I always plan to lose my gambling money at the casino. If a casino in Reno is welling to comp me a room for two days with 'free' Crown Royal and a meal to lose my money there that's great for me and my gambling bankroll. My calculation is as long as I'm spending less a day than I would at Disneyland for a ticket, room and food I'm breaking even. If I do get lucky that money gets rolled back into more entertainment.
For those that want to hit the PowerBall
- Thread starter WBahn
- Start date
My parents used to go to Vegas or Reno quite frequently (back in the 80s and 90s) on deals where they would get airfare, room, meals, and tickets to a couple of shows. The details always varied, but a common ploy was that they would have to pay about $800 up front and when they checked in they would get an envelope with $800 in special chips which they could take, unopened, to a specific cashiers cage and turn in for $800 in cash. But if they opened it they could not cash in the special chips directly, but they could cash in their winnings from them.
I went with them on one of these deals and while my stepmom waited in line to check in and get the envelope my dad and I sat nearby watching people -- and it was an amazing display of human psychology. The check-in window was in one corner of the casino and the designated cashiers cage was in the opposite corner. We saw person after person head out across the casino for the cashiers cage and as they went they would start out walking very resolutely, but then they would slow down and watch a game or two in passing before heading toward the cage again. Then they would stop and watch a game and they might move on and repeat this a time or two more, but virtually no one actually made it to the cashiers cage before they tore open their envelope and started playing. Despite the fact that they could always have taken their $800 and bought $800 in unrestricted chips if they had simply made it to the cashiers cage.
I got into a conversation with one of the floor managers and, once she became satisfied that I was just an engineer interested in the concepts and not someone trying to game the system, she became quite open about the psychology involved. She said that not only was the designated cashiers cage placed in the opposite corner for the obvious reason, but that the choice and order of the games that people passed as they tried to make their way to that cage was carefully chosen to lure them in. She also said that they sometimes did deals where the envelope had more money in chips than its cash value (our deal was $800 and so she said that, during slow parts of the year, they might put $1000 in chips in there). Since I had a rough idea of the average payout, this surprised me because you would have a very good chance of playing $1000 worth of chips and ending up with well in excess of $800 in first-round winnings. She readily agreed, but pointed out that virtually no one that opens that envelope ever plays only the special chips, but rather they play the winnings and that, because they are playing chips and not actual money, they often end up losing the entire $1000 before they are done. That really showed that it is not just a statistical calculation, but it really is a human factors calculation as well. Now, she also pointed out that most people that lose that entire $1000 generally seem to feel that they got their money's worth in terms of entertainment and excitement and anticipation. I suspect that that might be largely true, but probably not to the degree that they claim because they don't look at how bad many of those people feel once they get home.
As for my stepmom -- she never once failed to make it to that cashiers cage. Before they ever decided to take the deal they had decided how much they were going to gamble and it was usually in the $50 to $100 range between them (when I went with them my budget was $20). They didn't go for the gambling, they went for the shows. I mentioned that to the floor manager along with an aside that they probably wished they could weed folks like that out and she surprised me again by saying that they actually wished they could find more of them. When I asked why she explained that people like my parents were going to leave extremely satisfied, far more than the average person, and that they were going to talk to their friends and tell them what a wonderful and straight-up deal it was and that the return on that kind of word-of-mouth advertising was priceless.
I went with them on one of these deals and while my stepmom waited in line to check in and get the envelope my dad and I sat nearby watching people -- and it was an amazing display of human psychology. The check-in window was in one corner of the casino and the designated cashiers cage was in the opposite corner. We saw person after person head out across the casino for the cashiers cage and as they went they would start out walking very resolutely, but then they would slow down and watch a game or two in passing before heading toward the cage again. Then they would stop and watch a game and they might move on and repeat this a time or two more, but virtually no one actually made it to the cashiers cage before they tore open their envelope and started playing. Despite the fact that they could always have taken their $800 and bought $800 in unrestricted chips if they had simply made it to the cashiers cage.
I got into a conversation with one of the floor managers and, once she became satisfied that I was just an engineer interested in the concepts and not someone trying to game the system, she became quite open about the psychology involved. She said that not only was the designated cashiers cage placed in the opposite corner for the obvious reason, but that the choice and order of the games that people passed as they tried to make their way to that cage was carefully chosen to lure them in. She also said that they sometimes did deals where the envelope had more money in chips than its cash value (our deal was $800 and so she said that, during slow parts of the year, they might put $1000 in chips in there). Since I had a rough idea of the average payout, this surprised me because you would have a very good chance of playing $1000 worth of chips and ending up with well in excess of $800 in first-round winnings. She readily agreed, but pointed out that virtually no one that opens that envelope ever plays only the special chips, but rather they play the winnings and that, because they are playing chips and not actual money, they often end up losing the entire $1000 before they are done. That really showed that it is not just a statistical calculation, but it really is a human factors calculation as well. Now, she also pointed out that most people that lose that entire $1000 generally seem to feel that they got their money's worth in terms of entertainment and excitement and anticipation. I suspect that that might be largely true, but probably not to the degree that they claim because they don't look at how bad many of those people feel once they get home.
As for my stepmom -- she never once failed to make it to that cashiers cage. Before they ever decided to take the deal they had decided how much they were going to gamble and it was usually in the $50 to $100 range between them (when I went with them my budget was $20). They didn't go for the gambling, they went for the shows. I mentioned that to the floor manager along with an aside that they probably wished they could weed folks like that out and she surprised me again by saying that they actually wished they could find more of them. When I asked why she explained that people like my parents were going to leave extremely satisfied, far more than the average person, and that they were going to talk to their friends and tell them what a wonderful and straight-up deal it was and that the return on that kind of word-of-mouth advertising was priceless.
