Page 28 - Southern California Gaming Guide • January 2018

by Maya Winkler
I’m not making any New Year’s resolutions this year. Maybe it’s my contrarian approach to life these days; or else it’s my frustration of starting o each New Year with the best intentions and by February, my resolutions are
obe (i.e., overtaken by events). In the past I would commit in writing at the beginning of each year to various goals, even though within a few months, I would abandon my new cross-training routine, the much-needed 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
ere are other religious casino promotions.
“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 andmakingresolutions.“Butthisyear,Iwillenter Enter and play in
Hmmm, making my resolutions public? What if I shun “resolving” for actual goal-making?
I can play again. I won’t put my winnings in this account.
Start and maintain a gambling log. Each year, the IRS allows taxpayers to deduct gambling losses up to the amount of their winnings. You can only do this if you have documentation of your play for the entire year. So keeping a gambling log is essential to take advantage of the deduction. And the beginning of the year is the right time to start one. ere are mobile phone apps for both iPhones and Android devices to keep the process easy right while you’re at the casino.
I’m game, and hope it will work. I won’t bore you with my health and tness goals, so let’s move onto something I bet you, dear Southern California Gaming Guide reader, can relate to: Fun goals for casino play. So here are my fun casino goals for 2018. Might they work for you, too?
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, as the word resolution means, resolve to change.
But several years ago, a study involving 3,000 people conducted by Dr. Richard Wiseman of the University of Bristol, showed that 88% of those who set New
Year’s resolutions failed, despite the fact that 52% of the study’s participants were con dent of success at the onset. 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.
Every month Southern
California casinos run
amazing promotions
giving away cash, cars, Sign up and use a players club card in every free play or other casino I play. I want to take advantage this year of all
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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAMING GUIDE
JANUARY 2018
and play in at least one casino promotion a month. Who knows? I may win a new car!”
prizes. I’ve always told myself,“Ican’twin,”so I 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 have a lower house edge when you learn to play them correctly.
Open a new bank account specifically and only for casino play. I’ve been intending to do this for a while, as I know that having one bank account earmarked speci cally for gambling will help me keep better records of my casino play — and give me better control. I will keep a budgeted amount of cash in the account each month, and when that’s gone, I have to wait for the following month before
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 most 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 or 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.