Gambling

[Tom]

Anyone here a regular gambler? I've only bet once before, I did it on my NTL box via the onscreen menus. I didn't win anything.

I've just bet £25 on 2 oscars at this years oscar ceremonies. Unsurprisingly, the favourates were absolutely shite odds (ie bet a pound, win, get 5 pence back).

Only the second time I've gambled, it won't become a habit (I hope). If I win, that money goes to my 'Tom needs a new roof on his house' fund.

 

[Deady]

Generally with gambling, you'll always end up putting more money in than you win back.

The absolute key to coming out in profit, is knowing when to quit.

 

[Vae]

I only gamble under 2 circumstances and even then rarely.

As entertainment (e.g. day at the races) where the money spent is entertainment and anything I get back a bonus Came out a few £ up last time I went.

Where I can influence/beat the odds. Almost all possibilities for gambling are fixed against you (the house always wins) but with games of skill rather than chance you can influence the odds.

 

[mank!]

I've only ever done a sweepstake on the Grand National at work, but I've considered betting on the footy quite often. I know plenty of people on the STFC forum who bet regularly, they're not addicted to gambling - they just have a flutter on the footy to add to their football experience, don't see a problem with that. I do see a problem with spending all your time in a bookies though.

 

[xane]

I have gambled in the past, I'd never gamble now, it's a mugs game, and I generally disapprove of promoting gambling, but if someone wants to gamble then I have no problem with that even if they are a bit dim to do so.

In fact, I don't even approve of or contribute to charity raffles, if I want to contribute to charity I do it as a direct donation or sponsership, and have frequently done so so it's not an excuse to be a tight bastard even though I am one

I take a big enough gamble every time I step out my door here in East London, I have no need of further excitement on that score.

 

[Clown]

Never gambled, not even played the lottery. Waste of money...

 

[mank!]

I just realised that I occasionally do the lottery and even more occasionally buy scratchcards, and never win. I've never won anything in my life.

 

[Vae]

There's a reason the national lottery is nicknamed "The stupid tax"...

 

[Gengi]

Hello people,
I like the occasional flutter, mostly on 'big' events, Cup Finals, Grand National, Derby etc, sort of institutionalised betting. I quite like the odd Casino visit too, often rounds off a pleasant evening out.

Later

 

[Shovel]

Off the top of my head, I've played the lottery once when I was given a ticket as a novelty on my 16th birthday. Didn't win, didn't play again.

 

[Darthshearer]

I have a bet each year on the winners of the Premiership & RL, about £20 most. I do enjoy a game of cards on a Friday in the local WMC the most though we gamble is 50p its a laugh but as for the horses nah, I cant watch it scares the shit out of me when I see them fall

 

[tRoG]

The horse I've bet on has come at least third in the Grand National for the last three years

Not bad for someone who picks a horse based on the comedic value of their name

 

[old.user4556]

I have rarely played the lottery, piss odds tbh.

Every Wednesday night, my mates come over and we play poker/blackjack with genuine vegas chips, but it doesn't count for real money as it feels competitive enough. The loosers for that particular night bring the beer/crisps for the following week.

I'm going to Las Vegas in the summer however and I shall try my blackjack / Texas Hold 'em gambling skills in style!

G

 

[Dillinja]

I won 50 quid on the grand national once, then lost it all betting on football matches. Haven't gambled since.

 

[Darthshearer]

I have rarely played the lottery, piss odds tbh.

Every Wednesday night, my mates come over and we play poker/blackjack with genuine vegas chips, but it doesn't count for real money as it feels competitive enough. The loosers for that particular night bring the beer/crisps for the following week.

I'm going to Las Vegas in the summer however and I shall try my blackjack / Texas Hold 'em gambling skills in style!

G

My mates got some real chips they are ace and a green cloth for the table, its ace!

Good idea that though for the losers

 

[JBP|]

tbh i never really gamble allthough i buy an occasional lottery ticket (when the jackpot is about 15 million usually)


however i might go and stick £5 on david coulthard wining the 2004 F1 season just for a giggle

 

[Trem]

I don't bet at all, but bookies have a homely appeal to me. You know what I mean? Old guy goes in with Racing Post under his arm, it all seems very English.

Strange things make me feel good


Hold me.

 

[SilverHood]

I don't tend to bet unless it's like raffles and stuff... Rather spend my money on onther things

My dad makes imaginary bets on horses.... he usually wins, but he never bets real money.

 

[Mr.Monkey]

The lottery is my way of giving money to charity, as I refuse to talk to those deadbeats that harras me on my way to work, trying to sign me up for monthly donations.


A day out at the races (horse) cost about £60 if you buy food & beer there, fiver on each race, and entrance to the granstand. For me that's about what I spend on a night out in london.

Betting and needing to win is a mugs game. But then as entertainment, I can't see how it's a problem.
I go to the dogs on fridays, as the beer is very cheap (about £1 a pint) and a few bob on the races. Then out on the town to find a club.


It's only sad when you see people that can't help themselves, and become compulsive gamblers. The way it fucks people up, if you find you have an addictive personality - then stay the fuck away.
But, this is like everything, there will be people that abuse it and make the issue a clouded one (like drinking/drugs/ etc).

 

[caLLous]

Am I only the person that plays fruit machines? Knowing when to quit on them is undeniably the most important factor. Over the last couple of weeks I've come out with more than I put in, but that's only comforting in that it recuperates my losses from the week before, heh. I have a rule, I never put any of my own money in, I only play with tips from work. I only play a machine I'm familiar with as well, I don't just walk into a pub and stick a coupla quid in any of old machine, because that's a guaranteed way to lose your cash (for me, anyway).

