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Gaming Guru  Are They Having Fun?26 January 2021
By Frank Scoblete I had a reader ask me a very interesting question, although at first, I thought it was a silly question with an obvious answer. It wasn’t. “Mr. Scoblete, do you think that casino gamblers have fun just about every time they go to the casinos? Or is the fun just whether they win or lose?” My first answer was that they have fun each and every time that they go, maybe with some exceptions such as illness or some horrible loss at the tables or machines. My second answer was that winning and losing dictate whether fun is being had. Neither of those answers seemed right as my questioner showed me. “But if winning and losing dictate happiness or sadness, don’t most players lose? How could that be fun then? Why would they keep coming back? If they looked over their wins and losses over time, they would have to see that they are down – or at least most of them are down. I just don’t see how that state of affairs is what I would call fun.” I thought to myself, I’ve been in casinos for over 30 years, and I have had losses many times. I have had wins many times. Yet either way I still go back. Winning and losing was not the impetus for me. So, what was? Okay, let me quickly make a list: I enjoyed the meals in great restaurants. I enjoyed the shows. I enjoyed some of the parties. I enjoyed being with my wife through the games’ thick and thin moments. I certainly enjoyed our romance. I enjoyed our tourist stuff and people watching. I enjoyed my friends. The atmosphere was so-so; good during the weekdays when the casinos were not overflowing with people but not so hot on the weekends when most were mob scenes. But that’s me; I prefer some space between me and the next player so I played less on the weekends and far more during the week. I can say I enjoyed my visits. I must have because some years I went about 130 days. Yes, the big losses felt like being hit in the head by George Foreman but the big wins felt like Muhammed Ali knocking out George Foreman. I guess I could say the playing was an even proposition; some good, some bad, most somewhere in between. Do other players have their own lists of the good and the not-so-good? I really don’t know. I am guessing that they do, even if only in a hazy way. “Therefore,” said my questioner, “you think it is the whole experience?” Probably yes. I do think there are many players who just want to play the games and don’t care about the other stuff. So maybe for them winning or losing is the big thing. “But those players still come back time and again don’t they?” He was right. Yes, those players come back time and again – even if it is just to play the games. Losing doesn't stop them. So, what is it? I guess the players who come just to play do have fun. Maybe it is the thrill of the whole experience whether they win or lose. Maybe "thrill" is the right word. I am, indeed, about to give this some thought. It was not an easy question. All the best in and out of the casinos! Frank Scoblete’s web site is www.frankscoblete.com. His books are available on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Kindle, e-books and at bookstores. This article is provided by the Frank Scoblete Network. Melissa A. Kaplan is the network's managing editor. If you would like to use this article on your website, please contact Casino City Press, the exclusive web syndication outlet for the Frank Scoblete Network. To contact Frank, please e-mail him at fscobe@optonline.net. Mrs. Maisel and Slot Machines19 January 2021
If you have not seen or become a fan of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon Prime), you are missing out on a glorious series to this point. It’s been three absolutely wonderful (or let me change that to “marvelous”) seasons. The story is about Miriam “Midge” Maisel, a 1950’s housewife, who wants to become and indeed does become a marvelous standup comedian. ... (read more)
The New World Casinos12 January 2021
The coronavirus has severely attacked our health and welfare. Our society has been closed with the exception of “essential workers” and while many states have initiated openings of some businesses, the impact on our economy has been devastating. I live in New York which has about half of the registered deaths as I write this column. ... (read more)
No, No, (yes) and No5 January 2021
There is no doubt that I’ll play around in many columns about this or that technique, method or system of play, even those that are awful, but I always explain what is truly wrong with these methods. I don’t actually think most ways of play are any good or, rather, less bad. There are methods that can give ... (read more)
Ask Frank: Spanish 21 StrategyHello there, Living in Canada, I find that the rules are more liberal here than at other casino locales, such as the dealer standing on all 17s for Spanish Blackjack. In your book, Armada Strategies for Spanish 21, there is only a strategy for when the dealer hits soft 17. I w... (read more)Ask Frank (Playing Winning Craps)Dear Mr. Scoblete: In your book Forever Craps, you recommend to play one Don't Come bet per shooter without odds in order to reduce your exposure to the house. I usually play at casinos that count the spread and odds. If I play one ... (read more)Bad Ways to Play Good Casino GamesYou've met this guy before. He's cantankerous, witless, and loud. He knows everything about everything when it comes to casino games. He's a self-made expert who knows more than all writers and mathematicians combined, and as he doubles on his thirteen against the dealer's ... (read more)The Craps to English DictionaryCraps is another country, a kingdom with its own mores, legends, myths, rites, rituals, superstitions and government. It also has its own language, much of it easily misunderstood as sexual or scatological references. For those of you interested in journeying to this ... (read more)Craps Crap and Craps Gold - Part 1What do the following sayings have in common? "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." "Better late than never." "High fences make good neighbors." "Always play the Pass/Come and take full odds." Answer: The above statements are true. Yes, some people might quibble and say that you can eat as ... (read more)Frank Scoblete |
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