We occasionally go to have drinks and dinner at our local casino, Dover Downs. There are some very nice restaurants inside, and although I am not a gambler, I usually put $20 or so into a slot machine on the way out after dinner. Well, for the last two times we have been there, I have fed one particular $.25 machine $20, and bet the max each pull. And for the last two times (including tonight), I have won double the cost of dinner and drinks! Otherwise, I do not gamble. When I hit the jackpot, I just cash in and leave. I see so many people there feeding dollar after dollar into the machines, and it is apparent that they really can't afford it. I guess I can understand the appeal of the slots, but like the lottery, it seems to be a tax on the poor. (Our slot machines are "controlled" by the State) Oh, since it was a very nice evening, I drove the NSX, and parked as far away from the door as possible!

Anyone else feed the one-armed bandits, either occasionally or for recreation?

 

Not me. I had to stay in Las Vegas for work in the early 1980s so I did play Blackjack and some machines on one trip. That got it out of my system for the rest of my life.

 

Good for you! I am also proud to say that I did not spend one nickel to gamble when I attended NSXPO in Vegas in 2010, my first and only trip to Sin City.

 

We have two casinos nearby (within 2 hours) they have been there for a long time. We've been to each one once, and I don't think I left a total of $50.00 combined.

We've made two trips to Vegas. I played the slots a bit. Played with their money for a little while, but gave it back over the course of a week. I don't think I spent more than $100.00 gambling on both trips. We enjoyed the sites, the shows, the hotels, more than the casinos.

I've got a co-worker who is pretty lucky with daily numbers games. He wins often. From time to time he and I play a number together. We've never won. I think I'm wise to limit my gambling. I don't see any big wins in my future.

Congrats on putting a few $ in your pocket!

 

I usually win back at Blackjack what I have lost at the slot machines.

My first trip to Las Vegas I was in line to see Barbra Streisand and there was a dime slot right there. So I fed in the three dimes I had in my pocket, one at a time. The last one won me $35.00, my largest jackpot to date.

 

I get my gambling out of my system once a year by betting on something I really want to win. I usually enter the drawing each year. Did so last week, when I bought a $100 chance to win a 2012 Porsche 911 + $50k in cash. The drawing was Friday. And, I did not win. Oh, well. I still like it for two reasons: #1 I like the odds with 1:3,000. #2 the money supports the national humane society. On the other hand, the wife bets the state lottery every weekend, and drags me to a casino whenever she can.

 

I don't consider myself a gambler. Even though I do play the Mega Millions, and Power Ball every week. I consider that as "voluntary taxation". If I should ever win, that would change my life. Unlike the people that buy scratch off tickets or gamble in other ways.

I did win the "first modern day draft lottery" back in 1969 when I drew number nine that was theoretically drafted on the first day of 1970. I had a 2S student deferment at the time and did not get drafted until June of 1970 at the end of the semester.

Past that, I do not understand people that gamble all the time. I have been going to my local Moose Lodge (for the food) and they have "pull off" games and I have watched people go through hundreds of dollars in the course of an hour. Occasionally, people will win. One night a woman won about $1200 in about an hour. But there seems to be one constant with gamblers: One always hear when they win, but one seldom hears how much they lost or how much it cost them to win.

I understand that the lotteries are games for people that are poor at math and that I have a two hundred and sixty-seven time greater chance of being struck by lightning. But, if I should win that dollar will change my life, as well as others (as depending on how much is involved, I would donate a percentage to Veteran's causes). On the other hand, in my opinion, there is not thrill in gambling.

 

I only like two games in the casino, roulette and craps. Roulette because it's all numbers and odds, and craps because of how excited people around the table get. Liz and I don't go often (maybe once a year), but when we do I mostly stick to the roulette table. Liz plays Blackjack but her hands start to shake when she loses more than $20. Growing up poor has a way of doing that to you.

I've won sometimes and lost sometimes, I like it much better when I win. I think I'm probably a few hundred dollars behind after all these years.

 

I got the winning powerball number from last weeks powerball. Now about the 5 numbers preceding it :

 

Cashed in my powerball only number today for a whopping 4 bucks.