The Daft Mind of a Mad Slots Player
January 31st, 2011 at 2:28:02 AM
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I need your help in figuring out what's up with this guy at my place. This is simply an opinion fest, scientific evidence is not required for your input.
We have a slots player that is, IMO, bonkers. He comes in and camps at the high limit, $100 machines. He produces a giant wad of $100's from his pockets and begins playing at least 2 machines, sometimes 3 if he's feeling frisky. The entire night is consumed with j/p payouts, usually a great number of $5k - $8k hits with the occasional $60k - $100k hit. He's not social; other than the Slot personnel who attend his payouts, his wife is the only person who he ever speaks to, and she accompanies him rarely (1-10 visits). He does not drink. He does not watch the TV's inside. He rarely uses the facilities. He rarely hits up the cafe (my experience is he NEVER does, but I assume he must eat sometime so I use 'rarely'). The machine he plays are simple, 3-reel games.
My question is.....what the hell is up with this guy?
For my own amusement, I've been trying to determine what makes this guy do what he does. I've tried applying my reasons of why people gamble to him, but none of them fit quite right.
Non-monetary: People enjoy going out with friends and having a good time, but this guy is Marco Solo (a lone wolf) so that doesn't fit. Often the gambling itself is a form of entertainment. But 3-reeled, mechanical slots? There's no story or sense of gameplay as in one of those LOTR machines, there's no 'haywire' rounds or other hooks to keep your attention, it's not even a video slot with funny / interesting symbols or flashy lights. Everyone has likes and dislikes, but I can hardly fathom three spinny reels qualifying as 'entertainment', so that doesn't fit.
Monetary: The Wins - He j/p's A LOT, but this guy literally piles $100 bills into at least 2 machines as fast as he can for hours straight (usually 6 - 16hrs at a time) If you have the disposable income to do that, how thrilled are you going to be with a relatively measly $8k j/p? Maybe it's not the money but just the thrill of the win, but he is as stoic as that word can be. He's not a downer, but literally shows no emotion whatsoever. I mean, he has a personality, he's not a weirdo or anything, but his gameplay is incredibly mechanical, almost robotic. Joy of the win doesn't fit.
The Money - No one who has that much money could have the ignorance to think they'll 'win' at slots. It's my opinion and maybe it's a stretch, but I can't wrap my head around this guy believing he's padding his retirement fund. And as said before, what's $8k, $60k, even $100k to a guy that pumps in many millions per year? I equate it to someone in $10,000 in BJ and winning $5, or maybe $25 doubled down. It's not going to make your day, in other words. The money doesnt fit.
The Perks - He does get ridiculous comps. I know he got some Lexus car and a new Denali, the total of them coming in around $150,000. He still had about a quarter million left in comps after those transactions. But hell, why spend the time pushing a button when you could just go buy them himself (or the whole dealership, for that matter)?. The rooms, too. Why comp your way to the suite when you could quite literally build your own hotel? It doesn't make sense.
My opinion of why - Social aspect? No. Entertainment? No. The money, the wins, the comps? Why bother, he has more money than Jesus. All these things considered, does anyone have thoughts on why this guy does what he does?
We have a slots player that is, IMO, bonkers. He comes in and camps at the high limit, $100 machines. He produces a giant wad of $100's from his pockets and begins playing at least 2 machines, sometimes 3 if he's feeling frisky. The entire night is consumed with j/p payouts, usually a great number of $5k - $8k hits with the occasional $60k - $100k hit. He's not social; other than the Slot personnel who attend his payouts, his wife is the only person who he ever speaks to, and she accompanies him rarely (1-10 visits). He does not drink. He does not watch the TV's inside. He rarely uses the facilities. He rarely hits up the cafe (my experience is he NEVER does, but I assume he must eat sometime so I use 'rarely'). The machine he plays are simple, 3-reel games.
My question is.....what the hell is up with this guy?
For my own amusement, I've been trying to determine what makes this guy do what he does. I've tried applying my reasons of why people gamble to him, but none of them fit quite right.
