assumption that each table would have 5 or 6 people (I forget exactly how many people are on each table or if it's ever shown) and that they would be full, considering it will be packed with people all through grand opening.

2. I assume that people could come back tomorrow or the next day or the following week and cash in all of their chips.

[–] Joes_Mom 7 years ago

2.) I would expect that quite a large number of them would probably go right back to gambling those winnings away... or... Willy Bank would have found a way to invalidate most of the uncashed-out winnings

[–] MurphAndTheMagicTones 7 years ago

1. I agree on the tables being packed, as it was opening night. So knowing there would be 6 people at a table makes things easier.

2. I think since the gamblers got the winnings through 'legal' means, Bank would have to pay up on them. Like the lady who won progressive slots. She wasn't in on it; she just got to walk away with the money.

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[–] PaladinNJ (20308) 6 years ago

To invalidate the chips before they were cashed, Bank would have to inform the authorities. And like Danny said "You're not going to the cops." That would start the authorities looking too closely at his books.

[–] Sandman81 (1501) 5 years ago

I think Rusty summed up the exit strategy when he said to his table "I think our luck just ran out boys!" then they all grabbed their chips and left. For most gamblers, if you're having the hottest streak of your life, the excitement and energy of the table will keep you there, even after things cool off. Notice that after the first small earthquake, everyone just kept on playing. Had they not done the "earthquake" most of them would have stayed until they gave back most of their winnings, maybe even ended up losing more money. Once everyone got outside, away from the tables, they would have time to calm down and think about it, and probably decide to quit while they're so far ahead. Once allowed back in the building they would probably just get their winnings and leave.

Even if Banks did successfully avoid paying any of the winnings, this was a huge stretch of time where no more money was coming in to his casino. Like Danny said at the start, Banks needed a huge opening night, or he risked losing his share of the casino.