by William M.
Member since:
July 31, 2006

Casino gambling

November 16, 2006 09:51 AM EST
views: 69 | rating: 9.5/10 (10 votes) | comments: 45

My wife is about ready to head to a casino this morning. She and her sister go once every two or three weeks. It gives them a good break having a chance to do something different. I don't usually go with them but do once every blue moon.

 

My wife plays penny slot machines and usually ends up betting from five cents to eight cents at a time. She usually plays for several hours and on an average loses around $15. This is not expensive entertainment.

 

 

I worked at a casino for five and a half years and have written a few articles about some experiences at the casino. The most important thing to know about gambling at a casino is to use common sense. The casinos are in business to make money. If a person goes to the casino with that in mind and doesn't lose their heads it can be an enjoyable outing. If you go expecting or needing to win you should not go. You should get help for a gambling problem

 

Don't go to a casino to win money. It might happen now and then but the vast majority of times you are going to lose. The main thing is don't lose more than you can afford to lose. If you can afford to lose $20, then when you have lost $20 quit gambling. If you can afford to lose $1,000 then quit when you have lost that.

 

The smartest thing to do is just take the amount of money into the casino that you are willing to lose. Do not take more money. Do not take a check book, a credit card or a debit card into the casino. Do not leave the casino to get more money. If you lose what you have decided you can afford to lose, leave the casino. Do not borrow from a friend while you are there.

 

If you go to a casino to have fun and follow a few simple rules you can have an enjoyable experience.

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Comments: 45

Ricky Fico Nov 16, 2006, 9:56am EST
Yes, so true. After spending nine years in Las Vegas I know many who are now living on the streets because they refused to abide by the simple rules you had outlined here.
Susan *. Nov 16, 2006, 10:05am EST
I like the casino too....I go with my parents about once a month and we have a ball! Mom and I usually play the penny and dime machines and laugh so hard at each other's 25cent wins! I wish your wife well...I hope she hits a BIG one! :-)
I too only take a small amount of money with me, when that is gone...I'm done for the day! Great advice here....it should be heeded by all!
Michele Scercy Nov 16, 2006, 10:08am EST
Good rules.
William M. Nov 16, 2006, 10:20am EST
Thanks for your input, Ricky. Hopefully some will read the article and your comment that it might help.
William M. Nov 16, 2006, 10:22am EST
It can be a lot of fun as you have found out, Susan. You do it the smart way and enjoy yourself.
William M. Nov 16, 2006, 10:24am EST
Thank you, Michele.
Judith S. Nov 16, 2006, 10:49am EST
Best things for me at casinos are the buffets....lol. Set limit on spending and I get something for my money....lol.
Apryl Just Apryl Nov 16, 2006, 10:56am EST
Great Advice!!!
Heather B. Nov 16, 2006, 10:58am EST
I'd never admit that I like the buffets the best, lol. They aren't cheap anymore either! But.... it's fun for a few hours and your rules are superb. After about 3 hours in a casino, between the cigarette smoke and the losses, I'm done. Once upon a time, I discovered the tables with a friend. Blackjack is FUN and addictive but only on someone else's chips!
Kimberly K Nov 16, 2006, 10:58am EST
Great advice! I usually take about $100 for the quarter slots. Anything I win, 1/2 gets put in to play more and the other 1/2 is pocketed!
Marsha S. Nov 16, 2006, 11:14am EST
I agree, good rules. Now How many can/will follow them.? I have NEVER been to any Casino. I would like to go one time to see what it's like.
William M. Nov 16, 2006, 11:25am EST
Most casinos have some great food, Judith.
William M. Nov 16, 2006, 11:26am EST
Thanks, April.
William M. Nov 16, 2006, 11:29am EST
I enjoy the buffets the most, Heather. Just don't get addicted to any games.
William M. Nov 16, 2006, 11:30am EST
Kimberly, an ecellent way to handle it.
William M. Nov 16, 2006, 11:32am EST
It will definitely be an experience, Marsha.
Victoria Greenwood Nov 16, 2006, 11:42am EST
$100 would be the spending limit on the machines. I like the quarter ones the best. Yes the buffets are great and the shows are too. I'll take heed to that advice. Thanks William!
William M. Nov 16, 2006, 11:45am EST
You are smart not to go, Betty. Congratulations.
William M. Nov 16, 2006, 11:47am EST
As long as you set a limit you can afford and stick to it you will be OK, Victoria. Have a good one.
donna h. Nov 16, 2006, 2:52pm EST
I couldn't have said it better myself.
Fran S. Nov 16, 2006, 2:55pm EST
I agree with you 100% William!! Hope the wife has fun :-)
William M. Nov 16, 2006, 3:14pm EST
Thanks, Donna.
William M. Nov 16, 2006, 3:15pm EST
I appreciate that, Fran.
Janet H. Nov 16, 2006, 4:37pm EST
We don't go to casinos because we don't gamble and don't drink. However, sometimes there is musical entertainment at the casinos that I would like to see.
William M. Nov 16, 2006, 7:06pm EST
You are welcome, Nancy.
William M. Nov 16, 2006, 7:08pm EST
I can understandd that, Janet.
J B. Nov 16, 2006, 9:07pm EST
I have enjoyed going to a casino once in awhile but learned very young to do as your guidelines suggest and mix it up with some of the most awesome shows available. Some of the shows you may not be interested in are really fantastic and that is usually part of the adventure for me.

