I've always wondered about this. Do gamblers really expect to win huge amounts of money in Vegas? Do they not understand the business model of a casino?

Or is it the excitement of losing the money?

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/2006 11:00AM by Guitarman.

It's like buying $10 worth of lotto tickets.
I don't expect to win. But it's fun to think about it.

I thought most of them go for the comps, hookers and $3.99 all you can eat buffet.

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JoeM

Went to Vegas last December for a few days.

Got zero comps. Did not see any hookers. But did see ALOT of people giving flyers for escort services. And the Bellagio dinner buffet was $27 a person.

I am by no means what you could call a gambler, but I know several that are addicted and I have been to Vegas a few times.

"Gamblers" go to Vegas for the high stakes. There is a distinct rush that they get from just being at a table or in a book where big money is involved. Win or lose, it doesn't matter much as long as they can be a part of that rush. If they can get the same thing at a local Casino, then they will go there just the same.

The fact that the house always gets their cut over the long run doesn't matter to them, it's all about the moment.

For the rest of us, Vegas is an entertainment venue that has it's price just like other forms of entertainment except that you have a small chance at getting lucky and winning enough to make it free. Just like the lottery ticket, but on a much grander scale.

Expect, no.

Hope, sure. That's the fun. Do you go to a movie and bitch and wine that you have to pay, do you expect to get in for free? No, it's entertainment. Sure, some people get out of control, but some people have 20 old Macs sitting in the garages .

I go and play only with cash that I determined before would be the most that I could lose without having a stroke. Usually if I'm losing, I chicken out before then and cut my loses. I have gone several times and come home a winner- hit a hot craps table. BUT- I don't expect to win- the odds are against me.

oh yeah, the hookers and booze are good too.

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I was in a gambling facility once. Someone unknown to me gave me $200 and said to have fun with it. It lasted oh an hour or so. I had a free ($200) sandwich in the restaurant.

Oh, funny story, I was some 800 or so miles from home, walked in the front door of some casino, and the FIRST person I saw I knew. He was drunk and just said "HI (my name)" as if it was totally uninteresting to me to bump into me so far from where we lived.

The guy at the roullette table with me put down $200, and made $5,000 in about 15 minutes.

I think the popularity of slot machines particularly and casinos in general prove a lot of people do.

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Da Good Life

My first trip to a casino:

1st day I was amazed
2nd day I was bored
3rd day I was depressed

Well, I expect to be a winner when you all go to Vegas, after all, you're paying my taxes! (no state income tax in Nevada. Sure the sales tax is >7%, but I'd much rather pay tax on the things I buy than what I make since I don't spend near as much as I make!)

And 3d is right, ain't no $4.99 buffet left in town and you gotta either be a high roller to get comps or know how the system works and play strategically to get the biggest comps for putting the smallest amount in machines and on tables.


~A

I've been to Vegas three times since August and you really ought to realize that the casinos are nice because they are making a profit off of people's losses.

I enjoy craps tremendously. The gamble can be exciting, invigorating or outright excruciating. In August, I played for three hours at a stretch and ended up ahead by $200. In November I watched a guy with a very particular craps throwing style who kept hitting numbers on the $25 table. I decided to enter the fray with my measly $100. I sweated it out the whole time because one wrong roll and I would have been wiped out (I'm usually a five dollar minimum player). But I got lucky, the guy kept hitting numbers and I walked away with $250.

My trip last month brought me down to the Main Street Station downtown where the tables have $3 minimums, 20x odds on weekdays and pretty decent food at the brewery. Sat down with some friends and had a feast. Paid for my share ($25) and hit the craps table. Pulled out once I had recovered my $25 (about fifteen minutes) and left.

It's important to play only what you can afford to lose. I usually do that and if it rolls well, I'll play numbers, press bets and get more risky with the bets. Sometimes it pays off, other times you get blown out.

Just remember to play only what you can afford to lose.