Slots...and such.

[DJGroove]

Sitting here at work, I overheard a conversation between a coworker and my boss. My boss is an avid gambler and loves going to different casinos. She only plays -EV games, her favorite being slots.

As a poker player, overhearing how she "could do no wrong" at the slots made me roll my eyes and irked me a little. She had a good "session", but she ignores the long-term. She dumps hundreds of dollars into these things and, if she wins, promptly dumps her winnings back into the slots. Having slowly and methodically shifted my focus from short-term poker fluctuations to long-term results, it bothers me to see people so eagerly throw their money away.

I know that she is merely paying for entertainment and is having a good time, yet it still bothers me that she throws much of her meager earnings away.

There was a post on 2+2 a little while ago about the loss of gambling innocence that befalls a poker player. Without wholly retreading that ground, let me ask this: Do you feel sorry for people that continuously dump their money to the slots and other such casino games?

On top of that, I feel like I view myself as more informed and better equipped to win money at a casino (by playing tight-aggressive poker). This leads me to my next question: Do you ever feel in any way superior to people in a casino playing -EV games?

-Just a speculative post that came from overhearing that conversation. Oh yeah, and I'm bored at work.

[craig r]

Do you ever feel in any way superior to people in a casino playing -EV games?

i do not. because what are we doing that is so much better than people playing -ev games? They are playing for fun, excitement, etc...we are playing for money. why is money more important than the former(s)? i think it would be arrogant to feel superior.

[playerfl]

"This leads me to my next question: Do you ever feel in any way superior to people in a casino playing -EV games?"

At first I did, but now I don't. I know people that have made more from slots than any poker player I know, and they had a blast doing it. The rest are just paying for entertainment. One big advantage is slot players can drink the whole time and that just makes it better on vacation.

A small minority have psychological problems and use gambling to cope, and these people I do feel sorry for.

[cardcounter0]

I love them. Without their willingness to give their money away so freely, the casino wouldn't be able to give me such generous comps.

[DJGroove]

A small minority have psychological problems and use gambling to cope

I think this is why I feel sorry for her. For various reasons, I think she does use this as a way to cope.

And I am glad they are having fun, don't get me wrong. It's just that I see these people sitting alone feeding coins or bills into a machine like a robot, and it just makes me glad that I play an inherently social game, and have a good chance to make money, as well.

I don't mean to come off as arrogant, and I know that sometimes solitude is better than sharing a table with some of the poker players you meet. Just idle thoughts as I sit at work, waiting to go play some poker.

[playerfl]

"Just idle thoughts as I sit at work, waiting to go play some poker. "

yes, I know the feeling, thats why I've been posting so much here lately.

[offTopic]

There is more to life than EV.

[rmr1976]

[ QUOTE ]
Having slowly and methodically shifted my focus from short-term poker fluctuations to long-term results, it bothers me to see people so eagerly throw their money away.

[/ QUOTE ]

I used to feel the same way. I don't understand those who gain pleasure by playing a game that is clearly a losing proposition if you play it enough times. I get annoyed when I hear people make demonstrably illogical or unfounded statements (ie. "I'm a big winner at slots, roulette, etc.). But these beliefs are often deeply held for emotional reasons, and very hard for an individual to give up.

Instead of trying to "educate" people about things they have no interest in, I've decided simply to teach myself how to profit from their behavior. This makes both the naive gambler, and myself, happy.