Page 21 - January 2014 • Southern California Gaming Guide

Casino Fun Goals for 2014
by Maya Winkler
I’m bucking the tide this year. I’m not making any New Year’s resolutions. Maybe it’s just my contrarian approach to life these days. Or else it’s my frustration at starting o each New Year with the best intentions and by February, my resolutions are OBE
(overtaken by events). I used to love committing promises to myself in writing at the beginning of each year, even though within a few months, I would abandon my new exercise routine, the much-needed low-carb diet, and too many other resolutions to reveal. After so many years of repeating the same pattern, I’ve decided it is insane.
Did the ancients know better? e Babylonians made promises to their gods at the start of each year that they would return borrowed objects and pay their debts. e Romans began each year by making promises to the god Janus, for whom the month of January is named. In the Medieval era, knights took the “peacock vow” at the end of the Christmas season each year to re-a rm their commitment to chivalry. And many Christians prepare for the year ahead by praying and making resolutions.
ere are other religious parallels to this tradition. People make resolutions during the fasting period of Lent, though the motive behind this holiday is more of sacri ce than of responsibility. In fact, the practice of New Year’s resolutions partially came from Lenten sacri ces. e concept, regardless of religious belief, is to re ect upon self-improvement annually — and resolve to change.
But a 2007 study involving 3,000 people, conducted by Dr. Richard Wiseman from the University of Bristol, in England, showed that 88% of those who set New Year resolutions fail, despite the fact that 52% of the study’s participants were con dent of success at the beginning.
And here’s some interesting gender-speci c stats: Men achieved their goal 22% more often when they engaged in goal setting (a system where small measurable goals are being set, such as losing a pound a week, instead of saying “lose weight”), while women succeeded 10% more when they made their goals public and got support from their friends.
Hmmm, making my resolutions public? What if I shun “resolving” for actual goal-making? I’m game and hopeful it will work. I won’t bore you with my health and tness goals, so let’s move onto something I bet you, Southern California Gaming Guide readers, can relate to: Fun goals for casino play.
So here are my casino goals for 2014. Will they work for you, too?
Enter and play in casino promotions.
Every month casinos run amazing promotions giving away cash, cars, free play or other prizes. I’ve always thought,
“I can’t win, don’t bother to enter.” But this year, I will enter and play in at least one casino promotion a month. Who knows? I may win a new car!
Learn and play a new casino game.
I will admit it, I’m a one-game casino player. I enjoy video slots. But this year, I’m going to branch out and play video poker, or learn a table game. After all, both games have a lower house edge when you learn to play them correctly. ere are excellent tutorials for video poker: check out Bob Dancer’s.
Open a new bank account only for casino play.
I’ve been intending to do this for a while, as I know that having one bank account will help me keep better records of my gambling—and better controls. I will keep a budgeted amount in the account each month, and when that’s gone, I have to wait for the following month before I can play again.
Start and maintain a gaming log.
Each year, the IRS allows you to deduct gambling losses up to the amount of your winnings. You can do this only if you have documentation of your play for the entire year. So keeping a log is essential to take advantage of the deduction. And it’s the right time to start one. ere are mobile phone apps to keep the process easy right while you’re in the casino. Check out the iPhone app “Casino Gambling Tracker” and “Casino Tracker” for Android phones. I haven’t used either, but plan to begin this year.
Faithfully sign up and use a players club card in every casino.
I want to take advantage this year of all and any comps that casinos want to give me. I know if I don’t use a players club card, the casino can’t track my play and reward me. And using a players card doesn’t a ect how the machine pays out.
Keep my winnings.
ere is nothing worse than winning money at the casino and then playing it all back. So when I am ahead, I will cash out and put those winnings away so I make sure I leave with some of them.
Go to the casino with friends.
is year I’m going to make sure I enjoy more at the casino and get a group together and play, have a meal and even see a show. I’ve seen groups of friends laughing, hooting at each win while they play slots and table games. After all, playing at the casino is all about having fun, right?
Happy New Year!
Maya Winkler is a bi-coastal cultural observer who plays in and writes about Southern California casinos.
JANUARY 2014
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAMING GUIDE
PAGE 21