 

[Clown]

I dunno how to play them fruit machines
It all looks too complicated and the colours make me ill.

 

[Deady]

I have no idea how they work either.

Things start flashing and theres about 100 buttons

 

[xane]

The lottery is my way of giving money to charity, as I refuse to talk to those deadbeats that harras me on my way to work, trying to sign me up for monthly donations.

Why not give money directly to charity anyway ? Firstly you get to choose the charity and know it wont end up in the hands of some dubious cause you might actually disagree with, secondly they can claim the paid tax on it, and thirdly you dont line the bulging pockets of the deadbeats who sit on their arses at the lottery company laughing their heads off at it all.

 

[old.user4556]

Why not give money directly to charity anyway ?

Help the Aged never pay out £10 mil if you choose and match six ages of the patients.

 

[Mr.Monkey]

Help the Aged never pay out £10 mil if you choose and match six ages of the patients.

It is an added bonus.

And it is also my way of giving money to dubious causes without a clear paper trail.

www.savethebuttmonkey.com

 

[old.Tohtori]

Betting on football(which i don't watch) and formula 1(which i don't watch) paid me through school

Even if i don't like the sports, don't mean i can't make money out of it.

 

[Sprock]

Gambling, it's a mugs game for sure but so is having a boss, going to work, doing some dead end unispiring never thanked for occupation etc etc - right?

For the last three years gambling is all I've done, horse racing only. I don't watch horses or have anything to do with them, the only thing I'm interested in is statistics and profit. To suceed you need iron discpline, good book keeping and to paper trade any theories before using real money for at least a year.
I used to be a gamer but betting is the ultimate game, £'s instead of frags is sooooo much more rewarding.
Betting is a very profitable tax free hobby/job that tbh earns easily more than any job I've ever had.
Suppose you have a £1000 and put it in a Building Society for a year, what would you have at the end, £50 profit? Joke right? Suppose you invest the money in shares, then you have parasites nicking 2% each time you buy or sell before you even take any profit, plus also the added grief with tax returns - joke right? Suppose you have an endowment mortgage, everyone makes money from you and you STILL get a letter saying you owe more coz the endowment didn't perform as expected - joke right? With betting that grand gives you enormous leverage, I would expect to roll it over maybe 100 times during a year (100k turnover) and even on a measly 5% profit that's 5k tax free.

Betting allows me to take direct, commission and tax free control over my investments, if I lose it's MY fault, if I win it's MY skill, there is no one else to blame - I like it that way

I'm not saying it's easy, it's not (but that's why I like it), I spend about 10 hours per day "working" when I choose to work. I love the mental deviousness and all the trying of different tactics etc needed when looking for a new edge or advantage, it's very much like gaming.

My interest was stirred when I read an article where a top bookie said "99% of punters lose money" - I read that to mean that 1% make money, I liked the idea of seeing if I could be one of the 1%

Each to their own but I know which I prefer

 

[Brynn]

Went to the casino where i live. Went in with £20 - and left my credit cards at home, to ensure i wouldn't spend any more on the game's than possible.

Spend £10 in like 5 minutes at the blackjack table, their was a DJ off the local radio station sitting next to me betting like £5 on each hand, i was like nervously putting £1 on each hand. I lost all £10 really quickly so thought that wasn't the game for me, then i went and had a shot at roulette.

Roulette was 25p a chip so i thought what the fuck, spend £10 on chips so i had 40, and just starting putting 8 out each time, and kept on winning. Think i won up to £20. So i took a risk, shoved £10 on red, it came up. I was thinking i was good. So i stuck £20 on black, came up black. I thought i was unbeatable. Till i put £20 on red, and it came up black. Then my luck seemed to fizzle away. So i had won up to £50 off a tenner, so i was happy. And i only went in with £20 and didn't spend any more - and i had a laugh so thats all that matters

 

[~Yuckfou~]

I gamble rarely and then only for entertainment, not actually expecting to leave with a profit.
I'll usually have a few quid each way on a couple of horses in the National.
I get a lottery most weeks.
I'll go to the casino once a year or so, take £100 cash, and leave credit cards at home.

Strangely I usually win on the National and in the Casino, but I'm old enough and ugly enough to know it's pure fluke and the odds are against me.

 

[xane]

... Each to their own but I know which I prefer

Problem is, if you'd spent that time and effort on a more "reputable" career (no offensive meant there), you'd come out on top anyway, probably even better.

You are comparing either static investments that involves sitting on ones arse, or a job that involves doing the required hours and little else, with your occupation involving a dynamic and entrepreneurial spirit. Hardly a fair view.

Safe and steady earns a _guarenteed_ income but maybe not as much, even your comment about endowments does not apply as I recently sold mine for "cost" value, meaning I did not lose anything on the premiums I paid out over the years and any interest lost was totally compensated for the profit on the sale of my house for which the endowment applied.

You might be laughing your head off, but then again you are in the 1% for now, that means by your own admission its a 100:1 chance you'll be there, not as _guarenteed_ as it seems. One slip up and you can fall a long long way, the profits and losses improve with the risk, try spread betting and you'll see what I mean.

My comfortable job has meant I can attract investment, so I use that wisely and buy a main property which has so far netted me a huge tax free profit, something almost guarenteed and way beyond what I could have got pissing away my monthly mortgage on horses even with lady luck herself filling in the slips.

When you gamble on horses you're as blinkered as the animals you ride your money on, you ignore the pitfalls and count only the winnings, you lose sight of what passes you by and can only see a theoretical winning post. In the long run you can't take gambling as anything but entertainment.