Question about gambling addicts

Im a member of a gambling addicts forum, not because I am one but because I like reading their stories, and to scare me the hell away from ever becoming one, simply because it is astounding how these people blow every last nickel just to play a stupid game, and Im not talking about poker.

I read stories about guys who will blow through $50k at the casino over a few months playing roulette (one of the worst house odds games in the whole building!) I mean to blow 5 figures at the casino from gambling is about the only thing that gets them to look at "hey, maybe I have a problem?"

Anyways my point? My point is, does this all come down to poor bankroll management? I mean granted Im sure there is an addictive personality disorder in these people, that keeps them always coming back to play again and again at the casino despite overwhelming odds against them ever winning, but really aren't they playing games with cash amounts where they obviously cant afford to lose?

Ive been to the casino probably 3 dozen times in the 5 years since Ive been 21. I would have to say all in all, Ive lost between $500-$700 in 5 years, not really a huge financial setback, but enough to teach me a lesson that its impossible to beat the casino.

Last time I went in I sit down, I play black jack. Followed basic strategy to a T, still blew $50 in about 20 minutes time. Ill play baccarat, banker bet, one of the best bets in the house, still lose $50. Now granted Im betting the minimum everytime so I get a few hours entertainment out of these.

Ill play craps, pass/dont pass with odds, also a great bet, since the house edge is narrow, I still usually come up short.

Its well documented that the house has an edge, who the hell blows $4000 in a single night playing American Roulette, like one man on the gambling addicts forum? That is the worst game in the casino IMO.

Last time I went to the casino I saw this guy blowing through stacks and stacks of green chips, playing Baccarat. Im talking 5 inch stacks of $25 chips, easily $450. He kept pulling out more money, and losing it, and pulling out more. He finally won a big bet, $400ish or so and I yelled across the table "Only TWO grand to go!" and he looked at me like he wanted to kill me!

So this all boils back down to my original question, do gambling addicts clearly have a problem with bankroll management? Another thing, why don't they do a simple google search on house edges of casino games? That dragon 7 on the baccarat table pays 40:1 but its house edge is like 7.42%! And the Tie Bet is like 14.4% or something ridiculous.

It all seems to come back to poker with good bankroll management. You won't go broke, your not playing against the house (cept for that stupid rake they take out) only thing is can you afford the buy in for a no-limit SNG at a casino?

The main reason I haven't joined an online real money poker site though, is because gambling addiction and the ability to blow your life savings from the comfort of your home desk chair scares the heck out of me. Plus I dont exactly make the income that I can live independently yet and my parents would be extremely pissed if they found out I blew large quantities of my personal cash on poker.

You cannot beat a house edge regardless of how you manage a bankroll, you will just lose you money slower.

Poker is a little different because its a zero-sum game (-the rake) so in essence it is possible for you to have the edge, so if you have a small edge then you will win money slowley. Bear in mind that the majority of pokerplayers are losing players though, so for the majority even with decent bankroll managment they will eventually go bust.

hey, i love your gordan freeman avatar. I use to play the SHIT out of HLDM1 (I was a tau whore :P) about 10 years ago.

Anyways I agree that most gamblers I run into at the casino, aren't very smart, or don't make smart bets it seems. When I was playing black jack I had this stupid lady next to me who wouldnt hit on a 16 against an Ace! Now thats the type of person I want to be playing against at the poker table! Ive seen people lay down $3000 at the baccarat table on banker, lose it, only to go to the ATM and pull out another $1000, now unless the guy is Michael Jordans son, and flush with cash, that is a really dumb financial move.

I dont mean to brag or sound cocky, but I do think of myself as much smarter than the average gambler at a casino. As far as I can tell most don't even look up house edges, because Ive seen some dumbass bets in my time at the casino. But maybe the poker players at the casino are a different breed of cat, I dont know because I dont have any first hand experience. But if they are as dumb as the gamblers at the craps/baccarat/black jack tables Ive seen, their money is mine for the taking.

I think I might make a good fit for poker since Im pretty good at memorizing percentages, I've always had a knack for playing games of skill, particularly pc games. Zynga poker, although frowned upon in this community, I can't help but steal everybodys chips in that game, my bankroll is up 5x over what I started it and it may get to the point that I have to sell play money chips to finance real money for a poker habit, because I am working my way up to higher tables in the FB poker. btw, people do buy and sell fake play money chips for FB, look it up.

