Are you a Gambler?

[Number_35]

I don't gamble, and am not not tempted to. However, I read this quotation from C. S. Lewis not long ago, and found it humbling (and applicable to myself):

If I am never tempted, and cannot even imagine myself being tempted, to gamble, this does not mean that I am better than those who are. The timidity and pessimism which exempt me from that temptation themselves tempt me to draw back from those risks and adventures which every man ought to take.​

 

[measureman]

That and the stressful work they are in, they would crave for dopamine rush that some activities like winning an occasional one will provide.

Imagine this: if you have a computer gambling game that will deduct a constant penny from your account, give you a win of 1 penny or lost of 1 penny based on your odds, and you only see a line print on your screen after 8 hours, nobody will play this kind of game because this look like a scam, provide no dopamine, and it is stupid. Then if you change the game around and you get to play $2 a bet, but get a chance to win $5, $20, $100, $500, $1000, $5000, $10k, $20k, $50k, and when you win everyone around you congratulate you, flashing lights go all over the place, and beautiful ladies bring you a drink on the house, people would come all over the place to give their money away with the same odd of losing them.

Gambling is what it is, preying on humanity's crave for dopamine and the brains' confusion on probability and possibility.

For me it's entertainment.
Dont lump every gambler into this.

 

[Silver]

No. I mean I pretty much "know" I'm not gonna win. Just never been lucky like that. Now, I can't afford to risk my money because my first plan for retirement fell through and I'm playing catch-up, but will never catch up.

 

[Kira]

If one doesn't acknowledge that gambling is an addictive force (with or without attractive packaging), they're lying or a real fool.

I was raised in a "non-gambling family". People have said they don't know what that means. I explain that it's the same as a "non-alcohol family" or "totally Christian family" or a "really Jewish family", even though I know they are playing stupid with me.

After a drive with a girlfriend I bought a "daily numbers" ticket of 127, the number of miles it took to get there.
The dirty look I got from the girl was beyond 'angry rattlesnake'. She had come from an anti-gambling family heightened by elevated class stature.
Ha, her pedigree Trumped mine.

In high school a friend's father bought 1/64th of a race horse. We went to the track several times to watch this carriage horse pull a sulky through roughed up dirt. I had never seen a throng of pathetic gamblers before. They'd lay out their losing tickets on the floor -in patterns- and "parliamenterize" on future betting strategies. It was beyond sad.

Riverboat gambling in some of our central states was assailed for all the familiar reasons. The tax revenue was touted, the social benefits were enumerated and objection evaporated.

It's all in how you look at it.

Every time this came up, my Dad would include the line, "...but you can't live people's lives for them." This too I believe.

 

[PandaBear]

If one doesn't acknowledge that gambling is an addictive force (with or without attractive packaging), they're lying or a real fool.

I was raised in a "non-gambling family". People have said they don't know what that means. I explain that it's the same as a "non-alcohol family" or "totally Christian family" or a "really Jewish family", even though I know they are playing stupid with me.

After a drive with a girlfriend I bought a "daily numbers" ticket of 127, the number of miles it took to get there.
The dirty look I got from the girl was beyond angry rattlesnake. She had come from an anti-gambling family heightened by elevated class stature.
Ha, her pedigree Trumped mine.

Gambling addiction is getting worse these days with loot boxes video games. They are packaged as free to play and then you will get fed up playing against strong enemies (other players or the computer) until you "buy" a box with random items inside, hoping that you get the one you wanted, with real world money.

A lot of studios these days just try to force people into this business model instead of selling you a complete game you can play on your own for a fixed price, without credit card transaction here and there and have to be constantly on the internet.

An online game I played is free. I spend 99c only once, to be able to "raid" faster without grinding for hours, but my guild master were spending about 100 Euroes regularly and about 200 Euroes every other month for "special events". Sure he is happy until the other guilds beat him and he has to fork out more in the endless arm race. He kept trying to convince me it is worth it but to me, that looks like an addiction.

 

[Leo99]

If one doesn't acknowledge that gambling is an addictive force (with or without attractive packaging), they're lying or a real fool.