Non-monetary: People enjoy going out with friends and having a good time, but this guy is Marco Solo (a lone wolf) so that doesn't fit. Often the gambling itself is a form of entertainment. But 3-reeled, mechanical slots? There's no story or sense of gameplay as in one of those LOTR machines, there's no 'haywire' rounds or other hooks to keep your attention, it's not even a video slot with funny / interesting symbols or flashy lights. Everyone has likes and dislikes, but I can hardly fathom three spinny reels qualifying as 'entertainment', so that doesn't fit.
Monetary: The Wins - He j/p's A LOT, but this guy literally piles $100 bills into at least 2 machines as fast as he can for hours straight (usually 6 - 16hrs at a time) If you have the disposable income to do that, how thrilled are you going to be with a relatively measly $8k j/p? Maybe it's not the money but just the thrill of the win, but he is as stoic as that word can be. He's not a downer, but literally shows no emotion whatsoever. I mean, he has a personality, he's not a weirdo or anything, but his gameplay is incredibly mechanical, almost robotic. Joy of the win doesn't fit.
The Money - No one who has that much money could have the ignorance to think they'll 'win' at slots. It's my opinion and maybe it's a stretch, but I can't wrap my head around this guy believing he's padding his retirement fund. And as said before, what's $8k, $60k, even $100k to a guy that pumps in many millions per year? I equate it to someone in $10,000 in BJ and winning $5, or maybe $25 doubled down. It's not going to make your day, in other words. The money doesnt fit.
The Perks - He does get ridiculous comps. I know he got some Lexus car and a new Denali, the total of them coming in around $150,000. He still had about a quarter million left in comps after those transactions. But hell, why spend the time pushing a button when you could just go buy them himself (or the whole dealership, for that matter)?. The rooms, too. Why comp your way to the suite when you could quite literally build your own hotel? It doesn't make sense.
My opinion of why - Social aspect? No. Entertainment? No. The money, the wins, the comps? Why bother, he has more money than Jesus. All these things considered, does anyone have thoughts on why this guy does what he does?
The opinions of this moderator are for entertainment purposes only.
January 31st, 2011 at 3:15:01 AM
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I'm not sure who posted the link before, but he sounds like that lottery winner who was a compulsive gambler. Spent all his time in a casino hitting the slots.
Not that it's the same guy -- but the situation sounds identical.
No matter how many jackpots he's hit, I'm sure his wealth is decreasing like a volatile stock market on its way down..
Not that it's the same guy -- but the situation sounds identical.
No matter how many jackpots he's hit, I'm sure his wealth is decreasing like a volatile stock market on its way down..
There's no secret. Just know what you're talking about before you open your mouth.
January 31st, 2011 at 4:14:38 AM
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Money laundering?
EvenBob: "Look America, I have a tiny wee-wee, can anybody
help me?"
January 31st, 2011 at 4:15:48 AM
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I'm sticking my neck out here.
But I just think the guy is a gambling addict.....
But I just think the guy is a gambling addict.....
http://wizardofvegas.com/forum/off-topic/general/10042-woes-black-sheep-game-ii/#post151727
January 31st, 2011 at 5:26:27 AM
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Quote: FaceWe have a slots player that is, IMO, bonkers. He comes in and camps at the high limit, $100 machines. He produces a giant wad of $100's from his pockets and begins playing at least 2 machines, sometimes 3 if he's feeling frisky.
Meh, I wouldn't worry for him. He apparently has cash to burn and does it. What is the return on these, by the way, is it at least better than on quarters?
Quote: FaceNon-monetary: People enjoy going out with friends and having a good time, but this guy is Marco Solo (a lone wolf) so that doesn't fit. Often the gambling itself is a form of entertainment. But 3-reeled, mechanical slots? There's no story or sense of gameplay as in one of those LOTR machines, there's no 'haywire' rounds or other hooks to keep your attention, it's not even a video slot with funny / interesting symbols or flashy lights.
If I were playing $100 a spin, I'd definitely want mechanical slots. Non-chipped ones with real all-mechanical spins, preferably, but these seem to be extinct by now.
I can have story, gameplay and immersion at home on a spacious projector screen with hi-fi speakers... with a lot of money one can have a six-projector 180-degree 3D set - you don't need to go to the casino for story and gameplay. But that setup won't pay out jackpots.
It really has to be a gambling addiction. Presumably $8,000 is still a significant enough amount to him to enjoy the jackpot. In contrast, table game wins might be too small, or have too small reward-to-investment ratios for him.