Gambling can be like a drug but in the end it all comes down to self control, doesn't it? May be stating the obvious but in the end you just have to decide if you trust yourself...

I remember this lady buying a 3card table at Hawaiian Gardens. They roped it off and she sat down with 300K. Watched for about ten minutes, went out for a smoke and as I was coming back through, she was just loosing the last of that stack. Made me think she caught her husband wit another lady, or some sort of vengeance.

Just went right through it. POOF...

I agree with most here as far as casino games go, but for poker I think it's more of a hump. Most folks can't afford to get over the hump. Or don't have the perseverance to continue when they loose everything.

I'm not saying that you have to loose it all to get there, but you do have to get close before you get over the hump. Kinda like dues.

Every level (TO ME) in poker is really just a series of learned lessons. You don't have to get your top 2 zapped by a set too many times before you recognized it. And most folks don't learn from advise. They have to get zapped before it goes into their game.

Loosing everything can be two things to a player. It can be an obvious clue that your an addict and it's time to seek help. Or it can be a lesson learned, never to be crossed again. Most rich poker players were poor due to poker at some point.

Just a matter of perseverance to me. You wanna talk (go to meetings) or play poker? If you have nothing,.. whats you got to loose?

If you've lost your home, wife, family and dignity due to poker. You gonna whine like a sissy, and waste all your lessons learned, or you gonna get back in there and put a bruising on em?

JMO/YMMV


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When the persons is addicted, they can't rationalize very well. I mean they know that they are playing against the house. No one of these players goes to the casino thinking that they are going to lose that much, they usually have a plan before joining a game..like, today I'm only going to play with that specific amount of money and if I lose, I'm out! But, when the thrill is there and the game didn't went the way you expect, it's like have a bigger power inside of them saying to continue and that you will recover the lost money.
But, we all know the end of the history. After that game session, he will regret of it and say to himself that he's not going to play anymore, but it's very hard to stop when the person is addicted because nothing seems more enjoyable than the thrill of the game.

What part od "Addict" don't you understand?

Are you able to cry if there is another faker present?

Quitting is for losers

Ivey's a good enoygh poker player that even if he completely busts his BR he will have backers lining up to shower him with cash, and he'll win.

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This doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I've done some research on gambling and spent some time on one gambling addicts forum and it's pretty obvious that it's not bad bankroll management; it's pure addiction to gambling. The people on gambling addicts forums that I've seen have lost houses, jobs, families to gambling and simply cannot stop themselves without help, which is why they're on those forums. It's not just bad money management.

Bad bankroll management for poker is playing stakes where you don't have enough to protect you from risk of ruin given the variance of the game. If you're defining bad bankroll management for other forms of casino games as playing with more than you can afford to lose, that's only the beginning. Gambling addicts go way beyond that.

we all know here that playing casino table games (not poker) is not profitable, no matter what you do.

Saying that, there are times when I would sit down at a blackjack table to have fun, never to win. If you are with a bunch of friends or something you are basically paying for the entertainment to play blackjack -- just like a movie or a play or bowling or whatever.

It's when players think they can actually beat these games, or play to get their money back, that they run out of their money.

My earliest experience with someone with a gambling addiction didn't involve a casino or lotto tickets, scratch offs, or sports gambling.

It was my childhood friend, and his was poke'mon cards. These little cards, some of them you could see them being sold on ebay for $30-$50. The packs were expensive, around $5 and you got 10 cards, one of them a halofoil card that was more valuable than the rest, although sometimes they weren't worth much anyways, despite the fancy background.

Anyways, he would do the dumbest stuff, he would spend all his money, hes in 8th grade at the time, and spent around $400 or so on poke'mon cards. When he ran out of money, he sold his N64 for half what he paid for it, then missed having a video game system, and bought a brand new one for $200 just a month later, an entirely avoidable $100 loss. And then he would try to get people to feel sorry for him when all he did was get shit cards (although once he got a Charizard which was a $45 card at the time)

He later discovered drugs, was instantly addicted to them and worked his way up to becoming a heroin and crack addict, and going to prison. I heard he also got into gambling when he turned 21 but I quit hanging around with him because he was such a loser.

What I like about poker is since there isn't a house edge, I guess you could say you take a calculated risk when you put your chips out there, and you've got 3 of a kind and you hope that your opponent doesn't have a full house. I guess its a form of gambling, but if you take good calculated risks over a long term trend and play opponents who take bad calculated risks, hypothetically you should make money. Still a form of gambling, but atleast your not playing against the house.

