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I know there's very successful people who gamble and have gambling problems but I think one thing that can prevent people from gambling is having skills, having goals, having multiple streams of income, starting a business, etc. I see people in front of me at gas stations buying scratchoffs hoping to hit it big, I know at times when I was brokeit almost seemed like the most likely if not the only way to have a "come up" so to speak. That said hoping that something totally out of control with the decks stacked against you, hoping that's going to pay off is pretty sad. You'd be much more likely to have success starting a business or somethign. Don't get me wrong that's risky as well but at least you have some control over the outcome and a much better chance of winning
Casinos should be blown up imho.
I live in a country where entrepreneurs are despised ("capitalists"), but Lotto winners are admired and envied. Talk of skewed morals.
Casinos should be blown up imho.
I live in a country where entrepreneurs are despised ("capitalists"), but Lotto winners are admired and envied. Talk of skewed morals.
im not sure about admired, but i can see envying lottery winners.
i get zero enjoyment from casino gambling. i can see how placing a bet on a sporting event or other events can make those events more fun and interesting. you dont even need to make it a big bet, just enough to feel like you have an interest in something happening.
im not sure about admired, but i can see envying lottery winners.
i get zero enjoyment from casino gambling. i can see how placing a bet on a sporting event or other events can make those events more fun and interesting. you dont even need to make it a big bet, just enough to feel like you have an interest in something happening.
Yeah.. Those $20 bets I put a couple of years ago.. the payout on them was like $800 on the Redskins, $1000 on the Wizards and $300 on the Capitals. I had actually thought as I was leaving on a Friday to put money on Kyle Busch in the Nationwide and Cup races that weekend, decided not to do it and he won both.
But, it does make things more.. I don't know if it was more enjoyable, but I certainly paid more attention to the games throughout the season.
I have a brother-in-law that was a big horse gambler. He sold everything they had (business. house, etc.) and went to KY and bought two race horses. Within 3 years he lost everything and some 20 years later has not recovered. They get by on 2 SS checks. When one dies, the other is screwed.
I like playing Blackjack in Casinos but I do know not to lose more then I set aside for the adventure. I have never lost more then $1K and one good weekend, I walked away with $5K of their money. At best, I am no more then even and probably down some but not enough down to make it hurt.
Years ago was in Reno, While doing a western tour with my 11yo son. We overnighted in one of the Casino for a hotel. On Check-in They gave me a Match coupon Buy $100 in chips Get $100. So I figured sure, So went to the Casino, Just below the Casino floor is the "Fun" zone arcade, Gave my son $20 to go play some video games, shoot hoops etc.
So was playing Blackjack with my $100, and there $100, over about 90 minutes, after the up and down, I was still up about $20 (had $120 in chips) . Then I wondered what my son was up to since he had not been by to bug me for more Cash for games. So took my chips and went looking for him. Found him shooting hoops with a arm loads of prize tickets. I asked the teenager who was sort of running the area. How can his $20 I gave him last so long. He told me "Oh he went thru that an hour ago, I just keep re-charging his card." The money is made upstairs. My job is to keep the kids down here as long as I can. Soon as the kid runs out of game money they go upstairs, the parents leave the tables. So I'll refill there game card all day for free.
I've met folks who've gambled everything from their monthly rent to their family inheritance, from their students loans to modest lottery winnngs and lost everything after just one or two nights of "having fun" and "feeling lucky" in the casino.
Anyone else know of anyone who gambled away their money and LOST big time?
Years ago was in Reno, While doing a western tour with my 11yo son. We overnighted in one of the Casino for a hotel. On Check-in They gave me a Match coupon Buy $100 in chips Get $100. So I figured sure, So went to the Casino, Just below the Casino floor is the "Fun" zone arcade, Gave my son $20 to go play some video games, shoot hoops etc.
So was playing Blackjack with my $100, and there $100, over about 90 minutes, after the up and down, I was still up about $20 (had $120 in chips) . Then I wondered what my son was up to since he had not been by to bug me for more Cash for games. So took my chips and went looking for him. Found him shooting hoops with a arm loads of prize tickets. I asked the teenager who was sort of running the area. How can his $20 I gave him last so long. He told me "Oh he went thru that an hour ago, I just keep re-charging his card." The money is made upstairs. My job is to keep the kids down here as long as I can. Soon as the kid runs out of game money they go upstairs, the parents leave the tables. So I'll refill there game card all day for free.
Wish I had run into that guy.. The 'Fun Dungeon' at Excalibur took me for more than gambling did.
My exh was a compulsive gambler, among other addictions.
I like to gamble a little, too, but I will only allow myself to lose a preset amount. Our first date was to the horse track.
His worst problem was illegal betting on football games, through bookies, and what seemed like a harmless enough $100 here or there got worse over the years. He lost $20,000 in one football season one year. He borrowed from loan sharks, maxed out our credit cards, and sold my engagement ring.
It's different from other addictions because sometimes, they win, and then the gambler is flush with cash and very generous. But it never lasts. The bookies and casinos are in business because people gamble to lose.
This year I am going to watch the Superbowl for the first time in the 18 years since I threw him out because I will be visiting someone who will watch it. The sound of football games on TV set off something like PTSD in me for years after the marriage ended. Every Sunday during football season I knew what teams he'd bet, what the spreads were, what the over/under was, just so I could keep constant tabs on the scores and know before he got home from the bar whether we still had the rent that week or not.
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