I was raised in a "non-gambling family". People have said they don't know what that means. I explain that it's the same as a "non-alcohol family" or "totally Christian family" or a "really Jewish family", even though I know they are playing stupid with me.

After a drive with a girlfriend I bought a "daily numbers" ticket of 127, the number of miles it took to get there.
The dirty look I got from the girl was beyond 'angry rattlesnake'. She had come from an anti-gambling family heightened by elevated class stature.
Ha, her pedigree Trumped mine.

In high school a friend's father bought 1/64th of a race horse. We went to the track several times to watch this carriage horse pull a sulky through roughed up dirt. I had never seen a throng of pathetic gamblers before. They'd lay out their losing tickets on the floor -in patterns- and "parliamenterize" on future betting strategies. It was beyond sad.

Riverboat gambling in some of our central states was assailed for all the familiar reasons. The tax revenue was touted, the social benefits were enumerated and objection evaporated.

It's all in how you look at it.

Every time this came up, my Dad would include the line, "...but you can't live people's lives for them." This too I believe.

I own 1/64th of several race horses. And yeah, there are some real characters at the horse track.

 

[mjk1967]

I definitely am not. I rarely ever purchase a lotto ticket and have only went to a casino a couple times taking only 50.00 with me each time. I hate losing money!

Are you? If so what kind are you? Ever hit it big?

I used to buy a couple of Powerball tickets per year. Haven't for awhile.

Haven't spent more than 30.00 at any casino,in my life. Haven't been into one in 20 years.

Want to lay some money down on a Cowboys superbowl win this year. Jerrah, be ****ed.

 

[doitmyself]

I hunt and fish. My take home bounty is a fraction of my grocery store visits.

I drive a smaller car on public roadways.

My career of 45 years embodies 3 of the "most dangerous jobs in the U.S.. https://www.princegeorgecountyva.gov/news_detail_T6_R1402.php

Hello everyone, I am a gambler.

 

[Kira]

Thanks for the link. I'm sending it out to the youngest of my acquaintances.

 

[easym]

I put money in crypto in 2021, I am at 80% down on investment. It is wild west of gambling.

 

[Number_35]

If one doesn't acknowledge that gambling is an addictive force (with or without attractive packaging), they're lying or a real fool.

I was raised in a "non-gambling family". People have said they don't know what that means. I explain that it's the same as a "non-alcohol family" or "totally Christian family" or a "really Jewish family", even though I know they are playing stupid with me.

After a drive with a girlfriend I bought a "daily numbers" ticket of 127, the number of miles it took to get there.
The dirty look I got from the girl was beyond 'angry rattlesnake'. She had come from an anti-gambling family heightened by elevated class stature.
Ha, her pedigree Trumped mine.

In high school a friend's father bought 1/64th of a race horse. We went to the track several times to watch this carriage horse pull a sulky through roughed up dirt. I had never seen a throng of pathetic gamblers before. They'd lay out their losing tickets on the floor -in patterns- and "parliamenterize" on future betting strategies. It was beyond sad.

Riverboat gambling in some of our central states was assailed for all the familiar reasons. The tax revenue was touted, the social benefits were enumerated and objection evaporated.

It's all in how you look at it.

Every time this came up, my Dad would include the line, "...but you can't live people's lives for them." This too I believe.

Greg Iles's novel "The Devil's Punchbowl" completely put me off any desire I might have had to go riverboat gambling.

 

[measureman]

Gambling update.
We won $120 on scratch offs today bring Julys total winnings to $850,a lot more than was spent.
And thats not counting a lot of $10 and $20 winners that were turned in for more scratch offs.
Sometime in late august Colorado is giving a tax rebate.
All taxpayers will get $750 individual or $1500 for couples,the casinos will be packed.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

I liked to play the slots in Reno and Carson City when I was younger, but I haven't been within a hundred miles of a slot in fourteen years. We have a Harrah's opening up here in 23, but I probably won't be going there to play the slots. Maybe find out if the food is any good, which is a rarity in our City. How hard is it to make a decent hamburger?

 

[tyman]

I definitely am not. I rarely ever purchase a lotto ticket and have only went to a casino a couple times taking only 50.00 with me each time. I hate losing money!

