Poll: Do you go to Vegas to win, or lose money

Obviously the casinos on the strip do their darndest to make sure you don't leave town with a single penny. There's plenty of fun to be had, from the shows, restaurants, clubs, and shopping.

I see here that a lot of people go into it with a set bankroll, and would like to get out of the place with some money left, if they can.

My wife and I will go to Vegas with a budget, which I would define differently than a bankroll. We have one chunk of cash that we use for games, food, and entertainment. Maybe we have left with a couple hundred, but usually we are tapped out.

If we are doing well at the tables, we will be going to extra shows and eating at nicer restaurants. If we are losing, we are going to spend more time at the pool and eating fast food. Basically our strategy is "how much fun can we have for X dollars." So some trips are low-key, and some trips are fancier.

I'm curious: How many people are bankrollers that keep their gambling money separate from their entertainment money, and how many are budgeters that spend everything from one pile? Or do you have a different strategy?

I don't have the cash to keep playing but usually am smart enough to quit a little ahead. Poker, BJ, Pass-line craps, and VP only for me. I simply shake my head when I see people feeding slots like the pigeomn pecking and waiting for the pellet to fall out.

Quote: dudestupid

I'm curious: How many people are bankrollers that keep their gambling money separate from their entertainment money, and how many are budgeters that spend everything from one pile? Or do you have a different strategy?

I always take a set bankroll for gambling when I go to Vegas - this way I have the funds to enjoy the food and entertainment, and not have to worry if I hit a bad streak (which I always seem to have). Most of my trips start off in the hole, and I crawl back to even. It also helps temper me from betting over my head, if I lose half of my bankroll the first day, then I'll play conservative for a while to preserve what I have left.

-B

I don't think I can vote here, because I don't understand what the question is. The thread title, the poll options, and the initial post seem to be talking about three different things. Someone could say, (1) I go to win, (2) I always go home broke, and (3) I have a gambling budget (or alternately, I don't). How would that person respond to this thread?

Both answers are correct!

I keep the two funds absolutely distinct and separate. That way, the level of my non-gambling enjoyment (shows, meals, etc.) isn't affected by the vicissitudes of luck. I have never paid for a room or food in Vegas, so that's not an issue.

The one time I did alter that plan was when I hit three royal flushes in the first four hours of VP play, two on .25 denoms and one on .50, so I was up $4000 by the middle of the first day. However, I was there for an entire week. So I sent $3200 home, and spent the rest seeing shows I would never have normally paid to see, and hanging out in the piano bars drinking $10 cocktails. But that was, in a sense, illogical, because if I didn't think that it was worth spending $800 on those activities before, I shouldn't have changed my mind about that just because I was spending "won" money. In retrospect, I had better uses for that $800.

i think i get it. hes saying like do you do something extravagant if you have the money left over from your budget. or do you consider it your bankroll for later.


I wish i could say i had separate budget for life and Vegas. It goes back to bankroll for regular life stuff.

I can't say yes to either of the choices. How good I have been doing gambling will effect how much I will spend on more extravagent meals etc. But that isn't to say I never leave with any money. I have left Vegas with more than I brought several times and usually leave with some of my budget. My budget is for the trip and includes gambling and any other expenses. If I have been winning I will end up gambling more and at higher limits. If I am losing I scale back my gambling to match my bankroll and will take long stretches away from the tables.

A good trip for me is if I have won enough to totally satisfy my gambling itch any funds taken back home are a bonus. I never take enough funds to satisfy the itch if I am having a losing time at the tables.

People with budgets are what places like Vegas loves. You bring enough to lose each day, great, and then another pile to spend on expenses. And I suppose everyone with a "budget" says they never use the casino ATM's either.

The thread's question, however, was do you go to win or lose money. Since most won't be honest, I will. I go TO WIN MONEY. Only a confused, misled individual would bring enough money to "lose" each day!

Man, I thought this was a Mensa-inspired forum....

I try to leave with money, but I don't sweat it if I don't. I took $2500 and left with between $2100 & $2200. I didn't start betting crazy because I had money left, I just smiled inwardly that I didn't lose big.

I re-read my post and poll. No, it actually doesn't make any sense at all. I think my actual question was "does anybody go on Vegas vacations with exactly the same mind-set as me." And of course, the answer would be no.

I did not vote.

When I go to Vegas - or ANY casino - I go expecting to have a good time.

If I also win, then, BONUS!

But my main goal is just to have a good time.

I go strictly to win at my game of choice, at which I consider myself a semi-pro. I keep playing until I either reach my goal or the trip ends. If you have an edge, there is no reason you shouldn't just keep playing. I bet well within my bankroll, and don't sweat the short term fluctuations.

But, when I reach my trip goal I will indulge in my penny slot guilty pleasures to pass the time (and, build up quality comp points). I am a sucker for both the Lucky Penney Penguin game, and the Invaders from Planet MooLah (the cows) game. I set the volume to high, put a couple of hundred in the machine, play the minimum, get drunk and have just a whale of a time.

Funny thing is, I don't seem to lose that much. I actually came out ahead on my last trip. The penguins were very kind.

When I go, it doesn't matter, I just make the right decisions in 21, keep a low wager profile, and try not to draw attention. For Craps, I play at the $5 tables and try not to play props. It gets juicy sometimes... lotta no-point.

Quote: 98Clubs

When I go, it doesn't matter, I just make the right decisions in 21

I go to win, thats the only reason. I don't eat there (casino) unless the wife is with me, I don't talk to anybody, I don't hang around after I'm done. I have goals, I reach them and leave. Casinos bore the living crap out of me, all I see is the game I play, the rest is completely invisible.

Quote: dudestupid

Obviously the casinos on the strip do their darndest to make sure you don't leave town with a single penny. There's plenty of fun to be had, from the shows, restaurants, clubs, and shopping.

I see here that a lot of people go into it with a set bankroll, and would like to get out of the place with some money left, if they can.

My wife and I will go to Vegas with a budget, which I would define differently than a bankroll. We have one chunk of cash that we use for games, food, and entertainment. Maybe we have left with a couple hundred, but usually we are tapped out.

If we are doing well at the tables, we will be going to extra shows and eating at nicer restaurants. If we are losing, we are going to spend more time at the pool and eating fast food. Basically our strategy is "how much fun can we have for X dollars." So some trips are low-key, and some trips are fancier.

I'm curious: How many people are bankrollers that keep their gambling money separate from their entertainment money, and how many are budgeters that spend everything from one pile? Or do you have a different strategy?

Since I play blackjack every week of the year, my bankroll, which was established years ago is separate and I will never lose it. If the time comes when I can't find a decent game in Vegas, I won't play. That hasn't happened yet but it would be no big deal if it does. My wife enjoys the classic 25 cent slots and can usually stretch a couple of $20 bills playing multipliers one coin at a time. That and the occasional penny slot is what makes her happy.

Budget- smudget. It's still a vacation like any other so winning or losing is not going to dictate the shows we see, where we eat or any other aspect of our trip. We've had winning trips and losing trips but losing never means we're eating at McDonald's or lying by the pool getting skin cancer.

Of course the casinos do everything they can to make sure you don't leave town with a single penny. That doesn't mean they are bad people and it doesn't give anyone a reason to hate them. It means they are doing their jobs and quiet well.

Yes, I go to win. If I went to lose, I would just mail them a check.