Gambling Seriously vs. Seriously Gambling

So what's the difference between Gambling Seriously and Seriously Gambling?   Well, in my mind, there's quite a difference and I thought I'd take a moment to discuss what I believe those differences are.  Gambling Seriously is when the gambler has some sort of plan and expects a positive outcome when he sits down at the table.  Seriously Gambling, in my view, is when there isn't really a plan that is followed and more often than not, the gambler may say he wants to win, but in his mind he has already lost his stake (which is often very fluid and may include money that wasn't originally going to be risked at the tables).  Let me try to give you an example of each.

An example of Gambling Seriously would be the person who walks up to a game with a set stake for that session.  He also has a plan, and more importantly than having the plan, he will FOLLOW his plan.  For those of you unfamiliar with these ideas, let me explain each one....


A STAKE is an amount of money set in advance which the gambler is willing to risk.  A stake may refer to the amount of money you're willing to risk for the entire trip, or it may be broken down into smaller stakes to be used in individual gambling sessions.  It's important to try not  to chase losses, and if you adhere to the idea of only risking a set amount (your stake), you will find you will be chasing less.  If you lose your stake for the current session, walk away.  Now, I know it's easier said than done, I've been guilty more than once myself, but if you can get yourself into this habit it will be easier and you will have loads more fun and be more productive in the long run.

A SESSION can be a time limit or can be defined as a set amount of money either won or lost, and often it is both.  Remember though, if your stake is lost, then your session should be over.  For example, if craps is your game, you may set your session as lasting 2 hours or until you win a certain dollar amount or % of your stake.  Of course, should you lose your stake, the session should immediately be terminated.  Be realistic!  Don't set your session to end as soon as you've made $5000 if your stake is $100 at a $5 craps table!  It has been done, but not often.   My sessions tend to be fluid, in other words, if I say I need to make $400, and at the end of a roll I have $500 in profit, as long as my time limit is not up for the current session, I will take the extra $100 and try to make 50% more than my original goal (in this example, use the $100 to try to win an additional $200).  That mini-session will be over if I lose the $100, or if I accomplish the 2nd goal, then another will take it's place until my self-induced time limit is up or I lose the amount of money over my goal(s).


A PLAN.  How do you intend to turn your stake into a profit?  One who gambles seriously will give this idea some thought, one who makes serious gambles will tend not to, will be unrealistic, or won't follow the plan.  What I mean by having a plan means, map out your game, play it in your head before you play it at the table.  For example, again using craps, you may walk up to the table knowing that you want to play the minimum passline bet, minimum come bet, play max odds on both and try to get 3 numbers working each roll.  Just that by itself is a solid plan.  It maps out what you want to do and how much you intend to wager each roll, basically the rest of the table can be ignored and you need only concentrate on placing the correct dollar amount of odds on each bet, of course depending on which number you're betting on.  There are many solid game-plans you can set up, the trick is to stick to your plan until you complete your session, either by making your goal or losing your stake.

Someone who does these 3 things is giving indications that they want to gamble seriously.  Just  doing these things says they expect a positive outcome, however, every gambler worth his salt also will accept the possibility of facing a negative outcome, that outcome being they lose their stake.  Remember, no matter what, every table game in the casino has a built in edge for the House and IN THE LONG RUN, THE HOUSE WILL WIN.  Some games have bigger edges than others, and it's possible to reduce the House Edge by playing smart, but that edge never totally disappears.  If it did, casinos would be out of business.  Good gamblers (ones who gamble seriously) play in such a way as to maximize their walk-away winnings and walk away when they lose their stake, thereby cutting their losses.  Players who make serious gambles tend to be "in their pocket" often and chase losses.....


A great example of making serious gambles would be when you see someone at a roulette wheel holding a big stack of checks in his hand and placing a random number of checks on random numbers.  Then, once he has lost his buy-in after 2 rolls, he's "in his pocket" for another buy-in.  His only limitations would be what the atm is willing to give him.  Sometimes, it's even worse, and the player making serious gambles is using money previously earmarked for rent, mortgage, or jr's tuition.  Don't get me wrong, not everybody who makes serious gambles is like that.  Sometimes it's just a tourist who's in Vegas with maybe $500 that he's set aside for gambling and has already lost it in his mind.  He can afford it, and he probably won't spend much more, if any more, than that.  He's there to have fun, and there's nothing wrong with the way he chooses to have that fun, but if poker is the game he wants to have that kind of fun at, please sit him at my table.  Also, these types don't ALWAYS lose.  Some get lucky, but not many and not often.  Once you lose the money in your mind, the actual money in your pocket doesn't have far to go.  If you have fun this way, hey, it's your money and your life, go for it.  If you start making serious gambles expecting to make money, I suspect you won't have much fun and will end up chasing your losses.  Once you start doing that, you start making long-shot bets trying to make a big score fast to try and make your money back.  Don't do it, MAYBE you get lucky, but more than likely you're throwing money away.


So, what kind of Gambler are you?  And is that where you want to be, or could you have more fun and a better experience by changing your style?  The choice is yours, and the only really bad choice is the one where you over-extend yourself.  Do whatever gives you the most pleasure,  fun is what the casino is there for.


I guess I should point out that this entire post is only my opinion based on my past experience and observations, which have been extensive.  I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have enjoyed sharing it.  PLEASE leave me your thoughts and ideas and remember......


WORK HARD, BUT PARTY HARDER!!!!