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January 31st, 2011 at 5:56:43 AM
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How old is the guy? How old is his wife?
The guy is probably working with a credit line at the casino of millions. He has $100 bills, which is one credit. It must take him some time to load in the hundreds (my guess is about 5 seconds per $100). So, let's say he has an 8 hour session with two machines. He plays max bet ($300/pull). How much is he betting with?
It takes 15 seconds to load the money for a bet and 5 seconds to make the bet. So that's 20 seconds per $300, per machine. With that, he gets $900 of action per minute. That's $54,000 per hour. He will be stopped by any pays of over 80 credits. Over 8 hours he will have action of $432,000.
Wow.
That's addiction at its finest. Pure and simple. You don't want to take any time away from your gambling experience, so you minimize your cafe and bathroom trips. He could also be laundering.
The guy is probably working with a credit line at the casino of millions. He has $100 bills, which is one credit. It must take him some time to load in the hundreds (my guess is about 5 seconds per $100). So, let's say he has an 8 hour session with two machines. He plays max bet ($300/pull). How much is he betting with?
It takes 15 seconds to load the money for a bet and 5 seconds to make the bet. So that's 20 seconds per $300, per machine. With that, he gets $900 of action per minute. That's $54,000 per hour. He will be stopped by any pays of over 80 credits. Over 8 hours he will have action of $432,000.
Wow.
That's addiction at its finest. Pure and simple. You don't want to take any time away from your gambling experience, so you minimize your cafe and bathroom trips. He could also be laundering.
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You want the truth! You can't handle the truth!
January 31st, 2011 at 7:35:10 AM
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Quote: Face. Everyone has likes and dislikes, but I can hardly fathom three spinny reels qualifying as 'entertainment', so that doesn't fit.
It does indeed. There are quite a number of players for whom the multiple paylines and animated symbol schemes of a video slot machine are too much eye-candy. This is *especially* true in players over 60, which I'd guess from your description is his age. I'd also guess that he's a cash, not credit player: in other words, he inserts bills each pull, and only plays credits from the meter if he wins a few of them. Since $200-$300/pull generates a handpay a LOT of the time, his overall credit meter balance is likely to be low while he holds onto probably 10k in physical bankroll.
From your description, he may either be a problem gambler or an advantage player. Have you compared his win/loss records vs. his comp account? If the comp account is higher, he's beating you. Even if he's not, he may be breaking even. That plus the action is reason enough for some players.
Note: I don't think he's laundering money. Every cash transaction >=10k requires a CTR, so playing big-bill slots is a terrible way to avoid a paper trail.
"In my own case, when it seemed to me after a long illness that death was close at hand, I found no little solace in playing constantly at dice."
-- Girolamo Cardano, 1563
January 31st, 2011 at 7:39:01 AM
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Quote: P90Presumably $8,000 is still a significant enough amount to him to enjoy the jackpot. In contrast, table game wins might be too small, or have too small reward-to-investment ratios for him.
$8000 is only a 40x payout on a $200 pull. It doesn't take the mind too long to become accustomed to "inflation" when moving up in denomination, and I'm sure this fellow understands that $8000 is not a jackpot at all on a $100-denom machine.
"In my own case, when it seemed to me after a long illness that death was close at hand, I found no little solace in playing constantly at dice."
-- Girolamo Cardano, 1563
January 31st, 2011 at 8:04:05 AM
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Well, as far as single line slots go, I prefer them sometiems because I can follow what's going on. Put too many lines, some of which look like seismograph readings, and I've no idea what's happening where. Sometimes I think I ahve something, but the machine says no, and viceversa. So your guy may preffer simplicity. I've heard things like that in multi-hand VP too, which I do enjoy better than single line VP.
For the rest, I offer this piece of advice "People do what they do either because they want to or they must; in any case it's their business."
If you like to speculate about what the slot guy is doing, I suppose that's harmless. but if you want to know, you'd best ask him.
For the rest, I offer this piece of advice "People do what they do either because they want to or they must; in any case it's their business."
If you like to speculate about what the slot guy is doing, I suppose that's harmless. but if you want to know, you'd best ask him.
Donald Trump is a fucking criminal
January 31st, 2011 at 8:16:56 AM
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I don't know about the laundering part; all jackpots are 1099'd.
A falling knife has no handle.
