Am I wrong to feel this way?

[JoeVegas]

On my last trip to Vegas, a co-worker gave me $20 to play in a slot machine for them. They didn't make any stipulations other than they wanted it played on a quarter (.25) machine.

Now mind you, the term co-worker is a carefully selected term and the individual is not someone I would call a friend. We've never done anything socially and I really don't talk to them unless it's a "Hi, how are you?" or business related.

When I decided the time was right, I pulled a $20 bill out of my pocket and declared to the slot Gods...this was my co-worker's money. Sure enough, the machine started hitting like crazy. I played for about an hour on the machine and ended up cashing out about $250 on it.

I was very proud of myself ---not only for the good fortune but also that I had the self-restraint to quit while ahead (something I seem to fail at all too often when playing with my own money). When I returned to work I gave the co-worker the $250. The co-worker smiled, took the money, thanked me and promptly put the full $250 in their pocket, turned and left.

I thought it was kind of bogus that the co-worker didn't offer me a few bucks for, if nothing else, my honesty. Had I been in their shoes, I would have offered at least the original $20.

Mind you, I didn't expect anything. And I also would have refused anything they offered anyway. But I guess I was iiritated? disappointed? that I didn't have the chance to refuse their offer.

Was I wrong for feeling this way? Have you ever had the same experience?

JoeVegas

[abner2xday]

The polite thing for you co-worker to do should have been to offer you something. I would have given you at least $50.00 or lunch at a nice place. No surprise that he is your co-worker, and not your friend

[sageblue]

I always offer to place bets for friends when in Vegas, but usually offer only a few options:

A few bucks (like $5 or less) on slots
A specific amount of money on a specific number in roulette
A sports bet


I have never had anyone win on the first two, and have been more than happy to give them their money on the third.

Your co-worker was a shmuck, but protect yourself in the future!

[mrsvjw]

I'd guess the cow-orker is a distrustful person who probably thinks you won it big and "this was all he got." Yeah, I'd be miffed. Yes it was his money that was played, but it was your money that got you to Vegas and let you stay there. Anyone who has given me money to play with always says "let it ride, and we'll split the winnings." And honestly, if I ever gave someone money to play and they returned handing me $250, I'd be shocked, lol. It's Vegas baby... when you hand it off you prety much know you'll be lucky to see that $20 back.

[Jacko]

I would've expected a free lunch.

Let's hope you had your players card inserted , so at least you got some coin-in credit for the effort.

[Hoosier]

Next time you go to LV, go find that co-worker and ask them if they want to send $50 this time. It gives you an extra $50 to gamble with, and this time you can decide which $50 is theirs AFTERWARDS.

[blackjack]

You were wrong to give the $250 back to the schmuck. I would have taken my cut off the top (half :evillaugh ). Easy to say after the fact :rolleyes2: . It was wrong of him to ask you to play a slot. You're not in Vegas to gamble for him. Like sageblue said, roulette, a sports bet, or a long shot pony & if it hits, you split. I would refuse to play a slot for someone else on my valuable Vegas time. I once gave a friend $15 & told him to put it on black and let it ride three or four times. If it hits, he just made us both $60 (or $120 if he let it go four times). It hit twice but came up red on the third spin (at least that's what he told me....hmmmmm).

[DonD]

I go to Vegas a lot and refuse to take slot/roulette bets for my co-workers (now retired) due to a past experience. Several years ago, I took a bet for a co-worker friend and played it on the roulette table. It was one number straight up $5 and it lost. There was another friend/co-worker there to witness this and I told him that this was the bet for Joe Blow.
Anyway on that same session we both made some pretty good money and when we told our friend what had happened, he got this funny look on his face like it was his money that won and ever since then I only will do sports or horse racing bets that they pick.
BTW, it is common practice to tip the person 10% of the profits for taking a bet for you. :peace:

[Double_Down]

ever since then I only will do sports or horse racing bets that they pick.

I'm the same way unless it's a close friend or family member. With a sport's bet, if it's one I agree with, I'll add to their bet. Then if it's a winner, we both profit and everyone is happy. :beer:

[pattiinontario]

I hate it when people ask u to play for them. I did it once for my brother. It was my first time in Vegas or a casino. He specified what type of machine etc. I found it sat down and said my first time ever playing is for me. I put in the $20.00 and I won on my first or second pull. Enough to pay for S&R tickets.
Then I played for him. Till this day he still says that the win should have been his not mine.

If u had played and won for me I would have said thanks and ran like hell........lol. Just kidding I would have offered to share the wealth. :)

[tvon]

you are not wrong to feel that way.. you wouldnt be out of line asking him for a "fee" for your service. You can mention it to him lightheartedly, say.. "hey since i made you $250, how about you pick up lunch today?" or something to that effect.


IMHO, if this was me.. i would of came back and gave him his $20 and kept the rest of the money. Its not the "right" thing to do, but YOU won the money, not him. Now if this was a friend, family member.. i would of paid up in full and expected nothing in return.

[doctor_al]

IMO, I say you live with the deal you made. You played his twenty, won on it, gave him the winnings, the deal as made is complete.

In the future, of course, you only want to make deals you're comfortable with. If you don't like handing someone $250, tell them you'll only make even-money bets, or put a limit on the coin-in. If you think you should get a cut off the top, tell them ahead of time. Not everybody understands the way tipping is in Vegas. But if they get weird about it - they're cut off, take your own d*mn trip.

I usually bet 17 on roulette for my buddy when I go - a ten or twenty with the number written on it, lol. If it hits (it hasn't yet) it's all his, that's the deal. 'Course, if I wind up short of cash at the end of the trip, he may have to wait til I hit the ATM back home...

Edited to add -- of course, nowhere in the "deal" does it say that you're going to cash in the TITO ticket, or chips ("Good news, you won! Take this ticket to the Mandalay Bay cage next time you go!") -- which you might offer to do on your next trip, for a small fee ...

[JoeVegas]

The suggestions about only doing fixed wagers are well taken! I think that will be the "policy" in the future.

Thanks for the feedback.

JoeVegas

[THE FLYING V]

I've also made it a rule not to gamble with other's money, simply because the odds of them seeing anything is slim to none. I also feel uncomfortable giving the "bad news" when I return simply because of the looks I used to get. Last year however, the two owners of the company I work for demanded (jokingly, of course) that I put $10 on the craps pass line, and $10 odds behind for the their total $20 investement.
Well, lo and behold the point was made (4). When I returned and gave them the $60 they were in total shock!!They both said that they never expected to see any money back, and that the $20 was just fun money for me to spend. However....they took the $60 and said thanks.
I was a little peeved by not being offered anything back, but it wasn't a huge amount, so I forgot about it.
At my year end review, I received my performance bonus, as I had in former years, and then they handed me an additional $200 in cash. They said the $200 was a "reward" for my honesty with the Vegas bet, and that they were proud to have such a trustworthy employee.
Needless to say, when "My Name is Earl" came on the air all I could do was smile! :) Karma really does work!

[sarmcl]

I posted this elsewhere but my boss gave me $50 to play with---I turned it into $150 on nickle slots and she ended up giving me like $25 or something. I thought that was cool

[IllMarty]

I like Al's fix. Bring'em the TITO ticket. :kill:

Marty

[SH0CK]

One thing you really need to remember when placing bets for other people:
What if you hit a jackpot with that person's money? YOU are the one who is responsible for paying taxes on that money since you are the one who did the playing. Plus, who of us wouldn't seriously consider keeping the money if it was the BIG jackpot on a machine, i.e. WOF, Elvis, etc. I know I wouldn't want to tempt myself.