Mission146
Posted by Mission146
Jan 22, 2017

How Would an AP Answer?

I wrote an Article some time ago detailing my opinion that many Advantage Players also happen to seem to share some of the tendencies with addicts.  I was recently reading over that Article and it occurred to me that it might be entertaining to imagine how an Advantage Player would answer the Gamblers Anonymous questions. Without further ado, here goes:

1. Did you ever lose time from work or school due to gambling?

AP Answer:  Well, I would certainly hope so, or I’m not doing a very good job, am I?  Wait a minute, Advantage Play IS work, so can you really be losing time from work if what you are doing is working?  If I’m donking off on some silly VP game while there may be a good play elsewhere in the casino, but really, I’m mainly just playing for the mail am I losing time working to gambling, or not working as hard as I should be because of gambling...even though both of those things are gambling?  

If I am a full-time advantage player, should I consider that, ‘Work,’ or should I attribute my complete lack of work to gambling?  If I don’t have a job, can I really be, ‘Losing time,’ at my job.  

Oh, the Hell with it!

Final Answer:  Not Applicable.  Next.  

2. Has gambling ever made your home life unhappy?

I suppose the answer to this one varies from AP to AP and depends on the AP’s home life.  Of course, if the AP has a lousy home life, then I imagine that not being at home makes the AP happy, which would mean that the AP’s home life could only make the AP’s gambling life unhappy and not the other way around.  

In fact, getting back to whether or not Advantage Play is work, could this question really ever apply to a full-time advantage player?  After all, the gambling would, in fact, be work and when has a job ever not made one’s home life unhappy from time-to-time?  If a grocery store job makes a person’s home life unhappy, on occasion, then, ‘Do groceries make your home life unhappy?’ would be an equally valid question, but on its face, would make no sense.  

Final Answer:  Not Applicable.  Next.

3. Did gambling affect your reputation?

AP Answer:  My reputation as what, an advantage player?  Of course gambling affected my reputation as an advantage player, how could it not?  Did accounting affect the accountant’s reputation in the world of accounting?

Final Answer:  Obviously so.  Next.

4. Have you ever felt remorse after gambling?

AP Answer:  Of course I have felt remorse when a play hasn’t worked out!  How would you like to spend several hours at your job, put in friggin’ overtiime, except at the end of the two week period not only do you not get paid but you somehow have less money?  

Being an advantage player is just like being a business owner, and a business owner feels remorse and reflects on what he could be doing better when things are not going well, so should an AP.

Final Answer:  Nonsensical Question.  Next.

5. Did you ever gamble to get money with which to pay debts or otherwise solve financial difficulties?

AP Answer:  To the extent that gambling is my self-chosen job, NOT gambling would cause financial difficulties that would then need to be solved, so I gamble in order to prevent financial difficulties from coming up in the first place.  If I have any debt, I might gamble to work on paying that down.  Is the grocery store guy a grocery store addict because he works at the store to solve his financial difficulties and pay down debts?

Final Answer:  Nonsensical Question.  Next. 

6. Did gambling cause a decrease in your ambition or efficiency?

AP Answer:  If I’m gambling, then it would seem like I am doing what I should be doing, and if I am scouting, then I am being ambitious.  Does the guy working at the grocery store lack efficiency because he is doing a good job at the grocery store?

Final Answer:  Nonsensical Question.  Next.

7. After losing did you feel you must return as soon as possible and win back your losses?

AP Answer:  Finally, a legitimate question!  Chasing losses is a terrible idea, the actual answer likely varies from one advantage player to another.  

Final Answer:  Depends on the AP in question.  

8. After a win did you have a strong urge to return and win more?

AP Answer: No, because if it was a REALLY good ongoing play, especially a promotion, there’s a pretty good chance that I never left in the first place.  

Final Answer:  Not Applicable.  Next.

9. Did you often gamble until your last dollar was gone?

AP Answer:  Yeah, having to run to the bank in the middle of a play sucks!

Final Answer: Yes

10. Did you ever borrow to finance your gambling?

AP Answer:  AP’s bankroll one another all the time, that’s nothing new.  

Final Answer:  Stupid Question.  Next.  

11. Have you ever sold anything to finance gambling?

AP Answer:  That’s going to vary from AP to AP, but even then, could the AP have bought it in the first place without gambling?  Furthermore, if an AP’s bankroll is essentially indistinguishable from his personal funds, then couldn’t everything the AP sells be construed as sold to finance gambling?

Final Answer:  Weird Question.  Next.  

12. Were you reluctant to use "gambling money" for normal expenditures?

AP Answer:  No matter who you are, isn’t that better than using, “Normal Expenditure Money,” for gambling?

Final Answer: Stupid Question.  Next.  

13………………………………………………………………………..

Unfortunately, our friend taking this test got a call about a really juicy play that was time sensitive and was unable to finish the test.  Hopefully, he will be able to finish it at a future time.  For the time being, it seems that the jury is out on whether or not APs exhibit the signs of addiction, but it certainly doesn’t seem like the Gambler’s Anonymous assessment is going to help us figure it out.

Comments

Nathan
Nathan Jan 26, 2017

I guess AP and gambling addict can look like they run parallel to each other. Except that AP plays with money he can afford and gambling addict plays with money meant to play bills.

FleaStiff
FleaStiff Jan 28, 2017

Gambler's Anoymous is like any other Twelve Step Anonymous Program: Utter Hogwash.

People who start off reciting being helpless against drugs and who fill their life with meetings, sponsors, more meetings, friends from meetings become fully absorbed into the drug addiction cycle and have no life outside of the world of drugs.

Its same way with Gambler's Anonymous, whether one considers it proudly or shamefully.

Mission146
Mission146 Jan 28, 2017

Nathan,

That's true, this Article was really meant to be more humorous than anything.

Fleastiff,

I really consider it more of a placebo effect than anything, if one believes it will work, then it probably will.

onenickelmiracle
onenickelmiracle Jan 28, 2017

If you do not perform to your potential, losing money by APing, even if you profit.

Mission146
Mission146 Jan 28, 2017

What is potential, though? I don't know that I would call it, 'Losing,' as opposed to not making as much as possible. For example, if you are doing something other than sleeping, eating or being in a casino, have you lost money or have you merely just not made as much as possible?

AxelWolf
AxelWolf Jan 29, 2017

Wizardofnothing
Wizardofnothing Jan 29, 2017

Axels comment is the best

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