Gambling: do you, and if so, how much?

Trollheart · 10-19-2015, 11:22 AM

I'd say I never gamble. Not much anyway. Lotto at the weekend, the odd bet on the World Cup every four years. I know some people here gamble a lot more than that, and I just wonder, do you consider you spend more than you should, is the return worth it, and basically what is anybody's view on gambling, whether casually, professionally, online, at casinos, whatever? Has anyone got or had anyone with a gambling addiction? Do you think enough is done in your country/state to tackle it, or do you even see it as a problem?

No pre-judging here; just wondering how people feel about it, if at all.

Chula Vista · 10-19-2015, 11:57 AM

My job back east brought me to Vegas numerous times for conventions and seminars, etc. Since it's only a $100 plane ticket from San Diego, me and Lin have gone recreationaly a few times too.

Linda like the slots, but plays the cheap ones so her losses are minimal.

I go black jack and have trained and done my homework. Vegas has paid for our meals pretty much the last 5 times we were there.

grindy · 10-19-2015, 12:02 PM

I have absolutely no inclination towards it.
Also, shockingly for someone with a jewish background, I'm not greedy.
I'd probably be bored after two games. I know I am when playing poker.

Psy-Fi · 10-19-2015, 12:05 PM

Over the past 3 years I've been spending about $3 to $5 a week, buying scratch tickets and/or daily/weekly numbers games. The first year I didn't keep track of my winnings/losses. Last year I broke even, this year I've only made back about 40% of what I've spent so far. I've never set foot in a casino and don't plan to anytime soon. I've never spent more than a few dollars a week since I started when I was in my mid 20's and there have been several times when I haven't gambled at all for several years at a stretch.

Once in a great while, I play poker or black jack with friends for a few dollars.

Gambling is just something I do in phases, for a few dollars, when the mood strikes me.

Overcast · 10-19-2015, 12:09 PM

Never, and I don't intend to. Not like I have anything to gamble anyway, but it seems like a huge waste. I know several people who gamble/have gambling addiction and it's terrible. My grandfather would gamble away his cash every week and the one time he did win after 20 or so years (100k) he also gambled that away. Watching people put themselves in debt and having to live with the repercussions of their decisions as well isn't fun. As long as you know how to control yourself I don't see a problem with it.

Key · 10-19-2015, 12:15 PM

I love gambling. I don't do it regularly or anything but its such a rush when I do.

~~Cuthbert~~ · 10-19-2015, 02:15 PM

Only when I know I am guaranteed to win, which I guess isn't really gambling but fuck it.

I have lost about three or four bets in my life where it wasn't tactical betting for the sake of getting a profit, I just fancied a bet while watching some sport and I made a financial loss, £20 max, the others were the odd fiver. All the rest I make a profit on. I am up on the bookies, couple places have banned me.

It's only worth it if there is value in the bet. It isn't really about if you lose, you could bet on Real Madrid to win each home game in a season, at the end of the season you'll have won most of your bets but are you going to be in profit at the end of it? No.

As long as you only bet what you can afford to comfortably lose and don't chase your losses and you know about what you're betting on then feel free. The fact of the matter is only 4% of gamblers will make a profit, the bookies are rarely wrong.

Mr. Charlie · 10-19-2015, 05:40 PM

Many years ago I played poker online for money. Realised I was no good at it after a couple of months, and stopped. That's the extent of my gambling.

FRED HALE SR. · 10-19-2015, 05:45 PM

I hit Vegas once a year and play poker tournaments, usually at Luxor or MGM. They seem to have the best returns and its alot of fun. I generally pay for my stay and entertainment for the weekend by placing in the tournaments. Occassionally I use the money set aside to pay for my losses, its all part of the game. To anyone looking for an absolute great time gambling, bet the horses. I frequent Del Mar over the summer months and its always a blast and you can usually gamble the whole day for 50 bucks.

**Janszoon** · 10-19-2015, 05:49 PM

It's not something that appeals to me. I've gambled at a casinos a few times because I was with people who wanted to go and I very occassionally buy scratch tickets, but that's about it.