Hey, a friend just went to one in North Carolina though and told me she couldn't put actual coins in anymore - everything was done with a playcard. Now these playcards may be progress but I want the cha ching.
William M. Nov 16, 2006, 9:44pm EST
You do it the smart way, Janelle. Most of the new machine don't take or pay off coins now. They will take bills and pay off with a ticket that you cash in at the cashiers cage.
Adele G. Nov 16, 2006, 10:17pm EST
Good rules to follow.
Adele G. Nov 16, 2006, 10:20pm EST
I forgot to ask did you wife and sister have fun?
William M. Nov 16, 2006, 10:26pm EST
Thanks, Adele. My wife and her sister had fun and both lost money.
Adele G. Nov 16, 2006, 11:08pm EST
William, just because they lost money this time what makes you think that if they win the jackpot, that they won't keep going and you'll never see those two again.
You can never be too careful.
This was really my husbands message.
William M. Nov 16, 2006, 11:16pm EST
I hope my wife would be as lost without me as I would be without her, Adele.
J B. Nov 17, 2006, 12:28am EST
Well, I think when I make some money I am going to go find one of the old ones and just play it at home then. I want the sound of those quarters dropping :)
William M. Nov 17, 2006, 12:33am EST
That is one thing missing in the casinos now, Janelle.
Kate S. Nov 17, 2006, 12:59am EST
A nice article. Before I had my daughter I tried to take the bus trips that we have around here two or three times a year. I would usually take 50.00, a stack of magazines and relax.
William M. Nov 17, 2006, 1:07am EST
That was a smart thing to do, Kate.
John S. (arizona) Nov 17, 2006, 7:18am EST
That's how I look at it too. I'm going to lose "X" number of dollars and that's it. I don't really like gambling much, and haven't been very often, but Casinos are interesting places. If I have the money to lose, I'll play and have fun.
Julie L. Nov 17, 2006, 2:27pm EST
Great rules William. And so very true!!! Me and my mother in law went when we went to Louisiana (we snuck over to Vicksburg, MS) We had a blast, she actually one a hundred dollars off of a penny machine. We had fun but when we lost our money we left. Had a great time but knew what we could afford to lose.
William M. Nov 17, 2006, 4:04pm EST
That is the right way to handle it, John.
William M. Nov 17, 2006, 4:06pm EST
You were being smart, Julie.
Jan Dillon Nov 19, 2006, 12:36am EST
We have clubs everywhere with rooms full of pokies. The pubs also have quite a few. It isn't hard to lose really quickly. They once gave free games and a little to play with but very dry these days. Best to follow your advice william and just enjoy what you can afford.
William M. Nov 19, 2006, 12:51am EST
Thanks, Jan. We do agree on that.
Kathleen T. Sep 22, 2008, 4:32pm EDT
Great Information,and the best advice anyone can give and get.I mostly follow your rules,if not,you won't have any fun,I to play only the penny slots,you don't lose much and can have fun.Thanks for the great advice.
D M. Aug 18, 2009, 3:35pm EDT
I'm going to a casino for the first time this weekend. Not planning to spend a lot, just want to have fun. What games do you recommend that I play. Something that I can easily pick up and not look like a rookie lol

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