January 31st, 2011 at 8:44:25 AM
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Quote: MathExtremist$8000 is only a 40x payout on a $200 pull. It doesn't take the mind too long to become accustomed to "inflation" when moving up in denomination, and I'm sure this fellow understands that $8000 is not a jackpot at all on a $100-denom machine.
What if he doesn't want to understand? Like, he always dreamed about winning a jackpot... or whatever. As long as it's called "jackpot", and as long as it's clearly more than a couple bets, the thrill of the win is still there.
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January 31st, 2011 at 9:00:39 AM
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Quote: boymimboIt takes 15 seconds to load the money for a bet and 5 seconds to make the bet. So that's 20 seconds per $300, per machine. With that, he gets $900 of action per minute. That's $54,000 per hour. He will be stopped by any pays of over 80 credits. Over 8 hours he will have action of $432,000. q]
For him this could just be a mindless stress release. I am sure that most people on this forum have some gambling activity that they don't think at much while partaking and just veg for relaxation, sort of like watching Wheel of Fortune on TV. Although the money sounds prohibitive for that kind of veging it might not be for him. The EV on those machines is likely less than 5%. Even at 5%, a session is only costing him $25K if boymimbo's estimate is right. That is likely not a lot of money for him. Less than a night at a high end club with an entourage when you are picking up the total tab.Be careful when you follow the masses, the M is sometimes silent.
January 31st, 2011 at 9:24:31 AM
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Money Laundering was my first thought, too. Maybe not even in the classic sense. Maybe it's more like "no, I didn't get that money from dealing meth. See? Here is my w-2g!" and not "wait...those $100 bills weren't real?!? Son of a Bitch!"
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
January 31st, 2011 at 9:29:29 AM
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Quote: P90What if he doesn't want to understand? Like, he always dreamed about winning a jackpot... or whatever. As long as it's called "jackpot", and as long as it's clearly more than a couple bets, the thrill of the win is still there.
But it's not called a jackpot. 40x is maybe a double-bar or triple-bar pay on a standard paytable. It's not anywhere close to the top award.
"In my own case, when it seemed to me after a long illness that death was close at hand, I found no little solace in playing constantly at dice."
-- Girolamo Cardano, 1563
January 31st, 2011 at 9:40:23 AM
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He gets away from his wife 9 times out of 10? He's building up the strength in his fingers so that he can play his grand piano louder?
I think the title of your post tells the true story.
I think the title of your post tells the true story.
January 31st, 2011 at 10:17:26 AM
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Quote: MathExtremistBut it's not called a jackpot. 40x is maybe a double-bar or triple-bar pay on a standard paytable. It's not anywhere close to the top award.
OP called them jackpots for some reason. Not sure if they really are.
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January 31st, 2011 at 10:18:25 AM
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He's the front man for a ring of really, really good counterfeiters.
The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality.---George Bernard Shaw
January 31st, 2011 at 6:53:16 PM
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i can certainly understand why the guy is mesmerized by the three reel slots in the High Limit room: they're my favorites, too.
Not that I play at that guys level ...
To me, it is all about the rush, the stimulation, the constant conflict between fear, hope, and greed; agony and ecstasy, ad infinitum.
It's akin to any sport where you place your body at risk, except here it is your bankroll you risk.
VERY stimulating.
But you need to bet enough to feel the sting of defeat, and to relish the joy of a victory.
Most of all: never chase your losses.
Properly done, high limit slot play can be and often is a lot of fun.
Me, I play a three reel multi-denomination, usually betting $2, frequently $5, and usually a couple times a session I max bet: $40.
Works for me.
Not that I play at that guys level ...
To me, it is all about the rush, the stimulation, the constant conflict between fear, hope, and greed; agony and ecstasy, ad infinitum.
It's akin to any sport where you place your body at risk, except here it is your bankroll you risk.
VERY stimulating.
But you need to bet enough to feel the sting of defeat, and to relish the joy of a victory.
Most of all: never chase your losses.
Properly done, high limit slot play can be and often is a lot of fun.
Me, I play a three reel multi-denomination, usually betting $2, frequently $5, and usually a couple times a session I max bet: $40.
Works for me.
"What, me worry?"
