It stopped being fun (pt. 2)

Now, in Ultimate Texas Hold 'Em, the dealer has no inherent advantage over you in that she has the same chance of making a good hand as you do. The rules are, however, structured to give the house a roughly 3% edge--which becomes much worse if you make any of the side bets. That said, I lost my first hand. Then I lost my second. And the third hand. And the fourth. Seven hands in, and I had lost every one. I had $10 left. So naturally, I got up and walked away, muttering about my bad luck. Yeah, right. What I actually did was buy in for another $100.

That eighth hand was a push--the dealer and I made the same two pair with an Ace kicker. Yay me! The ninth hand, I was dealt 86. The flop came 842. This looked good, so I raised my bet. The turn card was a 6--yay, two pair! The river was a harmless-looking second 2, so the board was 86422. The dealer turned over...75. Straight. You lose!

Obviously, I gave up at that point. Yeah, right. Actually, I kept on playing, and won the next hand, lost two more, and then flopped a full house for a decent win. I finally staggered away from the table with $85 of the $300 total I was in for for the day. And they still hadn't called my name for poker.

I realized, somewhat later as I was driving home (I finally gave up on getting into the poker game), that I had spent the better part of two hours, and $215 of my money, playing a couple of idiotic games and not having any fun whatsoever. I let myself get frustrated and goaded into playing more and more and pulling hundreds out of my wallet to play a game I had no goddamn interest in. Jesus, I thought, if you want to kill time waiting for a seat to open up at the poker table, go to the cafe and order a goddamn club sandwich or something! I also realized that if I hadn't had that last winning hand, I would doubtless have kept on playing. I could have easily booked a $500 loss (or worse) that day.

So I was reflecting today on just how insidious, how compelling, the nature of these games really is. You win, you want to keep playing, because, well, you're winning. You lose, you want to keep playing, because you want to get it all back. These games are structured so that, not to put too fine a point on it, you'll lose. But on your way down, you'll be fed false hope, because you'll win some hands, maybe even several in a row. But eventually, you'll die. Everyone does. Including your aunt Sadie, who always beats the casinos (actually, she loses her wrinkled old ass just like everyone else does).

Now, obviously I know better than to play this stupid shit. We all know better--except for the dimmest of us, perhaps. But we excuse/justify/rationalize it by saying, well, we're having fun, excitement, etc. Which is perfectly OK! Just so long as we realize our fun has a cost and acknowledge that. After all, most fun does: movies, the internet, hookers, cocaine, Starbucks, nuclear weapons. But I gambled for 2+ hours the other day, didn't have any fun whatsoever, but kept on playing.

How %^$@#&!@ stupid is that?

Kevin, next time, put your underwear on backwards.  That is sure to give you better luck.   Rim shot.....

It is a physiologic fact that some brains are wired for gambling to exite the pleasure center and others are not.  I know plenty of people, my husband being one, who couldn't care less about casino (or any) gambling if they had millions to do it with.  Of course I am one of the former (without the millions, though).

As Gen. George Patton is said to have said while viewing the carnage following battle, "God help me, I love it so."

But, Iike you, I'm weary of doing the walk of shame.  I've cancelled out of two upcoming gambling trips with friends.  I feel better already. 

Candy 

Yeah, for me, the negative effect of losing $X greatly outweighs the positive effect of winning the same amount. As an advantage player (far more so in the past than now), I should be utterly dispassionate and completely objective about it all. But losses bother me, and probably always will.

As you mentioned, there are people who are wired the exact opposite way. To them, a win--any win--can make up for an avalanche of losses. The important thing is that the thrill is there. For them, the joy of winning $X outweighs the pain of losing, well...$10X. Or $100X.

So the only question, still, is: am I having fun? And lately, at least, I'm definitely not. There have been times when I feel like I want to gamble and I'll run a little video in my head: dealer flips over a blackjack, takes everyone's money. Dice roll seven-out, the dealers scoop up all the bets. AKQJ of spades...3 of diamonds. 7-7-blank. Double zero. My team's pitcher gives up a homer in the bottom of the ninth. I bet the Player, dealer gets a natural 9. Pai gow poker, I'm dealt J976532. And of course, live poker, I pick up AA, raise, and by the end of the hand, some clown with 75 offsuit is taking down "my" pot. Over and over and over, like being chained to your chair, watching a terrible movie.

I'm really wondering not if, but rather to what extent, Vegas visitors are experiencing this little death march drama right now. There's no doubt in my mind that everybody's getting their ass kicked, and depending on an individual's personality, that gets very old at some point. The losses now are bigger and bloodier than ever before in Vegas history, as shown by LVA's own gleefully reported numbers. Eventually, people will stop saying, "Please, sir, may I have another?" (WHAP!)