Are you? If so what kind are you? Ever hit it big?

Mostly just Texas Hold'em Poker. I've won a few tournaments at local casinos. Prizes were a few hundred dollars for only a $50 buy-in. I think I'm up like $1,700 total just playing tournaments and cash games. Been a while since I've played though.

A buddy of mine hit a $1,200 jackpot on a slot in Vegas while I was playing in a tournament. He came over and sat down next to me, the dealer told him he couldn't sit there, so he goes to an empty table. I folded and said I'd be right back and then my buddy hands me the receipt showing the jackpot. He put a $20 in and won $1,200.

 

[1000MPH]

This is true if you take the individual games in isolation. There is something called Advantage Gambling where you look at a particular game, the player's club, mailers and casino host comps where in totality you can come out ahead. As you can guess, once these situations become known and exploited, the casinos take steps to shut them down.
Can the average player take advantage of these situations? Nope. It takes a lot of knowledge, discipline and practice. And scouting, since, as mentioned above, the situations don't last.
I'll give you an example. I used to play a little video poker at a recreational level. Reasonable loss rate, but a lot of casino comps that partially made up for it. Had a coworker tell me about a computer program that would improve my play, and give me the actual returns of a given game with a specific payout schedule when played correctly. I was able to find a casino that had games that returned 99.6% with the player's club returning an additional 0.3%. Add to that the monthly mailer that gave me a meal for 2 at the steak house ($400), free shows, $200 in free slot play, etc., and a casino host that provided anything else in the hotel/casino (within reason) comped and I was well ahead.
Trouble arose when the casino invited the author of books on advantage play to hold a free repeating seminar on video poker in one of their showrooms. Then, on double and triple slot club point days (from a 0.3% bonus to 0.6% and 0.9%) the perfect player would have an advantage over the house without comps. On triple point days, the high limit machines would fill with advantage players playing $125 a hand earning money against the house.
The casino eventually responded with a sledge hammer, changing the video poker pay tables in the high limit area, destroying the odds so nobody could win. I had to move to lower limit games on the floor out of the high limit area to get a decent return. Then the bean counters changed the algorithm on the mailers, the slot club host left, yada yada, and I quit playing there.
There are still advantage plays, but they are usually at the progressive machines only when high payouts are reached.

This is very accurate. I studied and then became an amateur advantage player in the late 80’s to early 2000’s when opportunities dried up. Started with $0.25 vidpoker “Full Pay Deuces Wild” and progressive JoB (Jacks or Better) that were everywhere back then. I also took advantage of blackjack match plays and bankable slots when I found them. I played enough coin-in for free rooms, meal comps, concerts, tournament entries etc. I was very strict about only playing at an advantage. I kept meticulous records of my coin-in, profit/loss, rare hands, etc. I quit when I got a job making the machines.

 

[ArrestMeRedZ]

I am reminded of the movie "Pulp Fiction". The Sam L. Jackson character says "My wife's a vegetarian, which pretty much makes me a vegetarian. But I do love a tasty burger, though."

My wife plays video poker. Which pretty much makes me a video poker player. But I do occasionally love a live poker tournament, though.

 

[Donald]

Lotto (Powerball & Mega).

Given up all my vices like gambling, wild women, drinking. That's my macho saying. But actually I never really had too many vices in the first place.

At 69 my vices are more like blood pressure medicine, statin medicine , blood thinner medicine. And caffeine free Diet Pepsi. Recently gave up cheese.

 

[Pablo]

Recently gave up cheese.

Wow. My condolences. That is one tough sacrifice!

Surely a little parmigiano reggiano ??

 

[d00df00d]

One time, my wife and I had to go to a town with a lot of casinos, and the cheapest way to get there was by bus. The bus tickets came with a slot credit. When we got there, we used the slot credit at one of the machines, cashed out every time we won, and never put a cent back in. Free bus ticket!

I have come to see casinos like state-sanctioned drug dealers, and lotteries like state-run drug hustles. The fact that they employ people is the only thing that mitigates my sense of outrage that these things still exist.

 

[Pablo]

I had the chance to talk to a couple successful Native American casino (group) owners.

Hahahhahahahaaha WINNING!