January 31st, 2011 at 8:23:21 PM
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Quote: Face
My opinion of why - Social aspect? No. Entertainment? No. The money, the wins, the comps? Why bother, he has more money than Jesus. All these things considered, does anyone have thoughts on why this guy does what he does?
Gambling away the kids' inheritance out of spite?
Otherwise, I say he's just hooked on watching the reels, getting into that zone where the seratonin flows as he anticipated that third red seven, or the SPIN symbol, or whatever it is on the machines he prefers. $5/$10/$25 isn't enough to get his juices flowing, just like I can't play the penny lines, it's too close to playing for free. $100/spin is the number that makes the result mean something.
I didn't read past the first post; how often is he there? Once a month, once a week, or several times a week? Daily? It makes a difference, even if the bankroll and bet size are outrageous to us.
A falling knife has no handle.
January 31st, 2011 at 10:32:29 PM
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Interesting replies, thanks to you all!
Sorry for the confusion in vernacular. "Jackpot" is the term I used as any win of over $5,000 is completed by Slots via a jackpot form, is processed by the Cage as a jackpot, and is called in to Surveillance as a jackpot. I did not use it as the more common definition 'the highest payout possible'. By that definition, his wins of <$100k would not be considered as such.
Money laundering is something I doubt. For one he is a lawyer (which I know doesn't really mean anything) but most laundering cases involve people entering smaller piles of money into multiple machines and cashing out within a few spins of entering said bills. The dirty money switches to a clean TITO and then into clean cash, as opposed to this multiple jackpot scenario which would create an impressive paper trail.
Your thoughts really shed some light on this as I am surrounded by like-minded individuals. It's hard to bounce ideas off of people in an attempt to think diffrently when everyone thinks just like you, ya know?
Perhaps it really just is the entertainment. Being a lawyer, a very successful one at that given his bankroll, he must have spent an awfully large amount of time with his nose in books. Constantly going through documents, affidavits, etc....maybe something just totally un-cerebral is just what the doctor ordered. Also, I could be biased on what I consider 'stimulating'. To me, with my daily barrage of hi-def immersion filled video games, it may seem boring. But who knows what kind of lifestyle he leads?
The stress relief, as someone said, makes sense too. I'm kinda surprised I never thought of that myself, because I'll often take a day or three off and do nothing but play video games (or I used to before becoming a father) This is pretty much the same thing, except the money aspect blinded it from me. $100 on my bankroll for video games might very likely equate to his $100k on his bankroll for slots.
Some asked his age and how often he plays. In case this will further the conversation, he appears to be late 50's, early 60's. And he comes in often enough to be a regular, but not so much that I'd think addiction was an issue. Of course he could be hitting casino's all over the east coast when he's not here, but I dunno. He just doesn't seem like the type, if I may stereotype for a moment. I'd say he averages a weekend long trip every two months-ish. This is just my own general estimate, as I am obviously not here 24/7/365.
IThere's a chance he could actually be ahead when figuring comps and the like. To be honest, I never did an in-depth rundown to figure it all out, I just made an assumption that anyone who played that much money that frequently in slots would HAVE to be down. Otherwise how else would we be in business, ya know? So I doubt he is actually ahead, but I suppose they could make up for it enough where he only APPEARS to be down the GNP of Trinidad (and maybe even Tobego), while his actual losses are not as astronomical. And to whoever had asked (P90?), yes the return is higher on $100 vs $0.25. As a general rule, the higher the denom, the higher the return.
I may have taken your post wrong, Nareed, but I hope you're not troubled by my facination of this guy. Although it could be said that I am 'judging' him, I'm not in the typical negative sense. I have no desire to 'save' him, or advise him on whats right or wrong, or to tell him that he truely is quite daft, as that would be rude and opinionated. Likewise, I'd never go up to him and ask him what he's doing, as I feel it would likewise be rude. Your quote was quite wise, 'people do what they do out of need or desire, either way its their business' (hope I didnt butcher it too bad =)) and I feel the same way. Just for whatever reason this guy piques my curiosity, and I am interested in the psychology behind his actions. Since I couldn't figure him out to my own satisfaction, I figured I'd pry into the minds of some very smart people, and this is the only place I know which contains a great supply of such. No harm intended, thanks for the inputs!
