I’ve been asked variations of this question more than one hundred times over the years. Sometimes phrased as, “If I lose $100 (or some other number), should I give up for the day?”

My answer usually was some form of the following:

1. Only play when you have the advantage. If the house has the edge, don’t play. It’s fairly easy to calculate in video poker whether you have the edge or not. In general, if you don’t know if you’re the favorite or not, you’re not.

2. My answer assumes you have sufficient bankroll, actual and psychological, to ride it out. How to calculate how much bankroll you need is a discussion for another day.

3. Are you still playing alertly?

If the first two conditions are met, and you can answer the third question in the affirmative, there’s no reason to stop playing just because you’re behind. Scores go up and down. The amount of bankroll you had at the beginning of the day is not a particularly significant number. Whether you are ahead or behind of this insignificant number is likewise insignificant. Your daily score is just one data point on your annual or lifetime score.

Regular Bob Dancer readers have seen variations of this numerous times. Why I bring it up today is because I recently read two different Annie Duke books — “Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don’t Have All the Facts” (2018)  and “Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away” (2022). In each book, Annie takes a somewhat different view of stopping when losing than I’ve been preaching for years. 

She has another recent book — “How to Decide: Simple Tools for Making Better Choices.” (2020). Reading it is on my To Do list. Perhaps she addresses this there too.

The two books I’ve read present her ideas in different ways. It’s not that she changed her mind between the two books, it’s just that she’s presenting the same phenomenon in different contexts.

In “Thinking in Bets,” she’s speaking in the context of having a group of colleagues who hold each other accountable. If she has reached her loss limit while playing poker for the day and she didn’t quit, she’d have to explain her reasoning to her group. There can be good reasons for continuing, but she’ll have to defend them afterwards to a group of others. This extra step of having the default be quitting in certain circumstances and having to defend her actions if she didn’t follow that default, made it possible for her to step back and make a more rational decision.

In “Quit,” she’s speaking of rules made in advance about when to quit in certain circumstances, possibly when you don’t have a group to which you’re accountable. Her point is that it’s better to make these rules in advance than try to make them on a case-by-case basis in the heat of the moment. 

I have no stop loss rule in my discussion. Generally, I have believed them to be useless in video poker. So, have I changed my mind after reading Duke? 

Before I answer that, let me argue that poker and video poker are very different games. In video poker, it’s relatively easy to calculate whether or not you’re the favorite. Conditions to the game usually don’t change incrementally. (They can change drastically all at once — when 10x points ends at midnight, or you’re playing for a progressive which somebody hits — but usually they don’t change incrementally along the way. If it was a good game before you lost your $100, it’s still a good game.)

Poker is a much more difficult game than video poker. It’s not so much your skill that matters in poker, but rather your relative skill compared to the other players in the game. If the weak players leave and are replaced by strong players, you may or may not still be a favorite. 

It can be difficult to evaluate whether you’re a favorite in a poker game (and it changes over the course of a game), whereas it’s relatively easy to do this in video poker.   

So, while I believe Duke’s rules make a lot of sense in poker (and many other decision areas in life), I’m sticking with my own rules in video poker — which is a much simpler game.

Still, Duke mentioned one additional factor in this decision that I need to make more explicit in my rules. She says she noticed her level of play deteriorated after six or eight hours, no matter what the competition was, so she adjusted her stop limit to include that (when she could — obviously in tournaments there are times where you need to play longer sessions than that.)

In my rules, my third rule asked if I was still playing alertly — which assumes away some of the problem. My assumption is that I can determine at the time how alertly I am playing. In many ways this is like asking someone who has had two drinks if he is okay to safely drive. This driver may well not be a competent evaluator of the situation.

A rule of thumb of “no driving after two drinks unless it is at least two hours since the last drink” is a much safer rule than “I’ll figure it out at the time.” Similarly, for me anyway, a rule of “don’t play more than six hours straight” makes a lot of sense. After six hours, if I can rest two or more hours, then it’s fine to resume.

This would be a much better rule for me to follow than “I will decide at the time whether I am playing alertly.” I’m now 75 years of age. I would have made a different rule at age 50. And at age 85, if I’m still playing, my rule may well be three hours or less.

As Duke freely admits in her books, she wasn’t always perfect at following her guidelines. And I certainly haven’t robotically followed my own rules either. Still, having these rules and following them most of the time makes for better (and more profitable) decisions compared to not having such rules.

El Día Nacional de la Tercera Edad es el 21 de agosto de cada año y es una oportunidad para expresar agradecimiento a los estadounidenses mayores por sus contribuciones para mejorar nuestras familias, nuestras comunidades y nuestro país. 

