Why Don't You Remind Readers that Drinking and Gambling Don't Mix?

In response to the recent QoD about neighborhood bars, all the experts say never drink and gamble. Why does LVA carry so much info about bars, happy hours, drink specials, and clubs? I know people come to Las Vegas for different reasons, but shouldn't you remind people that drinking and gambling should be two separate activities?

For starters, the Las Vegas Advisor isn't a gambling newsletter. It's a Las Vegas newsletter and all the things you mention are part of Las Vegas. Also, while gambling and drinking are separate activities, in casinos they often overlap and they shouldn't necessarily have to be done exclusively of each other.

Taking the practical tack, it's true that the vast majority of gamblers will have greater control over themselves and their decisions if they don't drink while they play. It's well known that alcohol flows free and freely in casinos, because the result of that policy accrues positively to the house's bottom line. Do you want to make a plan for limiting losses and stick to it? Staying sober gives you the best chance of doing that. But many find the whole gambling experience to be more pleasurable when they're also getting the free drinks, so you have to decide for yourself. But what about serious players?

There's no doubt that most pros who play for profit shun drinking while they play. Notice we said "most." Others can blend the two very smoothly and actually incorporate drinking into their overall game plan. How can that be? It has to do with being allowed to play in the first place. This applies in particular to blackjack, where winning is a two-part cocktail (if you will) of art and science.

Talking specifically about card counting, the science is in the ability to count cards, recall strategy index numbers, and do the mental math necessary to play a winning game. A lot of players can master those aspects and if you could play blackjack in a vacuum, there would be a lot more winners. But blackjack is played in real-world conditions, where casino bosses are always looking for skilled players and prohibit them from plying the science if they can. That's where drinking while you play can come in handy. Most bosses assume that serious card counters never drink on the game. So if you can drink and maintain your skill level, it goes a long way in the art of winning at blackjack, of which a big part is being able to get away with it.

Drinking usually plays a part in the famous "big-player" scenario, where a player walks up to a game in the middle of a shoe and is signaled what to bet. The big player is often drinking while he plays, as it goes with his role of looking like a typical tourist.

Finally, gambling and drinking go hand in hand when talking about playing for alcohol comps. This happens in video poker, where rather than pay for a drink, you can play a few hands to get the drink comped and have a lower negative expected return than what you would pay to buy the drink retail.

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Comments

O2bnVegas Jan-28-2025

Adults only

Perhaps why the age 21 rule is in place.  

I was surprised at the science that tells us our brains do not reach 'full' development until age 25, but it makes sense.  Heck, we drive at 16 (should be 18 or so, but life convenience dictates 16), leave home for college, date, get married, graduate from medical and nursing school before 25. I know I'd have made better choices at 25+.  

Some, probably the majority of Vegas visitors enjoy gambline or enjoy drinking or both, can mitigate the risks, or accept the consequences.  

LVA a gatekeeper?  Nah.

Candy

Dave Jan-28-2025

BASIC STRATEGY

Drinking does not affect my playing, and I always buy in and that is it (I lose it, I leave the table). Doesnt matter if I have zero drinks or 6. However, most people are not that disciplined and I personally like it that way (if they were, the free drinks would disappear).

Randall Ward Jan-28-2025

gambling and drinking

I never drink playing blackjack because I need to be ready to fight the guys who don't like my taking the dealer's bust card.

black jack Jan-28-2025

Blackjack fun!

I want to sit at a table with Randall. We would definitely have some laughs…

Patrick Jan-28-2025

Not LVA’s Responsibility

Perhaps they should also remind us that smoking is bad, overeating is bad, look both ways before you cross the street, etc. 

Seriously, it’s not LVA’s place to be our mothers. We are all adults and know what is good and bad for us.

Eileen Jan-28-2025

Patrick

You are so right! Well said.

steve crouse Jan-28-2025

Convenient

When I go to the tables and lose far too much money, there's always a convenient excuse.
I was drinking. Ha!

Jon Miller Jan-28-2025

Don't play drunk

Buzzed = still play correctly Blackjack basic strategy, maybe loosen up to double a soft 17 against dealers 3 but nothing too stupid.   What I will not do is drink too much playing poker- that's a recipe for disaster.

Donzack Jan-28-2025

I only drink in the evening while playing quarter jacks or better at the bar. Never in the morning.

Joseph Merritt Jan-28-2025

NFL Bettors Gotta Drink

When you have The Chiefs and the points and they take an “Analytics Safety” to render your ticket worthless in the closing seconds of the damn game, you may need a drink or two!

Llew Jan-28-2025

Speaking of playing drunk…Part 1

Several years ago, in a Las Vegas poker room which will not be named (mainly because it no longer exists), treated a couple of our Bargers badly.  When word got back to the group, they plotted their revenge. 
A group of Bargers descended on the poker room and promptly filled an open stud table.  They immediately ordered a round of comped beers and began the game. The rules were as follows: everyone antes, cards are dealt. Player must have rolled up trips (first three cards of same denomination: 3 Jacks, 3 fours, etc; a fairly rare occurrence) to open the bidding. The antes from each hand were toked to the  dealer, another round of comped beers were ordered and the next hand was played, same rules.  In the rare event someone actually did have rolled trips, he was obligated to toke the pot to the dealer.  Players rotated in and out so that a maximum number of beers could be consumed.

Llew Jan-28-2025

Playing drunk, Part 2

At the end of the night, the score was: dealers - many, many tokes; players - many, many comped beers; poker room - 0 income, minus the cost of many, many comped beers. Revenge successfully executed. 

Poker players call players who play extremely tight, who don’t play anything but premium hands, “rocks.” Sooo, we Bargers have named this game ROCKS AND BEERS.  😄
Btw, all players cab-pooled* safely back to our home casino.  *this happened before Uber, etc.

Question of the Day - 28 January 2025

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