Out of Control Gambling

Ever look back at trip and ask yourself what were you thinking? I've had quite a few times like that. I've gone to Vegas for a weekend with friends and blown the entire bankroll before even putting my bags in the room. I've dropped $2k at Rhino one fine Monday afternoon. I've gotten super drunk playing craps and passed out at the table. I woke up in my room with all of my money gone. Good times.

 

Aren't you supposed to win when you gamble ?

 

I play to win big or lose everything.

 

Ummm. Is every trip the wrong answer?

 

Ya gotta be like Rocky III and have THE EYE OF THE TIGER....MAKE IT LIKE A SPORTING EVENT, you against the casino.....don't be afraid to lose and look em in the eye, like Rocky did to Mr. T........EYE OF THE TIGER, BABY....sing the song in your head...

OK $90 for this session please...!!

 

What, exactly, were you gambling on that afternoon?

 

I've only ever done this at tribal casinos. Probably because there are two about 12 miles away from me. About twice a year, the gambling crave gets to me, and I'll say, "Oh, what the hell." And blow hundreds on stupid, stupid slots in about an hour.

Vegas is different. I plan every aspect of the dollars I'm going to spend vs. dollars I'm going to gamble. I stick religiously to the envelope system... three envelopes per day. One envelope for fun and food, one envelope for morning/midday gambling (about 25% of my gambling bankroll for the day) and the last envelope for evening gambling (75% of the daily bankroll). Evenings are my time to be alone, focus to play near-perfect strategy, and try to get a few serious wins.

Four gambling rules I live by in Vegas:

1) When it's gone, it's gone. The envelope is your boundary. Drain the envelope, and that's it for that day, no matter what. If you find yourself tempted to dig into the next day's envelope, you're likely on tilt, chasing losses, and setting yourself up for disaster.

2) If you win a premium hand, and you're starting out at a lower denomination, press your bets intelligently or just cash out. For tactical details, do a search for Royal Flusher's Strict Rules of Parlay.

3) If leaving Vegas with more money than you came with is your ultimate goal, first of all, have an extra envelope labeled "Take Home". Cash out when you hit a big payout, and do nothing for 15 minutes. Then, decide if you want to put an amount equal to your original wager back into the machine to try to win more. But when that's gone, it's gone. Call it a night and put your winnings in your Take Home envelope.

 

Hopefully, you're relatively young... if you are, I think it's part of growin'-up and learning to balance fun, $$$ and life in a town that's designed to test your every weakness. I think many of us, if we're being honest have had those trips. I've learned those need to be in my past... well in my past. Hopefully, you will too.

 

I've found that I have just as much fun playing 30 cents a spin as I do playing $100 a spin. When you see people betting big you wonder why are they even gambling? They are already rich, they don't need to win more money (for example Natedog666). They do it for the thrill and become addicted.

 

HAHA have had this feeling all week...blew half of my big win at the local indian casino this past weekend...just kept chasing...didnt work out this time.

Thanksfully it was house money...but still feel like a cottonheaded ninnymuggin

 

The thing I love about blacking out and waking up with no money is trying to figure out how I happened to end up with no money at all on my person. I know, there is a minimum to bet on games, or in slots, and so you think you might still have a quarter, or dollar, or even a damn nickel. Yet, you have no currency of any sort. I blame the demon Rum.

 

Scotch and soda playing craps on a table by yourself giving $5 tips did me in

 

I don't normally care about the title beneath the name, but I'm not sure how keen I am about a "Tourist" throwing down on Natedog.

 

+1.

 

Exactly why you always keep envelopes for each day so when you wake up with all your money gone you really have more left

 

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Right, but when its 9:42AM and your envelope is now empty for the day, it is quite difficult to not move on to Day 2.

 

This is why I don't like to wake up until at least noon.

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I didn't read it was him throwing down, exactly, on Natedog.

 

Once... was not in vegas, but in Punta Cana DR Dec 2001. I was 19 with my girlfriend. Decided to go to a casino there. Walked in got some free chip to play a game called "carribean keno"

The details of lost after all these years. But you pull ping pong balls out with numbers on them. You get 100 total you get the jackpot. Get 4 of same color smaller but significant prize. You keep increasing bet until you win or quit. Or lose or whatever... again time. More details here
http://www.fodors.com/community/caribbean-islands/antigua-dominican-republic-casino-scam-alert.cfm

Anyway I was close to the jackpot and other smaller but significant ones. I kept going. I lost about 2k. (A lot of a college kid assistant managing an arcade, hell 3k now is my avg vegas bankroll) I did not have cash on me to cover. girlfriend had to go back to hotel to get her CC to cover some of it. While she left I pounded "free" rum and cokes. I paid my debt I went back to the resort and had a conversation with the ducks I fed there. Then made the call of shame to my mom... worst call ever.

You'd think I would have learned my lesson and stopped gambling but nah! I did learn not to play games I do not know rules to. Also play within my limits of my bankroll. Never since have I lost more than I planned.

Oh that girlfriend? I paid her back, she was cool about it. Only threw it in my face once or twice and we married in 2007!