View Poll Results: Do you gamble, and if so, how much?
A little; the odd "flutter" here and there, lottery etc	4	57.14%
Very often; at least once a week (does not include lotto, scratch cards etc)	0	0%
More than I should	0	0%
Never; not once. And I never intend to.	3	42.86%
I have a problem and I know it	0	0%
Voters: 7. You may not vote on this poll

10-19-2015, 11:22 AM	#1 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,992	Gambling: do you, and if so, how much? I'd say I never gamble. Not much anyway. Lotto at the weekend, the odd bet on the World Cup every four years. I know some people here gamble a lot more than that, and I just wonder, do you consider you spend more than you should, is the return worth it, and basically what is anybody's view on gambling, whether casually, professionally, online, at casinos, whatever? Has anyone got or had anyone with a gambling addiction? Do you think enough is done in your country/state to tackle it, or do you even see it as a problem? No pre-judging here; just wondering how people feel about it, if at all. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

10-19-2015, 11:57 AM	#2 (permalink)
Chula Vista Toasted Poster Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: SoCal by way of Boston Posts: 11,332	My job back east brought me to Vegas numerous times for conventions and seminars, etc. Since it's only a $100 plane ticket from San Diego, me and Lin have gone recreationaly a few times too. Linda like the slots, but plays the cheap ones so her losses are minimal. I go black jack and have trained and done my homework. Vegas has paid for our meals pretty much the last 5 times we were there. __________________ “The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well, on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be.”

10-19-2015, 12:02 PM	#3 (permalink)
grindy . Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: . Posts: 7,201	I have absolutely no inclination towards it. Also, shockingly for someone with a jewish background, I'm not greedy. I'd probably be bored after two games. I know I am when playing poker. __________________ *A smell of petroleum prevails throughout.*

10-19-2015, 05:45 PM	#9 (permalink)
FRED HALE SR. Neo-Maxi-Zoom-Dweebie Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: So-Cal Posts: 3,752	I hit Vegas once a year and play poker tournaments, usually at Luxor or MGM. They seem to have the best returns and its alot of fun. I generally pay for my stay and entertainment for the weekend by placing in the tournaments. Occassionally I use the money set aside to pay for my losses, its all part of the game. To anyone looking for an absolute great time gambling, bet the horses. I frequent Del Mar over the summer months and its always a blast and you can usually gamble the whole day for 50 bucks. __________________ " I slashed and burned thru my 15 minutes of fame."

10-19-2015, 12:09 PM	#5 (permalink)
Overcast . Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: . Posts: 1,531	Never, and I don't intend to. Not like I have anything to gamble anyway, but it seems like a huge waste. I know several people who gamble/have gambling addiction and it's terrible. My grandfather would gamble away his cash every week and the one time he did win after 20 or so years (100k) he also gambled that away. Watching people put themselves in debt and having to live with the repercussions of their decisions as well isn't fun. As long as you know how to control yourself I don't see a problem with it.

10-19-2015, 12:15 PM	#6 (permalink)
Key . Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 13,153	I love gambling. I don't do it regularly or anything but its such a rush when I do.

10-19-2015, 02:15 PM	#7 (permalink)
~~Cuthbert~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Black Country Posts: 8,827	Only when I know I am guaranteed to win, which I guess isn't really gambling but fuck it. I have lost about three or four bets in my life where it wasn't tactical betting for the sake of getting a profit, I just fancied a bet while watching some sport and I made a financial loss, £20 max, the others were the odd fiver. All the rest I make a profit on. I am up on the bookies, couple places have banned me. It's only worth it if there is value in the bet. It isn't really about if you lose, you could bet on Real Madrid to win each home game in a season, at the end of the season you'll have won most of your bets but are you going to be in profit at the end of it? No. As long as you only bet what you can afford to comfortably lose and don't chase your losses and you know about what you're betting on then feel free. The fact of the matter is only 4% of gamblers will make a profit, the bookies are rarely wrong.

10-19-2015, 05:40 PM	#8 (permalink)
Mr. Charlie Shoo Thoughts Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: These Mountains Posts: 2,308	Many years ago I played poker online for money. Realised I was no good at it after a couple of months, and stopped. That's the extent of my gambling.

10-19-2015, 05:49 PM	#10 (permalink)
Janszoon Mate, Spawn & Die Join Date: May 2007 Location: The Rapping Community Posts: 24,593	It's not something that appeals to me. I've gambled at a casinos a few times because I was with people who wanted to go and I very occassionally buy scratch tickets, but that's about it. __________________ A Night in the Life of the Invisible Man Time & Place 25 Albums You Should Hear Before the Moon Crashes into the Earth and We All Die last.fm Last edited by Janszoon; 10-19-2015 at 06:23 PM.