Page 26 - May 2013 • Southern California Gaming Guide

Bill Burton: About Gambling
TAvoiding Casino Frenzy
he other night, my wife and I were reminiscing about our rst visit to Las Vegas. Although it was almost 30 years ago, I still have vivid memories of it. Most notably was the fact that I got caught up in what I later learned was casino frenzy. We were in Las Vegas for ve nights, and I
slept only an average of three hours a night. We would get up in the morning and go casino hopping until dinner time, see a show, and then I would head to the casino where we were staying and gamble for 8 to 10 hours before heading back to my room for a nap, and then get up and do it all over again. I came home completely exhausted.
Back then, there were only two places in the country to gamble: Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Living in Connecticut, we had been to Atlantic City numerous times, but we had never ventured outside our time zone.
With the three-hour time di erence, as soon as we landed in Las Vegas, I set my watch to local time and that gave my body a false sense of time. When I went to bed at 4 a.m., it was really 7 a.m. to me. A few years later, I learned to keep my watch set to my home time, as it helped me stay in a normal routine and cut back on my playing time.
Of course, if you are playing at your local casino, you won’t have to worry about the change of time zones, but wear a watch when you go to the casino, and make a habit of checking it occasionally. If you are by yourself, you can set the alarm on your watch, phone, or iPod to help you from getting completely caught up in your playing sessions, which happens to many players. When you sit down to play slots, the spinning reels on slot machines can have a hypnotic e ect on some players.
Highway Hypnosis
e hypnotic e ect is similar to a phenomenon many people experience while driving, known as “highway hypnosis.” Anyone who has driven long distances has probably experienced this state. It is usually occurs when youaredrivingonalongstraightroadataconstantspeed. Your body becomes relaxed, and the passing lines in the road send your brain into a subconscious state, and before you know it, you’ve become lulled into a passive trance. You
arrive at your destination with no recollection of having actually driven there or the time it took you to arrive.
When you are in this state, your conscious and subconscious minds go in di erent directions, and you are essentially in a hypnotic trance. Workers performing simple and repetitive tasks and people deprived of sleep are likely to experience similar symptoms.
e same symptoms can occur in slot players who deprive themselves of proper sleep and nutrition, as they spend hours sitting in front of slot machines, playing their favorite games. Instead of watching passing lines in the center of a highway, they are staring at the spinning reels of a slot machine while performing the repetitive task of hitting the spin button. ey are lulled into a state of hypnosis, which causes them to lose all track of time.
While in this state, they are not aware of how long they have been playing.
Have a Casino Plan
If this has ever happened to you, there are some things that you can do to help avoid going into a trance when you play.
Don’t constantly stare straight into the slot machine screen. Keep your eyes moving while you are playing.
is will keep you from xating on the machine, and make you more aware of your surroundings while helping you stay alert.
If you go to the casino with friends, plan on meeting at a speci c time for lunch, dinner, or just to take a break.
is is will insure you a break-o point to get away. Or better yet, play with your friends at adjacent machines. Stop for a few seconds and chat between spins. You can socialize and play at the same time. And this will help keep you from being totally absorbed in the game.
We all want to have a good time when we visit the casino, but it is not enjoyable when we come home exhausted from playing marathon sessions. Use these tips to avoid getting caught up in the game. Stay in control when you play, and you will have a much better time. e longer you play, the more you are exposing your money to the house edge. Playing marathon gaming sessions is a sure way to lose.
Until next time, remember: “Luck comes and goes... Knowledge Stays Forever.”
Bill Burton is the author of 1000 Best Casino Gambling Secrets and Get the Edge at Low Limit Texas Hold’em available online at billburton.com. Burton is also an instructor for Golden Touch Craps: thecrapsclub.com.
PAGE 26
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAMING GUIDE
MAY 2013