Florida es un destino para los adultos mayores al igual que para los jóvenes. El estado atrae un gran flujo de personas para disfrutar del clima, las playas, el entretenimiento y el estilo de vida. Dado que el juego es una de las actividades recreativas que disfrutan muchas personas mayores, no sorprende que tantos jubilados se muden al Estado del Sol. De acuerdo con las últimas estimaciones de la Oficina de Censos de EE.UU., Florida tiene el mayor porcentaje de personas de la tercera edad (21% o 4.2 millones) [1], que no parece estar disminuyendo. Para documentar el número de reubicaciones, en 2020, 167 personas se mudaron a Florida por cada 100 que se fueron, mientras que, en 2021, ese número se duplicó a 210 residentes entrantes por cada 100 que se fueron, esto significa que más del doble de personas se mudaron al estado en comparación con los que salieron [2]. Además, Tampa estuvo entre las tres principales áreas metropolitanas que experimentaron la mayor cantidad de nuevos residentes entre 2010 y 2020, junto con Orlando y Miami [3].

Para muchas personas mayores, el juego proporciona una salida social, ya que les brinda un lugar para ir y conocer a otros en un momento de sus vidas en el que disfrutan de la socialización. Para otros, el juego parece ser una forma divertida de tener un poco de emoción y tal vez ganar algo de dinero.  A medida que uno envejece, algunos han descubierto que el juego ofrece una forma de llenar el tiempo vacío o libre, provocado desde la jubilación o tras la pérdida de un ser querido. Con el tiempo, lentamente, el juego se puede ver como una actividad necesaria para brindar emoción, aliviar el aburrimiento o la tristeza, o un lugar de pertenencia. Y algunos terminan gastando más y más dinero en juegos de azar y menos tiempo en otras actividades. Dado que el juego puede parecer como una actividad inofensiva al principio, puede ser difícil verlo de otra manera.

El Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling quiere que los residentes de la Florida sepan, ya sea que vivan con ingresos fijos o no, que si bien pueden presentarse circunstancias especiales cuando el juego se convierte en un problema entre las personas mayores. Comunicarse con 888-ADMIT-IT les ayudará a ellos y a sus familias a iniciar su camino hacia la recuperación, un paso a la vez. Tenga en cuenta que las personas mayores tienen menos tiempo y menos recursos financieros para recuperarse de las consecuencias sociales, financieras y, en particular, médicas y psiquiátricas que resultan del juego desordenado, por lo que es importante buscar asistencia inmediata, y los apoyos están disponibles las 24 horas. Recuerde: nunca es demasiado tarde para comenzar a recuperarse, así que este Día Nacional de la Tercera Edad consiga la ayuda que usted o un ser querido necesite.

Además de una variedad de recursos y organizaciones de referencia, 888-ADMIT-IT puede proporcionar libros de trabajo de autoayuda para personas mayores, en forma impresa y en audio, para aquellos que tienen dificultades visuales.  Además, 888-ADMIT-IT ofrece guías de autoayuda para sus seres queridos, quienes frecuentemente experimentan muchos de los mismos síntomas que sus contrapartes con problemas de juego. Más allá de un programa de contacto con amigos y un programa en línea para jugadores con problemas, 888-ADMIT-IT le comunica con profesionales certificados en adicción al juego, organizaciones de autoayuda y brinda diversos apoyos según las circunstancias y necesidades individuales.

Si el juego representa dificultades en su vida o en la de un ser querido, Your One Sure Thing, 888-ADMIT-IT puede brindarle los servicios que necesita.  Puede comunicarse por teléfono con la línea de ayuda (888-ADMIT-IT o 888-236-4848), mensaje de texto (321-978-0555), correo electrónico ([email protected]), chat (gamblinghelp.org), a través de la aplicación móvil 888-ADMIT-IT (https://landing.appypie.com/888-admit-it), o en las redes sociales.

1. Referencia: Rubin, E. (2022).  Elderly population in U.S. by state. Consumer Affairs. Tomado de Población mayor de 65 años por estado (2022) | Oficina del Consumidor.
2. Referencia: Hayes, K. (2022). New Yorkers and Californians Flock to Florida. Agentes inmobiliarios de Florida. Tomado de Neoyorquinos y californianos acuden a Florida | Agentes Inmobiliarios de Florida.
3. Referencia: Ibídem

Our guest this week is Anthony Curtis. We talk about what’s new in Las Vegas, and upcoming books from Huntington Press.

