C'mon 11! Just give me an 11!
 

So I'm back from Las Vegas. Mrs Lookout and I went up for a little getaway. We had a blast as usual, but we made out better than usual so that is even better.

Maybe I should rephrase that. She lost just as much as usual. I actually scored pretty big. I went in with $100 in my pocket with plans to hit the ATM when I ran out. As it was, I got back on the plane yesterday with a little over $1000 in my pocket. That is after paying for the hotel, meals, trinkets, hookers, etc... That is when I asked my wife how she did. She wasn't sure, so she started doing the math. There were a couple of ATM slips involved. And a credit card slip. It turns out that we broke even. I can't complain about that, we usually come home about $1000-1500 lighter with gambling and odds and ends added in.

But for just a little while, I was feeling pretty cool with my winnings. I owe it all to discipline at the roullette wheel. To be honest, I owe that discipline to the fact that I only had 5 beers over 3 days. I would put $40 down. If I lost it, I walked away. If I doubled it I walked away. I placed the same $25 worth of bets each and every single time. When good old number 17 hits, I collect $75. When 11 hits, I collect $60. collect the winnings and walk away. come back 10 minutes later. rinse. repeat.

Anybody else have a game they have to play? A certain bet they have to stick to?

UT has a thing for craps, based on a trip we took to the Borgata in Atlantic City.

Me, I stick with slots. Maybe I'll hit the tables one of these days.

I too enjoy the willful suspension of disbelief of casinos.

I don't play much roulette but when I do I play 17, 20, and what I call the "black corners" - 4-way bets where three of the numbers are black.

I play a lot of craps. I win and I lose, it all pretty much works out because I play as conservatively as possible, minimizing the house advantage.

I play some blackjack, pretty well - I've read some books, and I know most of the correct plays, when to double and split and etc.

I like the shiny spinniness of the slot machines. I have played blackjack and craps, but I find that real gambling costs more per entertainment minute.

I cleaned up on the video poker machine this one time down at one of Trump's places. He seems to give away more money that the other casinos I have been to. Came out $300 or so ahead that time (I went with friends on the little old lady bus from the drug store parking lot. The bus driver played Jim Nabor's album the whole way down and back, and sang along with the religious tunes. It was a surreal experience, even without taking into consideration the food voucher and the roll of quarters. Important safety tip ... don't try to go to AC during the week after the Social Security Checks get cashed).

I started playing roulette two summers ago in Atlantic City and I just love the game. My friends think I'm a moron for "pissing away my money on that piece-of-shit contraption," but I am also the one who walked out $500 richer that night and not with my shoulders slumped and hands jammed deep, deep into empty pockets.

I tend to play the corners and usually bet the minimum (in addition to table bet) on red/black every 5th spin or so. I have a range of numbers I stick to, but they don't really have any significance other than being the ones that won me a bit of money the first time I had a go at roulette.

Damnit, now you are making me want to go to AC. Might be a good Saturday road trip ...

I have fantasized about a trip to the poker room sat the Borgata. I've been doing respectably against the online competition, and everybody I know who knows anything and who has played both says that the typical casino poker player is MUCH worse than the typical online player.

We should probably distinguish between real table players and online players who come to vegas for a weekend to sit in the room at the Monte Carlo. I've made more than my fair share sitting at tables gutting and cleaning online players who decided to come park at the table for a while. I think on the whole online players do much worse at the table than guys who regularly play the table.

The online game is much more agressive than the good table games - money changes hands alot quicker. If you're used to an aggressive game, you may sit down at a table and win for an hour, or two, or 5. I'm going to get out of alot of pots, and let you bluff into alot of small change. But over the course of a day, or a week, I'm going to beat you, because you're going to pay for every flop, chase every river, and bet into my made hands.

I've never been clear on the concept of gambling outside of the office deal where your friend gets your money. Can't I just mail a check to Trump so I don't have to go to to Jersey or heaven forbid Vegas? :question:

It's much more fun to deliver the money in person, and sometimes the check bounces your way and you get to take the money home again. :biggrin:
If the slots take in a million dollars they are paying out $8 to $9 hundred thousand. You could take some of it....just don't count on it.

they have a 96-98% payout at most places. that doesn't mean you'll get back 98% of what you spend though. there is always someone who loses every time. and there is the rare idiot like me that is waiting for his wife - puts $20 into a penny slot machine and wins $250 on his second spin- and then walks away. if i cared about slots and tried to really win, i'm sure i would lose my skin, but just screwing around and getting lucky? i can handle that.

and as far as losing??? if i take it out of my pocket, i expect to lose 100% of it. anything i walk away with is a pleasant surprise.

Exactly, only take what you plan on leaving. Coming back ahead is unexpected and pleasurable. :yelgreedy

Mine goes to 12.