Let’s face it squarely – neither Brad’s nor my mind is as sharp as it used to be. In a casino especially we find we need to compensate for this. We play slower and make our sessions shorter so we don’t play tired. We depend on each other when one has a “senior moment” and needs to check a strategy rule.
So in and out of casinos, this teamwork usually works pretty well. However, for several years we have kidded around about what would happen if we both get hit with a senior moment at the same time. Well…….it happened…..and it wasn’t very funny.
We had just finished a side-by-side session playing $1 Deuces Wild. Brad cashed out his small ticket and gave it to me to put in my machine, which had a bigger credit amount since I had just hit 4 deuces and the $1000 racked up on the machine. (I love when they don’t do handpays when you haven’t hit a W2-G amount.) The total on my machine was now $1510. I got out my little calendar diary and recorded the necessary figures, put the book back in my purse, gathered up my water bottle and jacket, and walked to meet Brad who was watching the penny Keno players on a nearby bank. We walked together to the gift shop to see if there was anything we wanted or needed but there wasn’t so we headed for the garage. Got in the car, and started down the ramp to the exit.
Suddenly I had a panicky thought and turned to Brad, “Did you get our ticket?” He looked through his wad of bills because sometimes he puts tickets in with his money if we will be going back to that casino fairly soon. Will save us feeding the machine the next time. While he is looking through his pockets, I quickly look in the Ziploc bag for this casino that I have in my purse. Sometimes we keep the tickets in there to save for the next visit.
It only took a minute to realize that we had left $1510 in the machine. I jumped out of the car and literally ran through the casino back to that machine, but in my heart I knew it wouldn’t be there. It wasn’t – I immediately saw that the last cashout was for $1510. I had a tiny hope that perhaps an employee had noticed it and turned it in, but checking with security blasted that hope.
Brad and I just looked at each other – why hadn’t at least one of our minds been functioning better? We agreed, however, that there is no use crying over spilt milk. We had lost a lot more than that in other 2-hour sessions. We will just try to be more careful in the future. And off we went to the next casino on our To-Do list for that day.
However, this is not the end of this story. Stay tuned for a very surprising Part 2!
I left 400 credits in a dollar vp machine at Wynn and I realized it 1 minute later and when I turned around I thought I saw an old man collect it. I confronted him and he just showed me a ticket for 32 cents and said is this yours.
needless to say, he confused me and then cashed it at the other end of the casino moments later.
I now have a giat sign in my folder that says, “Don’t forget the ticket”
Something similar happened to my wife at the Wynn although it was a theft instead of just a senior moment. Playing side by side the wife had an \emergency\ restroom need. Leaving abruptly and not saying a word to me I assumed she went looking for another machine. Within seconds another woman sat down and played a couple spins and immediately left. There were plenty of machines everywhere around me and I knew it couldn’t be my good looks so it seemed strange to me. Then the wife came back and told me she had not cashed out and I realized what had just taken place. Not happy but a very valuable lesson for us both!
Same thing happened to me just today at Charles Town WV Races & Slots. Cashed out $90.31, got up, and no one could find ticket. Not on floor, not in machine, not in purse, etc. Called for Service. They immediately put “stop payment” on it, checked machine and my purse–again–and in less than 10 minutes a manager walked over, looked at my ID and handed me my money!! They said as long as it had not already been cashed and I had proof from my player’s card that it was indeed “me” at the machine, there was no problem. What wonderful service from Hollywood/Penn National.
Now I am waiting for the rest of your story…. I was thinking you cash out & the ticket is not where your usually put it in your purse. I have done that already. Have a great day!
For tax purposes, would this be considered a gambling loss? Thanks for sharing your story. It will make us more careful. You make the world of gambling a better place by sharing your story. I don’t think this is a senior moment at all. I am 37 and things like this are just as likely to happen to me.
Don’t feel to bad, I have done the same thing more than once though for smaller amounts.The reason primarily is because I had taken time out to jot down results, hands played, etc. prior to cashing out. This 78 year old mind took that moment to forget to cash out. Now the first thing I do before leaving is cash out then take care of the rest.
Hope your story has a happy ending.
Thanks for all your great stories and lessons.
George
I believe there is a lot of good in people and I hope this is what Part 2 shows. Last week I found a 14K pendant on the floor of MGM Detroit. I thought what should I do, and immediately turned it in to a security person. Feeling good, I continued playing my penny slots and hit a small progressive jackpot for $591.
Being a reading teacher…..I love a cliff hanger. Jean, you haven’t lost your touch! (I, too, use too mant explaination points. Anxiously awaiting.