We welcome your questions – send them to us at [email protected], or you can find me at @RWM21 on Twitter or https://www.facebook.com/GamblingWithAnEdge.

podcast – https://www.spreaker.com/user/7418966/ac09202022

Show Notes

[00:00]  Introduction of Anthony Curtis, publisher of The Las Vegas Advisor and Huntington Press

[00:35]  Remembering Cat Hulbert

[01:51]  James Grosjean’s books

[07:16]  Upcoming books from The Huntington Press

[09:28]  Football contests

[12:48]  Errant line at MGM

[17:49]  Football parties in Las Vegas

[22:52]  http://SouthPointCasino.com

[23:36]  http://BlackjackApprenticeship.com

[24:05]  http://VideoPoker.com/gwae

[25:44]  http://Unabated.com

[26:22]  Station Casino property demolitions

[32:35]  Casino Del Sol offering unique football lines

[37:03]  W2-G on video roulette

[44:12]  Legends Bay in Sparks

[48:05]  Blackjack in California

[50:15]  Recommended:  T-Mobile internet, The Outfit, “Sharks” by Imagine Dragons

Sponsored Links:

http://SouthPointCasino.com

http://BlackjackApprenticeship.com

http://VideoPoker.com/gwae

http://Unabated.com

Guest Links:

http://LasVegasAdvisor.com

http://Huntingtonpress.com

http://Youtube.com/c/LasVegasAdvisorSHOW

Episodes Referenced:

http://Lasvegasadvisor.com/gambling-with-an-edge/gambling-with-edge-guest-cat-hulber/

Recommended:

“The Outfit” – http://Amazon.com/Outfit-Mark-Rylance/dp/B09V536PRC

“Sharks” by Imagine Dragons – http://Youtube.com/watch?v=Te3_VlimRw0

From September to February, Americans rearrange plans and listen for the telltale ding from their phones as millions of TVs across the nation display the latest football games, stats, and highlights. But are people still tuning in for the love of the sport, or has something a little less wholesome overshadowed the seemingly harmless game? 

While this sport often brings people together, it’s important to acknowledge that this season can be challenging for those are struggling with problem gambling and those around them who are concerned for their continued welfare. However, there are steps you can take to safeguard yourself and those you love from sneaky traps and trick plays. Keep reading to learn more about the other team’s playbook and what resources are at your disposal when you feel like you could use a little back up. 

The Offensive Line

With the constant stream of betting enticements being placed in every free second of programming, there is a heightened risk for problem gamblers in recovery to fall back into old patterns. Research shows that with more and more states legalizing sports betting, the sports wagering TV ad category has seen a spending increase of 281%, making total ad spend around $282 million this year. This has also led to a higher amount of impressions, up 48% to 18.2 billion viewers in the last year.[1] The wide net cast by these mega campaigns undoubtedly includes people who are suffering from, or at risk for, problem gambling, who are being exposed to messaging that could trigger the development or recurrence of gambling disorder. 

Though sports betting is still not legal in Florida, access to sports betting is still possible, whether by joining a fantasy league with friends or catching a game at a venue while placing live bets on a mobile device. While this type of betting is more and more socially accepted, it can be just as much a temptation and potentially destructive for those who suffer from problem gambling as other types of gambling. In fact, sports bettors were found to be three or more times as likely to report frequent risky behaviors than non-sports bettors.[2]

Running Defense

Don’t worry — we’ve still got the home field advantage. With the right resources and a steady support system, recovering problem gamblers can run from the temptation of placing bets on so-called “sure things.” Help is available 24/7 with the 888-ADMIT-IT HelpLine, a confidential and multilingual hotline that was designed to help Florida residents find necessary help and local resources, so they can break free from harmful behaviors. Even if you aren’t dealing with these behaviors personally, you can take advantage of this free resource to learn more insights about the disorder and how to identify the stages in loved ones that may be at risk.

While there are things that are out of our control, there are simple steps you can take to improve your circumstances and decrease the likelihood of falling into old behaviors. The path to recovery isn’t static, but you can wake up each day and choose to pursue activities and relationships that benefit your emotional, mental, physical, spiritual, and financial health.

The best part? You don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to the people around you for support when you’re not feeling your best or call 888-ADMIT-IT to get truly impactful assistance. Whether you’re going on a run or grabbing a cup of coffee with an old friend, small steps can lead to positive change. 

Something we’ve seen that’s helped people suffering from gambling problems to overcome the temptation that creeps in during certain scenarios — whether it’s Monday night football or the casino table — is visualizing the life you want for yourself. Curb negative or destructive thoughts as soon as they enter your brain and redirect your mind to the life that’s possible when you take the first step out of problem gambling today. 

To start your recovery journey and begin the healing process, call 888-ADMIT-IT (888-236-4848), text (321-978-0555), email ([email protected]), live chat (gamblinghelp.org), use the 888-ADMIT-IT App (https://landing.appypie.com/888-admit-it), or reach out on social media, such as Facebook and Twitter. 

