| Be smart, play smart, learn the right way to | | | | gamble. So, why quit when I'm ahead? If I |
| play craps! | | | | quit after a $900 winning session, then what? |
| | | | Sit at the bar drinking beer watching |
| I've read a lot of my colleagues' books and | | | | everyone else have fun at the craps table? No |
| articles and, as best I can remember, they | | | | way! Like you, I'm a knowledgeable player who |
| all say that failing to set win/loss limits | | | | understands and accepts that I'm likely to |
| is one of the worst things you can do. I | | | | lose by the time I check out of the hotel, |
| disagree--partially. | | | | but that's okay with me. It's pointless for |
| | | | me to quit after getting $900 ahead. If money |
| I agree with setting loss limits. Divide your | | | | were my motivation, I wouldn't have spent |
| vacation time into sessions and set firm loss | | | | $1,200 for two airplane tickets to Vegas, |
| limits for each session. Without them, you | | | | $700 for a hotel room, $500 (maybe more) for |
| could go broke the first day and have to | | | | food, $500 for my wife's massages, and $1,000 |
| spend the rest of your Vegas vacation | | | | (probably more) for my wife's shopping spree. |
| watching the fountains and sinking pirate | | | | It doesn't add up. If all I care about is |
| ship 10 times a day. Therefore, disciplined | | | | money, I would have saved tons of it by |
| loss limits allow you to manage your money so | | | | staying home. As long as I'm winning, I'm |
| you don't go broke before it's time to go | | | | playing. The only time I stop is after I've |
| home. | | | | lost my buy-in money for a particular |
| | | | session. Then, when it's time to start the |
| I disagree that you should also always set | | | | next session, I drop another buy-in allotment |
| win limits ("always" is the key word). Many | | | | on the table and start having fun again. |
| of my colleagues advocate quitting when your | | | | |
| winning streak ends. If you're a local and | | | | However, win limits may be suitable for |
| can return to the table day after day without | | | | non-gamblers who rarely play. Suppose you |
| restriction, then perhaps win limits may | | | | visit Vegas to attend a convention. You've |
| serve some purpose. But if you're an | | | | never gambled, you don't know how to gamble, |
| occasional gambler who visits Vegas twice a | | | | you think it's a silly waste of money, or it |
| year, I believe that win limits are generally | | | | just isn't fun for you. Your friend talks you |
| inappropriate. | | | | into going down to the casino to play craps. |
| | | | You don't want to go, but your friend won't |
| Suppose you start your four-day vacation by | | | | take no for an answer, so you reluctantly |
| playing your first craps session. Suppose | | | | say, "Okay, but only for an hour." Your |
| your win/loss goal is to quit the session if | | | | friend has the mojo working in high gear, |
| you lose your $100 buy-in or if you get $150 | | | | rolling number after number. You don't have a |
| ahead. Two minutes after you buy-in, the | | | | clue what you're doing as you mirror your |
| table goes berserk with a blistering hot | | | | friend's bets. All you know is that the |
| roll. The shooter throws for almost an hour | | | | dealer keeps giving you green chips and you |
| without a 7-out. You interrupt your | | | | keep stuffing them in your pocket. The streak |
| screaming, jumping up and down, hugging, and | | | | finally ends after 20 minutes and you find |
| kissing to count your chips. Holy cow, you're | | | | yourself $300 ahead. You tell your friend, |
| $900 ahead! The shooter finally rolls a | | | | "I'm taking my money and running." Rather |
| 7-out. Now what? You've won six times your | | | | than staying for the remainder of the hour |
| original win goal. Do you quit? If so, how | | | | that you said you'd play, you reached a |
| long do you quit? Do you quit altogether and | | | | comfortable win amount and decided to quit |
| not play the rest of your trip? If you quit, | | | | before losing it all. For this type of non |
| what will you do in the time that you planned | | | | gambler, a win limit makes good sense. |
| to play craps? | | | | |
| | | | If you don't want to lose your shirt, you |
| That's the dilemma you face if you're only an | | | | must learn the secret to craps. Don't fall |
| occasional gambler, which most of us are. | | | | for bogus winning systems or ridiculous |
| Personally, I keep playing. Why? I came to | | | | dice-setting claims. Be smart. Play smart. |
| Vegas to play craps. I didn't come to | | | | Learn the secret to craps. |
| exercise in fancy spas, or go shopping, or | | | | |
| sight-see, or eat at fancy restaurants, or | | | | Now you know! Remember, learn the right way |
| look at boring water fountains, or ogle | | | | to play craps. |
| half-naked pirates, or do anything else but | | | | |