That's why I won't gamble...u need that stroke of so called "luck" mixed with skill. I played league pool (billiards) from a small age and even though on the day my game was better than most i still lost because the other person was lucky to drop balls on the break. Wow you all went you Vegas. I only can dream of going there. I just watch movies about Vegas and the pool tournaments on TV.
Vegas isn't all it's cracked up to be (says someone that just isn't into any of that scene, so take it for what it's worth). I went out onto the strip at night specifically to take in the sights and the lights -- and was thoroughly disappointed. The shows we went to were very good. But even then the two highlights of my time there was standing on the top floor of a parking garage talking to my dad while we watched the workers at the construction project next door and then watching some filming of the movie "Casino" -- I didn't give a hoot about catching a glimpse of some famous actor, but it was interesting watching the mechanics of shooting a movie on location.
Going to Reno or Vegas for just gambling is boring. It's the attractions, shows and the people that make it exciting for me. I'm planning a Vegas trip for next years birthday with the number one destination being here. I dropped a coin in just about every game I could remember at the old location in a strip mall but this looks much better.
http://www.pinballmuseum.org/
http://www.pinballmuseum.org/
I totally love America even though I don't live there. My clothing style are mostly American my dad brought me up that way. Most of our trends in my country come from USA. I starting liking pool after watching colour of money with tom cruise. I wanted to go to the army because of Rambo and I love the USA airforce and the fighter planes. Top Gun is the best. I started playing basketball because of the Cavs and Lebron James. I started playing chess because of watching the Bobby Fisher movie. One day when I am old enough I will go to USA. The only thing I won't trade is our climate and wildlife.
While a certain amount of patterning your life after what you see in others is fine, don't let it define you. Plus, keep in mind that virtually all movies (and other media) create a very distorted view of reality.
I tend to be the opposite (and to a fault). I will choose NOT to do something precisely because it is the "in" thing that everyone is doing. Of course, that means that I am letting what other people do help dictate what I will (or won't, as the case may be) do. I'm still that way by nature, but I do a much better job of recognizing when I'm having a knee-jerk reaction and stepping back and asking myself if I want to do something or not based on its merits.
True Sir. Although as young as I am I try my best to stick to the correct path and my rich friends think differently of me why I am so serious about life and work n studying. They don't know I support my folks since my dad lost his job. As I speak they party and watch movies while I sit in my room studying Z transform. I at the second shift theorem now. I found a Christian Bible to read it every day because I find hope in it and I started to believe there is a higher power. GOD. Many reject me as young as I am for this but if it was not for The Bible and God I was to be dead joining bad company who are rich and on drugs.
Thanks Sir. I'm trying my best I finally understanding Z transforms. It's very similar to Laplace in a way. Is there no study page on Z transform on this site, similiar to that of fourier sequences?
Stay the course, my friend. It will pay off (in this life, or the next).
Thanks Sir. Coming from poor family you question God why am I poor. But then only years have passed by I realized everything from reading The Bible. I got a bursary with a telecommunications company not even the smartest person in my class managed to get this bursary and I was surprised to get it. But it was the same day I promised to give my heart to The One called Jesus The Christ. It was a miracle. I know I might sound foolish or crazy but I believe it was a miracle. Now Read The Bible everyday. I also believe life is like a chess game its the wrong decisions can lead you to disaster.
Friendly word of advice -- this is not a forum for religious discussions and, in fact, religion and politics are generally proscribed topics as they tend to lead to heated and personal exchanges. So while mentioning things in passing, as you did a few posts back, is not a problem, we do ask that it be kept to passing comments and does not become a theme of discussion.
Hi Sir. I'm really sorry it won't happen again. I WILL stick to Maths and Electronics topics. Really sorry I don't want to get banned from this site, its really helping me in my studies.
Thank you
You're not in any danger of getting banned -- I just wanted to curb things before they got out of hand. You're fine.
THANK YOU Sir,
Does anyone know any useful easy to understand Z Transform online links that I can read or download with examples and answers? My textbook just has few examples.
Thank you
Very Interesting article and topic, I was intrigued to read the entire article. By the way I enjoyed how the article spiraled and slightly diverted off topic 
@naickej4 you inspire me for a dude that is 2 years younger than myself you are on the correct path, continue to do that and continue to read the Book that starts with a B and you will not fall on the wayside. Also having the correct girlfriend or wife makes life much easy (Words of wisdom)
@naickej4 you inspire me for a dude that is 2 years younger than myself you are on the correct path, continue to do that and continue to read the Book that starts with a B and you will not fall on the wayside. Also having the correct girlfriend or wife makes life much easy (Words of wisdom)
If you like that, you may also like the Musée Mécanique on Fisherman's Wharf in San Fran. I tend to spend about $10 or $20 every time I go there.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musée_Mécanique#Gallery
You May Also Like
-
Arteris Revs New Version of Its Cache Coherent Interconnect IP
by Jake Hertz
-
NXP Launches Open S32 CoreRide Platform for Software-Defined Vehicles
by Aaron Carman
-
Black History Month Spotlight: Celebrating ‘Black Edison’ Granville Woods
by Duane Benson
-
Understanding the Benefits of Power-Focused Regression Testing