1. iSpot. “Betting on TV Advertising: Sportsbook Brands Expand Reach and Resonance.” ISpottv, 8 June 2022, https://www.ispot.tv/ads/betting-on-tv-advertising-sportsbook-brands-expand-reach-and-resonance/.
2. “Executive Summary.” National Survey on Gambling Attitudes and Gambling Experiences, 6 Apr. 2021, https://www.ncpgsurvey.org/executive-summary/.

I received an email from a player, “Sam,” discussing a promotion that has come and gone, in an unnamed casino in an unnamed state. He wanted to know how I would have analyzed whether or not to play it. 

The gist of the promotion was that for two consecutive days, four hours per day, each W-2G received the following free play bonuses:

He told me the best game to play, $5 Double Double Bonus (DDB) in the 9/6 pay schedule (98.98%), only came in Triple Play, Five Play, or Ten Play versions. There were four machines in the high limit room with these games on them. (There might have been single line $5 9/5 DDB games, but that game is 1.1% tighter and has a much more difficult strategy.) He didn’t expect much, if any, competition for the machines — but you never know. The slot club benefits are worth a little, but aren’t a major consideration.

He figured it out for single-line $5 9/6 DDB (which didn’t exist at that casino) and the promotion was worth 101.7%. He didn’t have the tools to figure out how much it returned in Five Play, which was the stake he decided upon. (I would probably have played Ten Play, if I had four machines to work with. That way I’d also get W-2Gs on dealt flushes and full houses, while dealt trips which end up with seven trips and three or more full houses also generate a $1,200 or greater W-2G. But I’ll limit the discussion to Five Play. If Sam and I both showed up on the same day and had to share two machines, I would have played Five Play as well.)

a. The return for the Five Play version will be similar to the return for the single line version. The only time it differs is when two or more $1,200-or-higher jackpots happen on the same deal. Like starting out with trip kings and converting two of them to $1,250 quads, where you only get one $250 free play bonus instead of two. If you’re dealt a quad, that’ll move you up to a higher free play level, unless you’re already at the highest level.

While possible, these are fairly rare events. The overlay on this promotion was so large that knowing it was “only” a 1.6% advantage instead of 1.7% wouldn’t affect the decision to play or not play. At least for me.

b. Does Sam file as a professional gambler? If so, gambling wins may be offset by gambling losses. If not, the W-2Gs will generate taxes far in excess of the amount of the free play bonus. Answer: Yes. And for state taxes as well, he can offset the losses against the wins. 

c. How fast does the casino process W-2Gs and how are they paid? (This is when I found out there were four machines.) Some casinos let you sign a W-2G at the start of your session and allow you to use your pin number to key off the jackpots into credits. Some casinos pay everything in cash. Some casinos will create TITO tickets for jackpots. Answer: At this casino, each jackpot is paid off in cash. 

d. If the jackpots are paid in cash, you want to have $20,000 to $50,000 in TITO tickets prepared ahead of time, and you want to bring along a helper to create TITO tickets out of each jackpot when paid. Answer. He didn’t think of pre-making the TITO tickets, but he had somebody there to create such tickets out of all jackpots. That extra person was able to ‘hold’ a machine by sitting in front of it. That way, once he got two machines, he was guaranteed to be able to keep at least those two. This extra person has a fairly unskilled job to do, but it has to be somebody you trust, and the job is important.

e. Does the state have any withholding on W-2G jackpots? Yes, but it’s refundable when you file your state income tax form at the end of the year. So, not a problem.

f. How well do you know 9/6 DDB? Answer: Sam knows the basic strategy pretty well. He doesn’t know all of the penalty card situations, but figures his accuracy is better than 99.9%. He believed that to be plenty good enough for this promotion. (I agree.)

g. If he loses $40,000 – $50,000 on this promotion, will that cause a problem? Answer: Sam and his wife took $30,000 with them and told each other that if it went, it went. They had no more money on hand and no line of credit available. They wouldn’t be happy about it, but it wouldn’t be a disaster for them. 

h. Does he realize that he will probably lose money during this promotion? Yes, the odds are very nice, but so much of the return is on royals and the premium quads — especially those with a kicker. Dealt regular quads for $6,250 would also be nice. You’ll probably only get 1,200 to 2,000 dealt hands per day, depending on the casino’s staffing and eagerness to work, where the total number of hands would be five times that high. That’s definitely a short-run play and if you don’t get one or more of the good hands, you’re going to lose. 

