Las Vegas vs the stock market. Better bet...

lol. So Las Vegas and politics.

Which do you think is a better bet and return. Gambling in Vegas or the financial system?

I completely expected the election to tank the stocks "big league". Sorry, I just feel very jokey at the moment.

We were discussing how interest on a regular checking/saving is like .008 or some crap.

At times, I even ponder the safety of bonds due to our money just crashing period.

Then factor in the absolute crooked Ponzi schemes and lying CEOs.

Another Vegas factor would be the new era of ceo, Wall Street era. I completely think the mob had more morals, loyalty and ethics. In the old school world, your word, your loyalty and your reputation was your currency.

So the question, which is a safer bet. A Vegas session or a wall St session. Do you think trump can clean it up As a person who exploited such loopholes (which I don't fault someone for playing the rules to their advantage, again a Vegas reference, I'm going to play to my advantage within the system cracks. Ethically, but within the rules).

As gamblers, we seriously don't know if one is a safer, better bet than the other.

There are too many variables to answer daisybasket's question.

Taking the question "Which is a better bet and return[?]" literally the correct answer over the long term is the financial system. Historically over any relatively long time interval the financial system exhibits a positive return. The expected value on gambling in vegas over the short term or the long term is negative; each game has a positive expectation for the house.

However, if one is serious enough to devote some time and study, the returns in both gambling and investing can be improved.

With gambling one needs to know all the rules and not make stupid bets.
__choose better games; know the odds and choose accordingly
__learn the correct play for, f'rinstance, video poker
__poker is a game of skill; the more skilled players win; be a skilled player
__a skilled player can still make money playing blackjack, but not in all casinos or at all tables; know the rules, count the cards; recognize if one is sufficiently skilled, the casino may not let one play.

With the financial system one needs to keep oneself informed and evaluate what investment(s) are appropriate under what conditions.
__over the long term interest rates determine the return on bonds; __when held to maturity the return and price of a bond is known.
However, changing interest rates can affect the underlying bond price; if rates rise the price of the bond may fall and vice versa. DonDiego notes that present interest rates are unnaturally low (the determination of "bond values" is a response to Governments' policies as opposed to normal market forces). Therefore, bond prices are unnaturally high. A change in Government policy could be devastating over the short term, . . . or maybe even the long term.
__there is a possibility of "our money just crashing period". Exorbitant government spending and unnaturally low interest rates enhance the possibility of inflation. Historically (e.g. the German hyperinflation of the early 1920s) one can find safety in "investments" in real stuff, notably gold and silver. However, Government can declare ownership of such assets illegal (e.g. gold in the USA in the 1930s). The only real answer to such unpleasantness is to live somewhere where such inflation is unlikely; DonDiego will allow the interested reader to investigate this solution on his own.

In a better world free markets with an appropriately light-touch of regulation and limited Government interference would make the answer to daisybasket's question easy: "invest, don't gamble."

Today there is no such easy answer. DonDiego suggests daisybasket should go to Las Vegas and gamble and enjoy herself. One only lives once.
Besides, what's the worst that could happen?

I live here. Lol.

My question was a half joke. We lost a ton of money with our company stock. . Totally screwed and cheated by the powers that be. Gave us $2 a share and gave the execs 110 million to call it even and changed company names. So a little jaded. But it is all good and works out in the end. My husband had been downsized twice and replaced for half price. They had to call him back once because the half priced workers were tanking. He now works for a company using their product. Problem in the new corporate America and not having loyalty to your employees for 30 years. My husband can do all the work at the new company and they don't need to buy the service package when they buy the product. Cut themselves out of service contracts. Not talking low end contracts. I am a believer in the free market working itself out, so I am all good. But it does seem a little more difficult with the unethical, illegal and monopolies currently a large part of the system.

This is on reason that working class turned out. No matter what trump does, which is an unknown. We knew what Hillary was going to do and we can't afford it.

As for my Vegas bet, I've been here 13 years. So I have held my own. I am the only local I know who "gambles". Others do not even play a dollar ever. I have also seen Vegas eat up and spit people out sending them running home. And this wasn't even related to gaming. Any vice or lack of discipline will be shown and exploited in short time.

Anyone who thinks investing in the stock market is gambling is not knowledgeable enough to do either. Now you will need to find other boogeyman men to blame for your failures.

It's only gambling if you do day trading.

I can't disagree with that. I'm an investor, not a trader. Certainly not a day trader.
These days, I'm more of a dividend accumulator than anything else. Been loading up on Genworth based on its anticipated merger/ acquisition.

While I am not a market expert, my accounts are fine. Thank tou for your concern. And it is glorified gambling as they are a fluctuating daily market. As well as my current lack of faith of honesty behind closed doors. Do I understand all the complexities as well as some professionals or people well versed no, as a lay person have I studied it enough to keep me and mine afloat, yes. Have I got burned once. Yes. Do I use this information to do better. Yes.

And any "gambler" and again with my "label" issues will take swings as with the market long term. I call it gaming, not gambling, because I'm risking nothing, but my "monopoly" money and entertainment budget....which is more than I can say for investments, which is actual money that does matter.

The best bet out there........YOURSELF. I feel that I'm the best bet in the house. After working for someone else for almost 40 years, I started my own business. I was fairly successful till my health took a nose dive. I'm well enough to dive back into the pool and I'm starting something after the first of the year. I've worked the numbers and I think I can do ten times the business I did before. I have several people that I've worked with before and they're willing to jump on the bandwagon again.

Ray

When "Red Don" takes office I think you'll be better off investing in your favorite video poker machine and playing double double poker.
We have another Great Republican Recession coming..... Might want to bone up on your Russian too..

Many have the dream to work for themselves. While we have considered and even formed an Llc, I have found our best interest in "working for the man". One, we've been able to make a good living that way. Two, I've seen far too many get in over their heads, risk their personal for business and when dealing with big business, big business can eat the little man too easily. Tie up things in litigation, file for bankruptcy, settle for pennies on the dollar. Drop contacts after large sums of money has been invested in equipment, the amount of liability insurance alone. Running small business such as store fronts or heating and air and such is great. But dealing with that large of risks is something I prefer to leave to the big dogs.

While we do have trusted colleagues that we've worked with for over twenty years now, I've never trust anyone with my life's work. Many have asked us to partner with them as well. What we've done has worked. I don't rock the boat. No risk, do the project, cash in, move on. Let others front the money. Mom and pops also used to be able to pull in cash, but at some point that changed and they merged into a few strongholds and it became nearly impossible to get on the contract lists. But before y2k everyone and their brother had their own Llc.