Its alot more fun when you win - thats for sure.    I do notice my affinity for gambling waning lately.   Not sure if thats because the games are getting shittier - or if I've just become bored with casinos after 20 years.    Regardless, its saving me money.      I almost never frequent the casinos near my zipcode anymore.    I just save up a big bankroll all year for my Vegas trip.

Ken,

I've been there so many times, its too high to count.  about a month ago I was at MGM National Harbor playing roulette.  After years of playing and knowning the odds on every game in the casino, why in the world would I play a game like roulette that has a 5.2% house advantage.  For every $100.00 I bet, I've aleady lost about $6.00.  Then I try to play the 0 and 00 as in the past I've had good luck for that ball to land on the green.  But of course in all the videos that Anthony and all the Vegas You Tube video's, those balls have no memory.  Like you I have "chased" the loss to win back.  That never works, well I can't say never, I have had a few big turn arounds, but I would say the losses on that game are alot more than the wins.

Of course I've had my wins at belive it or not, Aria, where the two guys rolled the dice for almost an hour straight without 7'ing out.  Never ever seen that before, never have had that many black chips in my pocket at once.  I remember Matt Damon in rounders quoting Dayle Brunson, most players cannot remember thier wins.  But can remember their major losses with absoulte clarity. 

After reading so many books on gambling and almost having a P.hd in gambling, I've learned the casino just has the math and the money against you.  I now just play the coupons for fun.  Or bet the sportsbook and watch the game. Just as much fun for 4 hours.  Sometimes it's best to ok, you have gotten my $200 for the night, i'll have to retreat"even though" inside you do want to.  There is always another time.  Headed out to Vegas in December and i'm definatley avoiding roulettee and learning to study video poker and sports betting.  I seem to have alot more fun that way. 

Anyway, hope you build back up your bankroll and try another game.  Craps, Barraact or Blackjack and Sports betting with a little less than 4% house advantage. 

Your fellow advantage player,

Dave

Thanks Dave,

Fortunately, my bankroll has never been in serious danger--perhaps because I keep it strictly limited. And a majority of my gambling is still +EV video poker. It's when I venture into the other crap that I get pounded through the floor :)

When you head to Vegas, be aware that 99.5% of the video poker available is shit. But if you learn a few games well, and ferret out the few places that have those games with good paytables, then you should be surfing along and having fun with very little downside. And as far as sports betting goes, that's the ticket, so to speak, for maximum fun with minimum loss. Bet $100 on a feetball game and your expected loss is $4.55. And you can sit in the sportsbook for three hours and cheer for "your" team, all the while slurping down free beers and cheap hot dogs--what's not to like :)

One casino I recommend for both VP and sports betting is South Point. The best VP games there are breakeven (with the slot club factored in) and they have a good-sized sports book and those legendary $1.25 hot dogs.

Kevin,

Been to the Southpoint a few times. Anothy Curtis talks about it all the time, i'll definatley be hitting the soutpoint a few times this trip.  Thought about swtiching, but I try to keep up my MGM points as I do like being able to walk past the line and get the valet.  Small things, but life does become a bit easier.

While I'm staying at Mirage, i'll be to other restraunts in town.  I like Main Street Station(my wife is from hawaii so I love the portugese sausage).  I think your right about football, I'll be there for Monday Night Football and Thursday Night Football.  Plus There is basketball going on again, so there is a game almost every day.  Brandon Lang's picks are pretty good.  Sometimes I've done pretty well using his advice(doesn't always work).

I've given up on Roulette .  I've lost more than i've won. that last trip to MGM National harbor did me in.  When I don't have fun, then that's it.  time to change strategy.  Even though it was a $500 loss, that's just too much a sting for me.  Craps is always been the best game for me to play because I don't count cards well at blackjack and not really a fan of Baccarat.  I'm a fan of the free odds bet and been doing well on the Come part of the game(game within a game, getting the true odds of the bet).

I did buy the Frugal Scouting guide to video poker.  Still trying to figure out 10/7 DB and some of the terminology.  And i've been playing that game for years.  Guess I should learn more and do more research, that's what advantage players do right?

Hope to talk more gambling on this forum.  I do enjoy talking about the subject.

Dave

 I always find it amusing when "intelligent" gamblers try new games, lose and then whine about getting fleeced. What did they really expect? Casinos usher in new games all the while, knowing that they will reap the monetary rewards from the unknowing suckers who play without knowing the rules and the payback percentages. I suggest that one should stick to known games until the rare new game proves itself to be a fair and good gamble. Whining about making bad choices just illustrates one's character - quit complaining and make better choices, or better yet, don't gamble. No one likes to be around and hear others cry at their own stupidity. 

Wow, where would we all be without David Miller's sage life advice, so felicitously delivered?

Well, for one thing, we would not have to hear/bear the vicissitudes of one's negative results when gambling.