I laugh whenever I see roulette strategy tips, I dont know about you guys but I find roulette strategy people to be hilarious.

One thing to add: casinos do a very nice job providing comps that make people feel important. I think that plays a role here as well.

Gamlers could care less about BRM. For them it's the rush they get from risking their money. Just like alcoholics could care less about responsible drinking or shopping addicts caring about whether they really need that 40th pair of shoes. I don't understand why anyone wastes their money on games where the odds are against them.

Gamblers anonymous has a list of 20 questions to help determine if you are addicted to gambling. If you are a compulsive gambler, you will answer yes to at least 7.

http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/20questions.html

I don't understand why you would frequent an addicts forum unless you were worried you were one.

Not all gamblers play poker and not all poker players are gamblers.

this ^
Reading the title of this thread I actually thought it was going to be 'poker-related'. ...sigh

OP: the problem is you're trying to rationalise the irrational. Addicts gonna addict and house odds be damned.

The normal gambler is results oriented. He does not worry about the process, but the results. I have known those who will go on a winning streak and delude themselves into thinking they are winning players, even though their streaks can never recoup the historical losses they have accumulated. Gambler's know the odds, but since there are few times when the bettor actually has an advantage, they are not going to hold out for those even money or better situations. I would classify the high stakes poker players as gamblers.

well to be honest, i was hooked on spending all my hard work money on gambling, boy did that ever hurt to see nothing infront of me any more, so i decided to take a nice 3 month vacation to the carribean and i sure need it, so it gave me enough time to think and clear my mind, started hitting the freerolls like when i first started out playing and have been making back my money giving me a chance to play some decent tourneys and win even more, now i dont invest none of my money and i am making a profit while cashing out at these different sites, sometimes u just need a break, easier said than done, but trust me take a break for 3 months or longer and u come back relax not playing as often and investing ur own money good luck at the tables

When it becomes an addiction, like drinking, its an illness, its called Ludopathy (compulsive gambling) and people actually loose control of what they do, and cant stop playing even knowing that they are on a disadvantage, and would do whatever its necesary to get more money to keep playing.

i'd rather be a losing gambler or loser heroin addict than a condescending know it all ....maybe your anger stems from your inability to help your so called friends see things the way you do

Sorry for not having a high opinion of heroin addicts. I am clearly in the wrong, your right.

Maybe Im calous, but I dont feel sorry for people, who actively seek for me to feel sorry for them. If you had any idea how stupid my friend was, you would definitely see it the same way, lets see he claimed he didnt like using condoms because "he couldnt" get off. Well he impregnated a woman not long after he lost his virginity, while unemployed at 18. he demanded she get an abortion and she refused, so at the age of 19, he became a father.

The longest he held a job was 3 months, while I knew him. For the most part, his jobs lasted a few weeks to a month before he would get fired.

Once the cops pulled him over, what does he do? He throws a damn temper tantrum right in front of the cops, and throws his glasses on the ground. Accordingly, they slapped the cuffs on him and charged him with a few felonies.

He blew up at a manager because he was joking around with him and lost his job, and then a few months later, threw a brick through their window to feed his heroin addiction .Yea your right, I am clearly in the wrong to have such a low opinion of him.

He once sold his new $200 car stereo for $50 or so in crack and would drive 90mph down the freeways just to get home and smoke crack. Like poke'mon cards, he collected highs from different combinations of drugs like they were collectibles. If there was a drug he hadn't done and it came across him, he had to do it. If he couldn't get drugs, he would go to the local grocery store and steal a 5th of captain morgan, and finish it off in 8 hours or less.

Last I heard which was years ago, he was on foodstamps and welfare, a parolee from prison, having a 2nd child (Hmm whos gonna pay for that, lets see, the taxpayer of course!) and rode a bike to a dead end job to a gas station.

Oh and one other thing, he would constantly ask to borrow money from his friends. You were lucky if he ever paid you back. Not much of a "friend" if you ask me.

one more thing, wise words from a great poker player I knew first hand, was nice guys always finish last.