There have been plays where the casino realizes part way through the promotion that they were losing big and the manager told his people to each take some long breaks. There ended up being numerous hands “on the machines,” but not recorded until the staff got around to it. Eventually everybody got paid (some had to wait three hours), but all the relevant machines were tied up and everybody was grumbling. If this happens here, Sam will only get in a few hundred deals — if that. Answer:  Sam has been a professional gambler for a number of years and knows about swings. He and his helper had books to read in case there was a really long wait for services. After the fact, it turned out the casino staff kept working hard and made no effort to slow things down.

i. Had he considered extra big tipping to improve service? Answer: He didn’t, but agrees that if he told all the workers that he’d pay at least $20 for every jackpot, and more for a $10,000 or bigger hit, he might have gotten faster service. But with four machines, it wasn’t really necessary. 

j. Does he realize that if he does really well (perhaps a $100,000 dealt royal, or perhaps several $20,000 aces-with-a kicker hands), some casinos kick out players for having the nerve to win so much. Answer: He knows that. He doesn’t think it will be a problem here, but if it does happen, it’s worth it!

De septiembre a febrero, los estadounidenses reorganizan los planes y escuchan el sonido revelador de sus teléfonos mientras millones de televisores en todo el país muestran los últimos juegos de fútbol, ​​estadísticas y resúmenes. Pero, ¿sigue la gente sintonizándose por amor al deporte, o hay algo un poco menos honesto que ha eclipsado el juego aparentemente inofensivo? 

Si bien, a menudo, este deporte une a las personas, es importante reconocer que esta temporada puede ser un desafío para aquellos que tienen dificultades con la adicción a las apuestas y para quienes les rodean y están preocupados por su bienestar. Sin embargo, hay medidas que se pueden tomar para protegerse a uno mismo y a los seres queridos de trampas y trucos. Siga leyendo para obtener más información sobre el libro de tácticas del otro equipo y qué recursos están a su disposición cuando crea que necesita un poco de respaldo. 

La Línea Ofensiva

Con el flujo constante de tentaciones de apuestas colocadas a cada segundo libre de programación, existe un mayor riesgo de que apostadores compulsivos en recuperación regresen a los viejos patrones. Las investigaciones muestran que con más y más estados legalizando las apuestas en deportes, la categoría de anuncios televisivos de apuestas de deportes ha experimentado un aumento del gasto del 281%, lo que hace que el gasto total en publicidad sea de alrededor de $282 millones este año. Esto también ha llevado a una mayor cantidad de impresiones, hasta un 48% más, hasta 18,200 millones de telespectadores en el último año.[1] La transmisión a diestra y siniestra de estas megacampañas sin duda incluye a personas que sufren o están en riesgo de tener problemas con el juego, que están expuestas a mensajes que podrían desencadenar el desarrollo o la recurrencia del trastorno del juego. 

Aunque las apuestas en deportes aún no son legales en Florida, el acceso a ellas aún es posible, ya sea uniéndose a una liga de fantasía con amigos o viendo un juego en un lugar mientras se hacen apuestas en vivo en un dispositivo móvil. Si bien este tipo de apuestas es cada vez más aceptado socialmente, puede ser muy tentador y potencialmente destructivo para aquellos que sufren problemas con las apuestas y otros tipos de juegos de azar. De hecho, se descubrió que apostadores en deportes tienen tres o más probabilidades de reportar conductas de riesgo frecuentes que los apostadores no deportivos.[2]

Defensa de carrera

No se preocupe: todavía tenemos la ventaja de jugar en casa. Con los recursos adecuados y un sistema de apoyo constante, los jugadores con problemas en recuperación pueden huir de la tentación de hacer apuestas en las llamadas “cosas seguras”. Hay ayuda disponible las 24 horas del día, los 7 días de la semana en la línea de ayuda 888-ADMIT-IT, una línea directa confidencial y multilingüe que fue diseñada para ayudar a residentes de Florida a encontrar la ayuda necesaria y los recursos locales para que puedan liberarse de comportamientos dañinos. Incluso si no está lidiando personalmente con estos comportamientos, puede aprovechar este recurso gratuito para obtener más información sobre este trastorno y cómo identificar las etapas en seres queridos en riesgo.

Si bien hay cosas que están fuera de nuestro control, hay pasos sencillos que puede tomar para mejorar sus circunstancias y disminuir la probabilidad de caer en viejos comportamientos. El camino hacia la recuperación no es estático, pero puede despertarse cada día y elegir buscar actividades y relaciones que beneficien su salud emocional, mental, física, espiritual y financiera.

¿La mejor parte? No tiene que hacerlo solo. Comuníquese con personas a su alrededor para obtener apoyo cuando no se sienta lo mejor posible o llame al 888-ADMIT-IT para obtener asistencia realmente impactante. Ya sea que salga a correr o tome una taza de café con un viejo amigo, los pequeños pasos pueden conducir a un cambio positivo. 

Algo que ha ayudado a personas que sufren de problemas con el juego a superar la tentación que se presenta en ciertos escenarios, ya sea el fútbol del lunes por la noche o la mesa del casino, es visualizar la vida que desea para usted. Controle los pensamientos negativos o destructivos tan pronto como entren en su cerebro y redirija su mente a la vida que es posible cuando da el primer paso para salir del problema con el juego hoy mismo. 

Para arrancar con su recuperación y comenzar el proceso de sanación, llame al 888-ADMIT-IT (888-236-4848), envíe un mensaje de texto al (321-978-0555), envíe un correo electrónico a ([email protected]), chatee en vivo (gamblinghelp.org), use la aplicación 888-ADMIT-IT (https://landing.appypie.com/888-admit-it) o ​​comuníquese por medio de redes sociales, como Facebook y Twitter. 

1. iSpot. “Apuestas en publicidad televisiva: Compañías de apuestas deportivas amplían alcance y repercusión”. ISpottv, 8 de junio de 2022, https://www.ispot.tv/ads/betting-on-tv-advertising-sportsbook-brands-expand-reach-and-resonance/.
2. “Resumen ejecutivo”. Encuesta nacional sobre actitudes y experiencias de juego, 6 de abril de 2021, https://www.ncpgsurvey.org/executive-summary/.

Our guests this week are Jim Pasko, and his son Dan.  Jim has been one of the best backgammon players in the world for 40 years, and together with his son Dan they have been very successful as sports bettors, primarily focused on prop bets.

[00:00]  Introduction of gamblers, Jim and Dan Pasko

[00:35]  Does Jim still play backgammon?

[03:17]  Studying backgammon before bots, taking risk

[09:33]  Cheating stories from The Cavendish, scams, magnetic dice

[17:06]  Sport betting

[19:36]  Jim and Dan’s background in math

[23:29]  Betting football and nba props, increasing market efficiency

[26:37]  Solving problems for other bettors, combinatorics

[29:12]  Erosion of edges as markets change and evolve

[32:42]  SouthPointCasino.com

[33:36]  BlackjackApprenticeship.com

[34:20]  VideoPoker.com/gwae

[35:22]  Unabated.com

[35:58]  How to  contact Jim and Dan

[37:15]  Backgammon, learning curves, Stu Ungar

[41:51]  Bomb pots

[49:06]  Recommended;  The Great on Hulu, The Duke, Good Will Hunting, Tombstone

Sponsored Links:

http://SouthPointCasino.com

http://BlackjackApprenticeship.com

http://VideoPoker.com/gwae

http://Unabated.com

Recommended:

“The Great” http://Hulu.com/series/the-great

“The Duke” http://Mubi.com/films/the-duke-2020

“Good Will Hunting” http://Miramax.com/movie/good-will-hunting

“Tombstone” http://Imdb.com/title/tt0108358/

From September 15^th to October 15^th, we’re celebrating the rich history and culture of the Hispanic community during Hispanic Heritage Month. Not only is this a month-long celebration, but it’s also a time to reflect and shine a light on an issue that affects the community and other people groups around the globe and in our state — problem gambling. 

The way this issue presents itself varies, whether it be through video gaming, casino betting or online gambling, the effects these behaviors have on people with a gambling addiction are generally the same. This includes trouble with mental health, finances, relationships, and more.

While this disorder impacts people worldwide, recent studies show that the expansion of sports betting could disproportionately affect Latinos, specifically men. Since the U.S. Supreme Court made a ruling in 2018 that legalized sports betting in many states and overturned certain restrictions, the risk for gambling problems has increased by 50% and has enticed nearly 20 million adults to take part in these activities.[1] 

Another study explains how Hispanic participants were significantly more likely than other demographics to use and abuse substances and report mental health problems such as behavioral addictions or suicidal thoughts.[2] While these are issues that commonly come packaged with problem gambling, there is nothing common about the way the Hispanic community has become vulnerable to these potentially harmful behaviors. 

In light of this, we want to ensure the Hispanic communities in our state have access to the resources that help make recovery possible. We know the road to recovery can seem daunting when you don’t know where to start or if there is help available in your preferred language. However, there is hope — the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling (FCCG) has streamlined the process for you, so you don’t have to jump through hoops to get connected to proven resources for problem gambling recovery — in fact, you or your loved ones can take the first step toward healing today. 

The best way to get connected with resources is to contact the 888-ADMIT-IT HelpLine, a place that provides live multilingual support for those whose lives have been impacted by problem gambling. This resource is available 24/7 and offers referrals to Spanish-language literature and licensed and certified gambling disorder treatment providers who are fluent in Spanish.

We want to provide you with a recovery program that meets your needs, and the HelpLine serves as a one-stop shop where you can gain access to diverse resources that are designed to meet you where you are and help you get to where you want to be. 

While recovery isn’t easy, there are simple steps you can take to help you get on track to your new reality. While it may seem too easy, we recommend envisioning the life you could lead once you overcome the temptation of problem gambling behaviors. This will help remind you what you are striving for and why putting in the work now will be worth it in the end. 

Practical steps you can take today include replacing problem behaviors with positive activities, such as getting outside for a walk, exercising, meeting up with a friend or doing something that you’re passionate about. It can be difficult to give something up when you don’t fill that space in your life with a new behavior, so pick something that makes your life feel a little brighter!

For more information on the 888-ADMIT-IT HelpLine and the steps FCCG is taking to make recovery possible for everyone in Florida, watch the video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Drt3A-oiy5Y.

To start your recovery journey and begin the healing process, call 888-ADMIT-IT (888-236-4848), text (321-978-0555), email ([email protected]), live chat (gamblinghelp.org), use the 888-ADMIT-IT App (https://landing.appypie.com/888-admit-it), or reach out on social media, such as Facebook and Twitter. 

1. Gnat, Jordan. The Sports Betting and Gaming Industry Must Do More to Service the U.S. Hispanic Market, https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/en/SB-Blogs/COVID19-OpEds/2022/02/18-Gnat?_sp=96597770-6461-4b89-bae9-120af5a46837.1660590503717.
2. Caler, Kyle R, et al. “Problem Gambling among Ethnic Minorities: Results from an Epidemiological Study.” Asian Journal of Gambling Issues and Public Health, Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2017, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5589834/#:~:text=Overall%2C%20the%20highest%20proportion%20of,ideation%20in%20the%20past%20year.

Using a W for wild card to indicate a deuce, assume you are dealt W W Q♦ J♦ T♦ on a Triple Play version of Deuces Wild. This is not a tough play. You hold all five cards for a wild royal flush. (Other terms for the same hand are royal flush with deuce and dirty royal.) Usually this pays 100 or 125 coins, depending on the pay schedule, and in the specific version you’re playing it returns 100 coins.

But wait! Technically this could be a straight flush, couldn’t it? After all, the two deuces could represent the 8♦ 9♦, couldn’t they? There are several versions of deuces wild, but assume in the version you’re playing, 5-coin straight flushes return 50 coins.

One of the general principles of video poker is that each hand is valued at its highest payout, so since 100 coins is greater than 50 coins, clearly this is a wild royal flush and not a straight flush.

But wait again! Assume you’re playing Ultimate X Gold when you’re playing this hand. According to the Wizard of Odds website, this game returns 98.3% in the Triple Play or Five Play versions and 98.1% in the Ten Play versions. 

This is too tight for intelligent, disciplined gamblers to sit down and play long sessions, but sometimes it’s a good play. Several hands, namely the flush, full house, four of a kind, straight flush, five of a kind, wild royal flush, and four deuces, come with multipliers that keep building until they are hit, or reach the maximum value allowed for that pay schedule category. Most start at 1x, but the wild royal flush in this game starts at 2x. The top end of the multipliers varies from 4x to 10x. These multipliers do not go up evenly. Straight flushes, for example, go from 1x to 3x to 5x to 7x to 9x to 10x. 

Other Ultimate X Gold games have similar multipliers that grow when triggered by certain dealt hands. Each pay schedule of each game has its own strategy.

Surely when enough of the multipliers are high enough, this is a game with positive EV. Sometimes very positive EV. There is considerable speculation on the Internet as to when a particular pay schedule is positive. While I do play this game sometimes when I see a combination of multipliers that I believe is too good to pass up, I’m not an expert at this. And that’s not what today’s article is about.

Assume, however, that when we are dealt W W Q♦ J♦ T♦, the wild royal has a multiplier of 2x (worth 200 per line), and the straight flush has a multiplier of 10x per line (worth 500 per line). There may or may not be other multipliers higher than 1x currently active on the game, but they are not part of this discussion. 

Does the rule that W W Q♦ J♦ T♦ is always a wild royal flush and never a straight flush still apply? Doesn’t being forced to accept ‘only’ 200 coins per line seem unfair when an argument could be made that it should be 500 coins per line?

It turns out I received this same basic question twice in a matter of days, only the second was comparing a straight flush (with a 1x multiplier) with a flush (with a 10x multiplier). Both players wanted to know to whom they should complain in order to be paid the higher amount.

The answer is that multipliers do not affect the definition of hands. W W Q♦ J♦ T♦ was determined to be a wild royal flush decades before Ultimate X Gold was invented. Just because a new game has multipliers that occasionally make straight flushes worth more than wild royal flushes doesn’t change the definition of hands.

Both players who contacted me were quite upset at being forced to accept the lesser payout. Too bad. Each combination of five cards has one and only one payout. But, as Patty Loveless sang in a country western song from the mid-1990s, you can feel bad if it will make you feel better.

Del 15 de septiembre al 15 de octubre, celebramos la rica historia y cultura de la comunidad hispana durante el Mes del Legado Hispano. No solo es la celebración de un mes, sino que también es tiempo para reflexionar y mostrar un problema que afecta a la comunidad y a otros grupos de personas en todo el mundo y en nuestro estado: el problema de la adicción al juego. 

La forma en que este problema se presenta es variable; ya sea a través de videojuegos, apuestas de casino o juegos de azar en línea, los efectos que estos comportamientos tienen en las personas con adicción al juego son generalmente los mismos. Esto incluye problemas de salud mental, finanzas, relaciones y más.

Si bien este trastorno afecta a personas en todo el mundo, estudios recientes muestran que la expansión de las apuestas en deportes podría afectar de manera desproporcionada a latinos, específicamente a hombres. Desde que la Corte Suprema de EE.UU. emitió un fallo en 2018 que legalizó las apuestas en deportes en muchos estados y anuló ciertas restricciones, el riesgo de problemas con la adicción a los juegos ha aumentado en un 50% y ha atraído a casi 20 millones de adultos a participar en estas actividades.[1] 

Otro estudio explica cómo los participantes hispanos eran significativamente más propensos que otros grupos demográficos a usar y abusar de sustancias y reportar problemas de salud mental como adicciones de conducta o pensamientos suicidas.[2] Si bien éstos son problemas que comúnmente vienen con problemas de adicción al juego, no hay nada de común en la forma en que la comunidad hispana se ha vuelto vulnerable a estos comportamientos potencialmente dañinos. 

En vista de esto, queremos asegurarnos de que las comunidades hispanas de nuestro estado tengan acceso a los recursos que ayuden a hacer posible la recuperación. Sabemos que el camino hacia la recuperación puede parecer desalentador cuando no sabe por dónde empezar o si hay ayuda disponible en su idioma preferido. Sin embargo, hay esperanzas: el Consejo de la Florida sobre el Juego Compulsivo (FCCG) ha simplificado el proceso para usted, para que le resulte más fácil conectarse a recursos probados para la recuperación de problemas con la adicción al juego; de hecho, usted o su ser querido pueden dar el primer paso hacia la sanación hoy mismo. 

La mejor manera de conectarse con recursos es comunicarse con la línea de ayuda 888-ADMIT-IT, un lugar que brinda apoyo multilingüe en vivo para personas cuyas vidas se han visto afectadas por problemas con el juego. Este recurso está disponible las 24 horas del día, los 7 días de la semana y ofrece referencias a literatura en español y a proveedores con licencia y certificados en tratamiento de trastornos del juego que hablan español con fluidez.

Queremos brindarle un programa de recuperación que satisfaga sus necesidades, y la Línea de Ayuda sirve como una ventanilla única donde puede obtener acceso a diversos recursos diseñados para llegar donde usted se encuentra y ayudarle a llegar adonde usted desea. 

Si bien la recuperación no es fácil, hay pasos sencillos que le ayudarán a encaminarse hacia su nueva realidad. Si bien puede parecer demasiado fácil, le recomendamos que imagine la vida que podría llevar una vez que supere la tentación de comportamientos problemáticos con el juego. Esto le ayudará a recordar por qué está luchando y por qué su esfuerzo, al final, valdrá la pena. 

Los pasos prácticos a seguir incluyen reemplazar los comportamientos problemáticos con actividades positivas, como salir a caminar, hacer ejercicio, reunirse con un amigo o hacer algo que le apasione. Puede ser difícil renunciar a algo sin llenar ese espacio en su vida con un nuevo comportamiento, ¡así que elija algo que haga que su vida sea un poco más alegre!

Para obtener más información sobre la Línea de Ayuda 888-ADMIT-IT y los pasos que FCCG está tomando para hacer posible la recuperación para todos en Florida, mire el video a continuación:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Drt3A-oiy5Y.

Para arrancar con su recuperación y comenzar el proceso de sanación, llame al 888-ADMIT-IT (888-236-4848), envíe un mensaje de texto al (321-978-0555), envíe un correo electrónico a ([email protected]), chatee en vivo (gamblinghelp.org), use la aplicación 888-ADMIT-IT (https://landing.appypie.com/888-admit-it) o ​​comuníquese por medio de redes sociales, como Facebook y Twitter. 

1. Gnat, Jordan. La industria de los juegos y las apuestas deportivas debe hacer más para atender el mercado hispano en EE.UU., https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/en/SB-Blogs/COVID19-OpEds/2022/02/18-Gnat?_sp=96597770-6461-4b89-bae9-120af5a46837.1660590503717.
2. Caler, Kyle R, et al. “Problemas de juego entre minorías étnicas: Resultados de un estudio epidemiológico”. Asian Journal of Gambling Issues and Public Health, Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2017, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5589834/#:~:text=Overall%2C%20the%20highest%20proportion%20of,ideation%20in%20the%20past%20year.