{"id":1583,"date":"2014-07-02T09:55:21","date_gmt":"2014-07-02T16:55:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/beyondnumbers.lvablog.com\/?p=278"},"modified":"2023-06-21T11:27:27","modified_gmt":"2023-06-21T18:27:27","slug":"whats-your-biggest-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/gambling-with-an-edge\/whats-your-biggest-win\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s Your Biggest Win?"},"content":{"rendered":"

A writer for a Vegas-themed website emailed me that question. It’s a question I’ve been asked before, and it’s a fair question, I suppose, but one that is difficult to answer (answer for the opposite question below!). In my case, just divulging the amount of the win would provide sufficient identifying information to compromise the participants and consequently the play itself.<\/p>\n

Besides that, the question needs clarification (and I told the writer that, and then got no follow-up). Telling a tale about the most amazing win streak I’ve ever witnessed has no relevance to my life as a pro. I heard about a guy who bought a Powerball ticket and won $500 million, but what pro would find that story interesting? So perhaps the question should be: “What’s the biggest win your crew has had?” or “What’s the biggest win you’ve had where you had an edge?”<\/p>\n

People who hear that I live in Vegas have asked, “Have you seen O?” Well, yes, I have, and I’ve eaten the seafood buffet at The Rio, and I’ve seen the wonderful fountains of The Bellagio, but don’t infer that there is any commonality between our Vegas experiences. Before I moved to Vegas, one entertaining aspect of a trip there was eavesdropping on the airplane as people shared their Vegas stories. As with Jerry Springer stories, the tawdry foreignness of it all would always entertain me.<\/p>\n

If you run as fast as you can down the street, you still share nothing with Usain Bolt. For an Olympic sprinter, 10 seconds of racetime is the culmination of years of training, diet, study, and other preparation. Civilians (and amateur card counters) focus too much on the final manifestation of gambling–a person places a bet, and then wins or loses. Like the athlete, the professional gambler distinguishes himself from the non-pro through lifestyle and process. For every hour of gametime, how much time is spent networking, scouting, analyzing, studying, practicing, coordinating, and reviewing? This immersive lifestyle is focused on getting an edge. It is the edge, not the money, that separates the Haves and the Have Nots. I told the website writer that without an edge, big wins would not make good stories to my audience.<\/p>\n

A buddy of mine said as much after I enlisted him on his first trip to Vegas 15 years ago. He helped bet a game for me, in which I lost $24000 (to this day, my biggest personal loss in a session). As we walked away from the table, he said, “You’ve ruined Las Vegas for me.” His comment had nothing to do with the money. The loss notwithstanding, we had just experienced 6 hours with a 3.4829% edge, betting $500-$800 per round, while every one of the hundreds of passers-by (including the surly shift boss) was completely oblivious. Then, after losing $24000, we couldn’t even ask for a dinner comp. Forget about Las Vegas; welcome to Mi Vegas.<\/p>\n

I didn’t mind being anointed The Rainer on Parades (since “The Emperor of Ice Cream” and “Little Ball of Hate” are already taken), and in the years that followed I ruined Las Vegas for many more of my friends, and myself, too. I know that I will never enjoy the Vegas of The Hangover, or even the excitement of being with the dressed-up Midwestern locals who go to “The Boat” on a Friday night.<\/p>\n

Like a kid with a peanut allergy who will never enjoy a Snickers, I accept the professional life without much regret or envy towards the civilians. The civilians have their soma, but the grass is not<\/em><\/strong> greener on their side of the fence. I sometimes remind my crew, “A billion Chinese do not<\/em><\/strong> want to be like Yao Ming; they want to be like us!<\/em><\/strong> Gentlemen, we<\/em><\/strong> are living the dream.”<\/p>\n\"Facebook\"<\/a>\"twitter\"<\/a>\"youtube\"<\/a>\"instagram\"<\/a>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A writer for a Vegas-themed website emailed me that question. It’s a question I’ve been asked before, and it’s a fair question, I suppose, but one that is difficult to answer (answer for the opposite question below!). 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