A very interesting post.On most online poker sites,you can preset limits in the software that will limit your spending.It will stop you from playing when you reach that limit.
I don't know anyone that sits and plays online poker until they are broke.If a person is constantly losing,they usually seek poker info to improve their game,because we do not play against house odds,we are playing each other.So it is a game of skill.
If Congress was really worried about gaming addicts,they would do something about Casinos,and put a stop to it,because thats really where people are going to surely lose everything.
I have been playing online poker around 8-9 years and never ever heard of online poker ruining anyones life.Altho it can happen I guess if a person has no concept of the game and has no interest in improving their game.

I read about one man on the gambling addicts forum where online poker ruined his marriage. Problem was was 8-12 hours a day, he sat on his pc playing online poker, never getting any time for family or his wife and kids. They would ask for some time with daddy and he always responded "In a minute" which of course turned into hours, or never.

I understand that he was good at the game because he spent so much time playing it. He claimed players would up and leave the room if he so much as sat down at their table.

But on the rare times he did spend time with his kids or wife, they could all tell that poker was on his mind.

She finally filed for divorce and he went to the gambling addiction forum seeking help.

Only reason I play poker on facebook a lot is because I just smash them and take all their chips. I mean maybe the players really are that bad on facebook, but I get some kind of thrill out of stealing other players fake chips, even if they are all but worthless. I also like graduating to higher and higher stakes tables as I gather up more chips.

People talk a lot of crap on zynga and I don't blame them with the poor gameplay Ive seen firsthand, but its fun being the best even amongst 35 million a month of bad players. Even though the gameplay is poor on facebook, Im thinking Ill finally get to players closer to my skill level if I get to the high stakes tables for now, its seemingly too easy to win at this game.

not on facebook
say it aint so
ur addicted lol

...and Zinga. Burn that iPhone before it's too late.


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Jimmy, poker can be an addiction like drugs or alcohol if it gets carried away.
When someone spends 9-12 hours at it....sometimes it nolonger becomes fun....it's work....and then sometimes certain hands can make you go on tilt.......and make you play with blind risk rather than smart calculated risk........thats the fine line between a good calculated poker player and stupid blind risk player.
There some good responses here about poker then becoming an compulsion.....it not even trying to win...its trying to get a certain 'high" like in drugs and doing desperate things like gambling more money then you can afford....
careful my friend....stay level headed

Addiction is not about what gambling drugs booze sex food etc. these things are symptons of the disease of ocd. Addicts are compelled to feed there addiction once they start they are obessed with continueing until either broke or in the case of gamboling the big win. Its not about will power many addicts wake up in the morning with a great desire not to do it again (willpower) and by the end of the day are betting useing dtugs alc. or whatever, feeding there addiction against there will. As far as learning the games \ odds at best that would only slow down the loss.

lolzyngapoker

If you are considering going from play tables to real money cash tables then the house edge is the rake......poker players are losers in the long run....when playing against oponents that have equal ability.
Find a table where your type of play matches up against players you feel you can exploit with your strengths......

Them there dirty, rotton SOB's. I thought she was given me them free drinks cause she thought I was cute.

Yea that swhat I dont like about the casino is the rake. I think its $3 or 10% whichever is cheaper. But thats probably for limit hold em, id rather have the bankroll to play no limit because thats what Im use to playing, and thats what pros who give poker tips out, usually play no limit hold em.

Really Im waiting for an online poker game, where I can have low dollar buy ins to develop skill before I move up to the higher limits, doesnt take out an enormous rake from the pots like the casino, and I dont have to go through shady money grams or whatever to get money between my bank account and my account at the website.

For now it seems that Im better off playing for play money chips, and going to sythe.org, a virtual gaming exchange, and selling them there for $60 per 100 million in zynga chips.

Also I heard from a poker professional on youtube, that online poker players have a sizeable advantage over regular live players, in that we've seen a million more hands and played them, than live players. The way he put it, he said give me any 10 live players, and any 10 online poker players, and 3:1 the online ppl will beat the live players.

His evidence behind this was young guys in their early 20's going against people who have been playing live poker for 50 years, and winning big tournaments. He also goes around looking for weak tables when he went to the casino, find weak players that he can exploit not just sit down at any table he felt like.

Addicts will often look to find others who are worse off then themselves, helping them to stay in denial (I knew one friend, etc. etc.,.. there was this guy on internet 8-10hrs. per day.. lost his house, etc.). See... I don't have a problem > look at those guys.

If you have to ask yourself if you have a problem,... pretty sure ya do.

On the upside its one of the few addictions that isnt bad for your health.