Sorry for the confusion in vernacular. "Jackpot" is the term I used as any win of over $5,000 is completed by Slots via a jackpot form, is processed by the Cage as a jackpot, and is called in to Surveillance as a jackpot. I did not use it as the more common definition 'the highest payout possible'. By that definition, his wins of <$100k would not be considered as such.
Money laundering is something I doubt. For one he is a lawyer (which I know doesn't really mean anything) but most laundering cases involve people entering smaller piles of money into multiple machines and cashing out within a few spins of entering said bills. The dirty money switches to a clean TITO and then into clean cash, as opposed to this multiple jackpot scenario which would create an impressive paper trail.
Your thoughts really shed some light on this as I am surrounded by like-minded individuals. It's hard to bounce ideas off of people in an attempt to think diffrently when everyone thinks just like you, ya know?
Perhaps it really just is the entertainment. Being a lawyer, a very successful one at that given his bankroll, he must have spent an awfully large amount of time with his nose in books. Constantly going through documents, affidavits, etc....maybe something just totally un-cerebral is just what the doctor ordered. Also, I could be biased on what I consider 'stimulating'. To me, with my daily barrage of hi-def immersion filled video games, it may seem boring. But who knows what kind of lifestyle he leads?
The stress relief, as someone said, makes sense too. I'm kinda surprised I never thought of that myself, because I'll often take a day or three off and do nothing but play video games (or I used to before becoming a father) This is pretty much the same thing, except the money aspect blinded it from me. $100 on my bankroll for video games might very likely equate to his $100k on his bankroll for slots.
Some asked his age and how often he plays. In case this will further the conversation, he appears to be late 50's, early 60's. And he comes in often enough to be a regular, but not so much that I'd think addiction was an issue. Of course he could be hitting casino's all over the east coast when he's not here, but I dunno. He just doesn't seem like the type, if I may stereotype for a moment. I'd say he averages a weekend long trip every two months-ish. This is just my own general estimate, as I am obviously not here 24/7/365.
IThere's a chance he could actually be ahead when figuring comps and the like. To be honest, I never did an in-depth rundown to figure it all out, I just made an assumption that anyone who played that much money that frequently in slots would HAVE to be down. Otherwise how else would we be in business, ya know? So I doubt he is actually ahead, but I suppose they could make up for it enough where he only APPEARS to be down the GNP of Trinidad (and maybe even Tobego), while his actual losses are not as astronomical. And to whoever had asked (P90?), yes the return is higher on $100 vs $0.25. As a general rule, the higher the denom, the higher the return.
I may have taken your post wrong, Nareed, but I hope you're not troubled by my facination of this guy. Although it could be said that I am 'judging' him, I'm not in the typical negative sense. I have no desire to 'save' him, or advise him on whats right or wrong, or to tell him that he truely is quite daft, as that would be rude and opinionated. Likewise, I'd never go up to him and ask him what he's doing, as I feel it would likewise be rude. Your quote was quite wise, 'people do what they do out of need or desire, either way its their business' (hope I didnt butcher it too bad =)) and I feel the same way. Just for whatever reason this guy piques my curiosity, and I am interested in the psychology behind his actions. Since I couldn't figure him out to my own satisfaction, I figured I'd pry into the minds of some very smart people, and this is the only place I know which contains a great supply of such. No harm intended, thanks for the inputs!
The opinions of this moderator are for entertainment purposes only.
February 1st, 2011 at 1:05:15 AM
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Quote: FaceAnd to whoever had asked (P90?), yes the return is higher on $100 vs $0.25. As a general rule, the higher the denom, the higher the return.
Ofc. Although not always, from the lists I've seen, the payback % sometimes tends to fall back down after $5-$25. I was mostly wondering if you know what it is specifically. There can be a lot of difference between 95% and 98% payback in terms of end result.
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February 1st, 2011 at 4:04:01 PM
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From what I know of law and lawyers, I would say you are very close to the mark on this.Quote: Face
Perhaps it really just is the entertainment. Being a lawyer, a very successful one at that given his bankroll, he must have spent an awfully large amount of time with his nose in books. Constantly going through documents, affidavits, etc....maybe something just totally un-cerebral is just what the doctor ordered. Also, I could be biased on what I consider 'stimulating'. To me, with my daily barrage of hi-def immersion filled video games, it may seem boring. But who knows what kind of lifestyle he leads?
