Anybody here ever make money gambling?

[JDgreen227]

For the past month, they have been discussing building a casino in downtown Lansing, and those who support the idea claim the real benefit of such a project is the revenue it will create for the city. Many of those who are opposed to the casino say gambling is basically a tax on the poor, and while that may be true in some ways, I have always felt that gambling is a tax on the foolish.

As for me, I would never waste my time or money visiting a casino 12 miles away, should it ever be constructed, and there are currently casinos operating in Central Michigan an hour's drive either north or west of us. (Firekeepers and Soaring Eagle) We have only been to Soaring Eagle one time, and that was nearly 20 years ago, and only because my mother enjoyed going there so much. To me, since the odds always favor the house, you are basically throwing your money away.

Most nights we can view commercials on our TV that show couples with movie star good looks winning megabucks at those two casinos mentioned above or enjoying one of the other amenities available there (dining, dancing, massages, fancy lodging, etc). My brother and his wife went to the Soaring Eagle casino last weekend, mainly because their oldest son attends college in that city. My nephew later told me my sister in law won $50, but not how much the three of them spent to "win" that much. :laughing:

Casinos tempt us by saying "you can't win if you don't play"....yeah, have YOU ever played and won? We never did. :laughing:

 

[MasseyWV]

Gambling is a fools errand because in the end, the house always wins.

 

[Baby Grand]

Yes, I made $0.65 playing nickle slots at a casino in Vegas. I quit while I was ahead and haven't played since.

I was a student at University of Arizona (Go Wildcats!) & my roomie was a Vegas homie. When he heard that I couldn't afford to go home for Thanksgiving, he kindly offered to bring me home to share the feast with is family. He had a gang of townie friends on campus and we all piled into my car and drove there. Before we got to his house, he had us stop by the bus terminal. He asked me to walk around and look for people with no tan where a watch or ring should be. That was my lesson for the week.

 

[Bigkrank]

I go to Vegas every year for the SEMA show but not into gsmbling. Some years back I but 4 bucks in a machine and won $1600. Next night put $8 bucks in one and another $1600. Put less than $10 bucks in a couple more times here and there and at the airport and totaled over $5000 for the week. Figured couldn't ever do that again so never risked much at all after that.

 

[riptides]

I hit big, and spent big.

I have also lost big.

In the end, I know my limits.

 

[Mace Canute]

Well, I know there are people who are addicted to gambling, worked with a couple of them in fact. One of them was living paycheck to paycheck and the other was only a little better off.

While I have zero sympathy for gamblers who lose everything, I also know it isn't just them who are affected, they often have families who are the real victims. I don't think it's ethical to make it easier for those people to gamble their money away. Theft from employers (of gambling addicts) goes up usually in the form of embezzlement. As far as increased revenue goes, is there really all that much extra cash floating around or is there a finite amount available for spending on entertainment extras after the necessities of life? If it's the later, then existing businesses are going to collectively lose revenue to the same amount as the casino takes in.

About 12 years ago I was talking to a woman in Windsor who worked in police dispatch. We got talking about the pros and cons of casinos and she said that there was an increase in crime after their first casino opened up and she said the police attributed it directly to the presence of the casino. It was hushed up because the government was pushing for the casino and didn't want any negative press associated with it.

 

[RobertBrown]

I just cashed in 24$ in scratch offs I got for Christams gifts. I rode around with them in my truck for months, almost forgot abiout them. I guess they are a popular gift these days.
Other than that, I've probably lost as much as I've made as I would play poker semi-regularly years ago.


This guy lost 127 million in one day.
The Gambler Who Blew $127 Million - WSJ.com

 

[JDgreen227]

Good post, Mace, and you said it well. We have a close family member who dug himself into a very deep and expensive hole because of gambling, maxing out his credit cards and ruining his marriage and almost losing his job because of his addiction.

 

[Barnone]

I've been on a winning streak at my Friday might poker game for the last three weeks. Hope it continues tonight but I am probably even over the last ten year.

 

[forgeblast]

There was just a story about a woman who gambled away her sons cancer money.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- An upstate New York mother who gambled away thousands of dollars raised to help her son fight cancer has been sentenced to five years' probation.
Sherry Holcomb of Cortland pleaded guilty in Buffalo last September to a felony count of scheme to defraud.
At her sentencing Wednesday in state Supreme Court, she also was ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.
Authorities say Holcomb opened a bank account for her 21-year-old son, Ryan O'Donnell, depositing money raised at a benefit and included in get-well cards.
But, she says, she then withdrew the money to gamble at casinos across the Northeast.
As part of her plea, she agreed to pay $15,000 in restitution.
Ryan O'Donnell has been treated for leukemia at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute