Gambling Thread

I haven’t been in a casino post-Covid. Am I safe in assuming $5 table games have gone the way of the dodo?

 

I found a bookie at an Angels game a couple years ago. Min bet was $11. Place bets through website. I am a $30/$50/week gambler during football season (some group bets with friends). Much less any other time of year.
The bookie paid on Tuesdays, or you venmo'd him. All good.
Bookie gave up his book about a year ago, and transferred to Bookie #2. Same website type set up. Only with this guy, venmo winnings would come from random guys who lost to the bookie. And he would instruct me to venmo some rando if I lost. At least half the time, if I won, my venmos from randos would come up a buck or two short. Super frustrating and irritating. Part of the thrill of gambling is getting paid. When it came to getting paid by three randos, and having to do a weekly accounting, where they were a buck or two short (I would always go back to Bookie 2 and request my money), the process sucked. I lasted about 5 weeks.
Which leads to Bookie 3 (recommended from Bookie 1). He has a great system and site. But I am frigging small potatoes. Minimum bet $30. My first week I was with him, I won $60 and sent him my venmo information. Not so fast, my friend. He doesn't pay or expect payment unless you are up or down $300. My buddies and I hit one parlay this season that paid about $400. He paid that week, no problem.

At end of football season, I am in the hole to him $114, and he couldn't care less. Maybe we will square up at March Madness.

 

Binion’s and El Cortez still had a few in Vegas two years ago. Usually I see $15 minimums. Meh.

 

Never been to Vegas. East Coast kid, so don’t know if I ever will. I wouldn’t mind another craps session someday, but I don’t want to spend three long hours on the Mississippi backroads to find out my $100 bankroll is good for half as many bets or less.

 

If we have an event up at Winchester Country Club in far northern Virginia, I'll find my way to Charles Town in the WV eastern panhandle for some blackjack and craps. Usually can find some $10 tables there. Otherwise, it's sports betting on the apps for this guy.

 

I love Vegas. You can find cheap hotels and there is a bunch of stuff you can do other than gamble. Ellis Island is a great place with 3-2 on blackjack and cheap food. The mob museum didn't have a lot you wouldn't know, but had some experience stuff you could do.
I like walking around there. The walk from the Strip to downtown is interesting. There is an arts district with a few brewpubs and artsy stores.

 

I played a few hands of single-deck at Slots-O-Fun and was in way over my head. Totally different strategy than six-deck.

That was 24 years ago.

 

The one in Mississippi that I frequent for sports betting was advertising $5 tables on weekday afternoons. I think it's gone up to at least $10 and probably $15 during primetime, which is too rich for my blood. $10 and $15 was what I used to push my bet to when things were going well. Hell, "my" casino used to have $3 tables back in the early 2000s.

Few things in a casino are more deflating than sitting down at a $10 or $15 blackjack table, watching the dealer rip off five 20s, a blackjack and a six-card 21 in a row (the latter of which results in a push after you've finally hit a double down) and seeing that $100 bankroll you intended to play with for an hour evaporate into thin air in 10 minutes. Then you have to awkwardly slink away like the poor, broke bastard you are. Didn't even make it long enough for the waitress to come back with your drink.
That's a reason why I like sports betting. I can play all day for $50 or $60. I can count on one or two hands the number of times I've played blackjack in the past 20 years.

 

A fucking 16 should be outlawed.