The only thing I would add is that lawyers who gamble recklessly usually seek out the best games, like playing very high odds multiples in craps, or high-limit blackjack. I've never heard of them playing slot machines.
"Dice, verily, are armed with goads and driving-hooks, deceiving and tormenting, causing grievous woe." -Rig Veda 10.34.4
February 1st, 2011 at 4:48:15 PM
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Quote: teddysFrom what I know of law and lawyers, I would say you are very close to the mark on this.
The only thing I would add is that lawyers who gamble recklessly usually seek out the best games, like playing very high odds multiples in craps, or high-limit blackjack. I've never heard of them playing slot machines.
Perhaps, but playing high-denom slots provides a specific combination of experiences that he may want. If he wants to sit in a comfy padded chair, not think about play strategy, and be in a relaxing, mostly-secluded environment, neither craps nor blackjack fit the bill.
"In my own case, when it seemed to me after a long illness that death was close at hand, I found no little solace in playing constantly at dice."
-- Girolamo Cardano, 1563
February 1st, 2011 at 6:50:30 PM
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Quote: MathExtremistPerhaps, but playing high-denom slots provides a specific combination of experiences that he may want. If he wants to sit in a comfy padded chair, not think about play strategy, and be in a relaxing, mostly-secluded environment, neither craps nor blackjack fit the bill.
I've just returned from visiting a new acquaintance tonight. He plays the $5,000 per spin slots in Vegas.
I suppose it's all relative to some extent. A 25c slot player could be more addicted to gambling than the person who spends $100,000 per night if their bankrolls are widely different.
February 1st, 2011 at 8:12:01 PM
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We have a player who plays anywhere from 12 to 38 hours straight. Most of the time it's over 24 hours straight. I mean he plays continuously, barely taking time to go to the restroom and eating food at the machines. He plays multiple dollar reel slots at the same time. He never sits down and plays using $20 bills. He is in a similar situation as the money itself isn't a motivating factor. He seems to have a virtually unlimited supply. The games he plays have relatively low top awards of $5,000 or so. It took us a while to get a handle on his motivation. It turns out he has a progressively debilitating medical condition. The condition is painful and exacerbated by sitting or remaining still. He plays until he is exhausted to the point that he can pass out for maybe 6 or 7 hours. I bet he would give all his money up for relief from his condition.
Mark
Mark
February 1st, 2011 at 10:34:57 PM
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He's a lawyer? Here's a novel idea:
He's going to sue the casino!
Terrance Watanabe (former owner of Oriental Trading) tried it with Harrah's.
During a year-long gambling binge at the Caesars Palace and Rio casinos in 2007, Terrance Watanabe managed to lose nearly $127 million.
...
It also benefitted the two casinos' parent company, Harrah's Entertainment Inc., which derived about 5.6% of its Las Vegas gambling revenue from Mr. Watanabe that year.
...
In a civil suit filed in Clark County District Court last month, Mr. Watanabe, 52 years old, says casino staff routinely plied him with liquor and pain medication as part of a systematic plan to keep him gambling.
A few more million bucks in the slots, some incriminating statements by a host caught on tape, maybe this lawyer thinks he can hit the REAL jackpot!
He's going to sue the casino!
Terrance Watanabe (former owner of Oriental Trading) tried it with Harrah's.
During a year-long gambling binge at the Caesars Palace and Rio casinos in 2007, Terrance Watanabe managed to lose nearly $127 million.
...
It also benefitted the two casinos' parent company, Harrah's Entertainment Inc., which derived about 5.6% of its Las Vegas gambling revenue from Mr. Watanabe that year.
...
In a civil suit filed in Clark County District Court last month, Mr. Watanabe, 52 years old, says casino staff routinely plied him with liquor and pain medication as part of a systematic plan to keep him gambling.
A few more million bucks in the slots, some incriminating statements by a host caught on tape, maybe this lawyer thinks he can hit the REAL jackpot!
February 25th, 2012 at 7:21:47 PM
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Not sure how many will care, but I can't help but tie up loose ends... the guy got nicked. Embezzlement from an oil company he was partners in. They got him on $900,000+ so far and estimate it'll be over $5mm when all is said and done.
Trust your gut, people ;)
Trust your gut, people ;)
The opinions of this moderator are for entertainment purposes only.
