Page 16 - December 2002 • Southern California Gaming Guide

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAMING GUIDE
Using Common Sense in a Casino Pby Jean Scott
laying smarter in a casino does not necessarily require a lot of math knowledge and special skills. It is good, of course, to study the games and learn about mathematical odds, but what if you don’t want to go to “gambler’s school.” You just want some
simple advice on how to make your gambling bankroll last longer in a casino. Okay, let’s see what we can do, by just using common-sense ideas.
5. Play at a slower pace. Choose crowded tables so you are putting less money at risk by playing fewer hands. There is no reward for speed demons on the machines. So stop sometimes to chat with your neigh- bors. Stop hitting the buttons and pull the handles for a while. Feed the machines with coins instead of using the bill acceptors. I observed a couple recently that had a unique and enviable way to slow down their video poker play. They took turns playing one machine while the other watched, and every time they hit four- of-a-kind they stopped and hugged and kissed.
Do you think you are a pretty sensible person? You work hard at your job. You pay your bills on time. You shop sales. You budget your money carefully. Then don’t drop your common sense at the entrance to a casino. Take it in with you and use the very same careful thought—and you will nd that you can play longer and have more fun!
Jean Scott is the author of the best-selling book The Frugal Gambler, a casino guide for thrifty low rollers, plus a sequel, More Frugal Gambling, to be published very soon. She stresses sensible, responsible gambling and shows how to stretch out casino fun time whatever your gambling bankroll. She is a popular speaker and writer on gaming subjects. She has a weekly Internet column called “Frugal Fridays” on www.lasvegasadvisor.com. Today, Jean Scott, who, in her words, is just an “ordinary grandmother,” is the world’s most famous low-rolling gambler and her fans are legion. Her web site can be found at www.frugalgambler.biz.
1. Accept the fact that the main thing casinos are offering is entertainment. Of course everyone wants to win, but be honest with yourself: You know that it is more likely that you will lose. So what is your real reason for being in a casino? You want to have fun, right? Too many people will not admit this to themselves. And then, when they lose, they feel very unhappy because they have “wasted” their money. The healthy attitude is to consider your bankroll your
“cost” for this entertainment choice. And what other entertainment options give you a shot at bringing home more money than you took with you!
2. Choose your gambling bankroll from the part of your household budget marked “Entertainment.” This is money you sometimes use to eat out at a nice restaurant or go to a movie or spend on a skiing trip. This is not money you set aside for groceries or the mortgage or the kids’ school clothes. Unless you are an extremely disciplined person, you should have this whole bankroll with you, in cash if it is a small amount,
in traveler’s checks if it a large sum. You should not have your checkbook or your atm card or your credit card. Nothing will take the fun out of gambling faster than losing money that has already been earmarked for necessities.
3. Choose your playing denomination carefully. If you have been playing dollars machines in the past and your bankroll usually didn’t last long enough, then the sensible thing to do is play quarters. Lose too much playing green chips at the tables? Stick to red chips. Going down in denomination is probably the easiest technique to use to stretch your money.
4. Give yourself frequent breaks. Nothing will make you more sluggish than sitting at a machine or table for hours at a time. Go outside for a fresh-air break. Hit the snack bar for a quick bite. Or stop in the race book and put a couple of dollars down and watch one horse race. You can also change machines or tables frequently to stretch tired muscles.
Over 200,000 Readers In Southern California
Pick up a copy at over 3,000 locations in Los Angeles (including the San Fernando Valley), Orange, San Diego, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties!
Albertson’s • Vons • Ralph’s • 7-Eleven Blockbuster Video • Hotels • Motels Car Rental Agencies • Tourist Centers
Pick Up Your FREE Copy Today!
Page 16
December 2002
Column: The Frugal Gambler