Now to conclude this series, I want to answer a couple of questions that sent me into some deep thinking: What were the main secrets of your success? Do you think luck played a big part in this success?
On that first question, my answer to anyone wanting me to give them my “secret” to be a winning gambler would be, “There is no one secret – no silver bullet of 25 words or less. I gave thousands and thousands of secrets in the 5 books I wrote.”
But perhaps what many people may want are basic personal characteristics, not specific techniques. So here are some of the general fundamentals that I think contributed to Brad’s and my successful casino gambling.
First, we had the passion. Although we always enjoyed the recreational aspect of gambling, our long-term goal was not to lose money doing it.
Then, we learned that if we worked hard, we wouldn’t just not lose, but we could make money while we were having fun. I’ve said this over and over – successful gambling is NEVER easy. This meant continuous study and constant research. Most of the 35 years we played, I spent almost as much time looking for helpful information than we actually spent at a VP machine. I also spent a lot of time communicating with other players. We never belonged to a formal information- exchange group, but I was always consulting with old friends and happy to make new ones with whom to share helpful casino details.
Then I was an organized detail person, reading every word of every casino mailing we ever received. I spent hours making a calendar schedule that would allow us to make the best use of our time with the best plays.
Next, we were very disciplined. Yes, sometimes we wanted to play a favorite game, but another one was a much better play. Yes, we went through many painful losing sessions, but we never went on tilt and change to a lower-EV game. If there was no good play at a particular time, we would choose another activity – a movie perhaps or back home to watch TV; we never played just to be playing.
Now for the question of luck. Yes, we were lucky that we were able to do our early casino life during that wonderful golden period when gambling opportunities were abundant. We were lucky that our health held out to let us continue until a ripe old age.
But perhaps the luckiest thing was that Brad and I found each other 36 years ago and found he and I were on the same page of life. We have very different personalities and strengths, but that worked to our benefit. I was the “secretary” who liked to stay at home a lot and do paperwork preparation and the organization, and Brad loved being in a casino as much as possible. Brad always said I was the “general” who made up the war plan and he was the faithful “soldier” who went out to fight on the battlefield.
Back many years ago when he had his heart attack, the doctor suggested he drink a glass of wine every day. So, on a morning when I was staying home in our office to work on my computer, I would give him his instructions for the day: Go to Casino A and pick up free play, go to Casino B and play 10,000 points on xxx machine and don’t forget to order a glass of wine from the cocktail waitress, and then stop at Casino C and use a food coupon to bring home our dinner. Brad would laugh as he went out the door, “I bet I’m the only husband in the world that a wife sends him out in the morning to drink and gamble!”
Jean,
love Brad’s line ” I must be the only guy whose wife sends him out drinking and gambling” – classic!
Luck is preparation meets opportunity and Jean IS the Queen.
Short story. Was in Vegas for a trade show. Client was staying at the newly opened Cosmopolitan. I don.t gamble on the strip much so I didn.t have a players card.
Told my buddy I needed to do the sign up deal and he smirked at me. The sign up came with $10 free slot play.
There was a wheel for the bonus which was $10 or spin the wheel. I quickly surmised that the lowest win on the wheel was $10. No brainer.
I spun and hit the only $500 free slots spot. My friends mouth was hanging open and I said , “And THAT’S why I sign up for everything!”
FYI I took the $500 to the high roller room and played $1 – 5 way 9.6 JOB & left with $494.
Jean I have purchased and read all of your books. You mention the fact that there are Video Poker machines that look legitimate but are in fact slot machines. Rather than a single deck of cards they operate with a random number generator making them no different than a slot machine. How can a player tell the difference?
About “luck”: We can say that someone was lucky in that they either got a couple of super-big VP jackpots or else never got stung with a horrible losing streak; but others would say that there’s no supernatural thing called “luck” but rather the results were just one of many possible results that could’ve happened. On the negative end, one famous respected member of the Skip Hughes Group who was very intelligent and knowledgeable played a certain video poker game that was over 100%-EV but still got wiped out financially. On the positive end, VP expert Bob Dancer needed a couple of super-jackpots in order to become a “Million-Dollar Winner”; on those hands, the RNG could just as well given him cards that did NOT produce a royal flush. I think Jean would admit that she both: had one or more super-jackpots, and didn’t suffer a losing streak that wiped her & Brad out. But all of this is stuff that we can’t control. As Jean says, all you can do is to play in the most optimal conditions that you can find.
Thanks so much for the great info and advice you always give….
Are there any Archive stories that tell about your lucky meeting with Brad??
If so can you tell us which one and we can have a great fall and winter reviewing the great stories
If not we can start at April 2000!!!
Take care and stay safe and healthy!!
Mo
I learned alot from you and skip hughs and john kelly I honed my skills before simulators with paper from dancer nickel deuces at the
fiesta then when i heard about .25 101 jokers at arizona charlies i wentfor it with out a concept of bank roll but hit my first royal in 10 min with $20 in the machine and same trip 2 more and $1200 in a video poker tournimej my wife was wondering where all thrse$100 bills are appearing fromso we startd as a team notalot but over $3k per trip over20 years on average plus free rooms and
food fun times!
Can’t say anything more or better than everyone else has – just jumping on that Bandwagon with them! I count myself blessed to not only know of you – but to have had the opportunity to spend time with you two as well. Wishing you good health and happiness! ♥
Thanks for being so honest. Most people want the secrets of successful gambling in 20 words or less! Successful gambling takes hard work and focus, so i know that eliminates 99.9% of the people!
So funny. You are so lucky to have found each other. Love the stories
Jean, reading your column has been a part of my routine for years. I will really miss your stories and your books, it just feels like this is the end of an era.
Thank you for sharing your experiences and adventures, I have learned so much from you and have been thoroughly entertained at the same time. Having been to Vegas 3 or 4 times a year for the last 30 years or so I can relate to so much of what you wrote about.
I wish you and Brad the best of luck in your retirement, you clearly make a great team!
Great memories of your playing years of video poker which I play today. Very interesting stories. Enjoy your retirement
Love this particular blog!! Hope you both are staying safe and that your days are filled with contentment, joy, peace, and a sprinkling of fun! Blessings to you! Beverly & Lane Smith
Jean: I cannot thank you enough for your wonderful talent of “spreading your wise words”, whether in these FB articles or in the books you have written. You have quite a talent for story telling with such “passion” that you want your readers to understand the ins and outs of gambling. You are such an incredible person to share all of this with those of us who have followed you….well done! I wish you and Brad a great retirement.