February 25th, 2012 at 7:38:25 PM
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Link or it didn't happen...
In a bet, there is a fool and a thief.
- Proverb.
February 25th, 2012 at 8:17:34 PM
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One of my parent's friends is a gambling addict, and all she plays is slots. She goes to the casino from Friday night until Sunday night and probably plays 20+ hours during this period every weekend. She plays about $10 a spin, constantly inserting $100 bills. She was actually my guidance counselor when I was in high school, she is such a nice lady but she just doesn't understand how much the odds are against her. She is constantly telling my parents about the jackpots that she has hit (2,000 to 10,000), however I am confident that she is down at least a couple hundred thousand overall. She retired from her position at my old high school about 5 years ago, but she has been substitute teaching everyday for about the past 2 years, clearly because she has lost so much at the casino. She shows my parents her gold card, which entitles her to tons of comps at our local casino, but we feel bad for her because we know she has already drained so much of her retirement fund in just a few years. Some people don't know, or don't care, about the odds. I'm sure this man looses heavily, but my guess is that it is simply addiction above anything else. If he has a lot of money he can keep it going for a long time, but that house edge will keep compounding on him and he will end up losing a ton in the end.
February 25th, 2012 at 8:38:09 PM
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A guidance counselor with hundreds of thousands to lose, you say?
Where do all these people get their money?
Slot machine addiction is a self curing ailment for most....
Where do all these people get their money?
Slot machine addiction is a self curing ailment for most....
In a bet, there is a fool and a thief.
- Proverb.
February 25th, 2012 at 11:55:09 PM
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Quote: WongBoA guidance counselor with hundreds of thousands to lose, you say?
Where do all these people get their money?
Slot machine addiction is a self curing ailment for most....
Making 60-70k a year I'm sure she was able to accumulate a lot over 35 years. Unfortunately she has given most of it to the casino. Hence why she is back working just a few years after she retired.
February 26th, 2012 at 6:56:10 AM
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Its a Partnership!
Somewhere there is a partner minding the store and he is the partner minding the till or else the casino is owned by two partners, one of whom has his eye on the bottom line while this one has his thumb on the RNG.
Somewhere there is a partner minding the store and he is the partner minding the till or else the casino is owned by two partners, one of whom has his eye on the bottom line while this one has his thumb on the RNG.
February 26th, 2012 at 7:36:08 PM
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If he's an attorney, there has to be an angle somewhere.
Gambling is a metaphor for life. Hang around long enough and it's all gone.
February 26th, 2012 at 8:15:51 PM
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Quote: WongBoLink or it didn't happen...
I saw it in the local paper and I just landed in Vegas. I'll have to look it up when I get home
The opinions of this moderator are for entertainment purposes only.
February 27th, 2012 at 4:03:45 PM
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Quote: JimMorrisonMoney laundering?
I was gonna say that, but that doesn't really fit either, because launderers aren't going to play several machines for long hours, you'll be losing too much of the money. I would say he just has a gambling problem.
March 4th, 2012 at 7:03:05 PM
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Quote: WongBoLink or it didn't happen...
Ask and Ye Shall Receive
The opinions of this moderator are for entertainment purposes only.
March 4th, 2012 at 9:39:59 PM
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Quote: WongBoWhere do all these people get their money?
Where, indeed.
For years, I would see a retired couple hammering the high limit slots at Spirit Mtn. and Chinook Winds casinos, each playing multiple machines at the same time.
The lady, I have an image of her with a wild, frenzied look on her face, like a crazy woman, clutching a handful of hundred dollar bills, preparing to feed the maws of her slot machines.
Well dressed couple, but nobody I'd ever seen before, i.e. not public figures.
They must have pissed away a couple million, easy.
"What, me worry?"
March 5th, 2012 at 8:27:52 AM
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Quote: Face
Thanks, Face.
I guess it's true after all.
Sorry I doubted you.
In a bet, there is a fool and a thief.
- Proverb.
March 5th, 2012 at 9:02:50 AM
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Quote: WongBoQuote: Face
Thanks, Face.
I guess it's true after all.
Sorry I doubted you.
No worries, I'm used to it. That's the nature of this site and why I like it so much. Less BS, more "prove it".
The opinions of this moderator are for entertainment purposes only.
