Posted on July 10, 2023 by Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling under Mental Health, Online Gambling, Problem Gambling Awareness

This post is syndicated by the Las Vegas Advisor for the 888 casino group. Anthony Curtis comments on the 888 article introduced and linked to on this page.

AC says: Blackjack Xchange is one of many carnival, or “carney” games, in the market. You’ve probably never heard of it, but it’s been around a while. The reason it may sound new is because it’s dealt only in online casinos, due to the many rapid calculations necessary to offer the Xchange odds that you’ll read about. The big takeaway here is that there’s no reason outside of pure entertainment to ever make an Xchange, which might lead you to wonder why this game even exists. That question can be asked of many of the blackjack- and poker-derivative games that have worse odds than their traditional counterparts. The reason is that people will play them, either out of ignorance of the disadvantage they face or just because of an attraction to the action provided (video keno, anyone?). Those interested in the psychology, mathematics, and procedure for getting a new game into the casinos can find those details in our book The Essentials of Casino Game Design—From the Cocktail Napkin to the Casino Floor, by Dan Lubin, the only book on the market covering this topic.

This article was written by John Grochowski in association with 888Casino.

Blackjack Xchange

Imagine you’re dealt a stiff hand in blackjack such as 10-5 or 9-7 and the dealer has a 10 or an Ace face up. You’d love to exchange the lower card and take a chance at getting a 10 or Ace instead, wouldn’t you? Would you pay for the privilege?

Conversely, would you accept a fee from the house to exchange the higher card instead? Those are the kinds of situations that arise in Blackjack XChange, now carving out a niche at online casinos.

There are many player-attractive features to XChange, but the defining characteristic is the opportunity to exchange cards.

Mind you, paying the price to XChange doesn’t give you better odds than basic blackjack. At WizardofOdds.com, Michael Shackelford calculates that it’s best to skip the XChange feature and just take advantage of some favorable blackjack rules.

But for those looking for a little intrigue, it’s going to be awfully tempting to XChange when holding 10-6 and take a chance on improving on the 16, perhaps turning a stiff into a winner and maybe even creating a blackjack for a 3-2 payoff.

Click to continue reading …

In my opinion, much of the value of a strategy lies in the creation process — figuring out what makes this game different from the others; looking for the rare cases; figuring out how to transcribe those cases — not in using a strategy created by somebody else. 

When I’m looking for the rare cases, I’m learning all of the not-so-rare cases automatically along the way. So much of video poker is playing the mundane hands correctly. 

The reason I bring this up is that at one casino, the game I play depends on the promotions. One game pays slightly more percentage-wise but it tops out at a $5 denomination. The “lesser” game goes up to a $10 denomination. Normally playing at the $5 level is better, but fairly often the casino has four-hour promotions where some sort of point multiplier is in effect.  

During those four hours, the expected return from the $10 game (including multipliers) is higher than the expected return from the $5 game. During “non-promotion” times, the $5 game returns more. On one trip, where I’m going to be playing both when the promotion is going on and when it isn’t, I will play some of each game.

The games are similar but not identical, so in addition to having both strategies figured out, I’ve created a list of the “deltas.” That is, which hands are played differently between the games. Before I go to that casino to play, I study all three strategies. Sometimes it is several months between visits to this casino and, since I play these games nowhere else, my memory of the fine points deteriorates over time. So with the three strategies, I can get up to speed again fast.

So far, I’ve spoken a little bit in code. I could just tell you which casino I’m writing about, which games, and give you all three strategies. But while that gives some information to players, it also gives some information to casinos. Which I don’t want. Plus, relatively few of my readers play $5 and $10 games anyway, so I’m risking giving up a situation that isn’t relevant for most of you. If you think you can figure out which casino and which games, please don’t publish those things in the responses to the blog.

The same principles hold for lower denominations — whether it’s 25¢ games versus 50¢ games, $1 games versus $2 games, or whatever. While some of you only play one game, most of you play at least two — and making yourself a list of the deltas would be useful.

The games have to be similar to do this. Deuces Wild games are so different from Double Double Bonus games that the list of deltas would be longer than the full strategies! But Double Bonus versus Double Double Bonus (of whatever pay schedules you play) would be suitable, as would Triple Bonus Poker versus Double Bonus Poker. 

You’re going to have to decide for yourself how advanced you want these strategies to be. I want the strategies to be 100% complete and 100% accurate, but I’m sure I’m in the minority about that. A lot of you don’t play any game 100% accurately, let alone comparing the differences between two or more different games at that level.

So for many of you, what Liam W. Daily and I called “Basic Strategies,” which is as accurate as you can get without using penalty cards, would be suitable. 

If you were comparing 9/6 Jacks or Better (JoB) with 9/6 Double Double Bonus (DDB), you should include hands like A♠ J♠ T♠ 4♠ 5♦ on your list where with Basic Strategy you hold three spades in JoB but four spades in DDB. Unless you’re trying for 100% accuracy, you probably should skip hands like A♠ J♠ T♠ 4♠ T♦, where with Advanced Strategy the correct play is to hold four spades in both games. I’d certainly have that hand on my list, but it’s a fairly rare hand and not worth much if you skip it.

Many of you don’t want to do such hard work to squeeze every last penny out of a game. That’s your choice. I’m not putting you down. But for me this is both my vocation and my avocation and I want to do it as well as I can.

I received an email from Deke Castleman with the Las Vegas Advisor asking me if I’d answer the following QOD (Question of the Day):

The QoD on Station Casinos giving zero player points on some video poker
machines generated lots of strong reader comments.  One opinion is that
Advantage Players are one contributing cause for lessening, even ending,
player points on VP machines.  As a big-time video poker advantage player,
might Bob Dancer have some cogent thoughts on this topic?

I definitely have some thoughts about this — people regularly disagree about how cogent those thoughts are. Since my answer was going to be long, I thought it more suitable for a blogpost rather than a QOD.

Local casinos often have slogans such as, “We Love Locals,” or “We ♥ You More,” among many others. These slogans are geared towards making you believe these are benevolent organizations run by grandfatherly types just looking for ways to make your life better.

In fact, casinos are money-making businesses — or at least they are trying to be. They are offering games that they hope will induce players to come in and leave some money behind.

In the slot department, which includes video poker and certain other games, machines are evaluated by daily hold. Let’s say in a particular casino that the average hold of machines is $100 per day. That’s not all profit, of course. Perhaps $80 of that goes for the various expenses necessary to run a casino.

Since Station Casinos was mentioned in the question, let’s look at the Double Double Bonus games they have. They have some 10/6 games returning a tick more than 100% to the perfect player, 9/6 games returning about 99%, 9/5, 8/5 and perhaps even worse. For a competent dollar player playing a modest 600 hands per hour, the 10/6 game will allow him to break even, the 9/6 game causes him to lose $30 per hour on average, the 9/5 game $70, and the 8/5 game about $100.

All of these numbers have big fluctuations. Sometimes the player hits one or more royals or aces with a kicker and wins several thousand dollars. Usually, he doesn’t hit one of those fairly-rare jackpots and loses. But on average, the amounts given are averages for strong players. Not-so-perfect players lose much more, of course.

The skill of the players is very important. Six hundred hands per hour means 600 decisions are required. There are occasionally hands where there are two plays returning the same amount, such as with 2♠ 4♥ 5♣ 6♦ 8♠ it doesn’t matter EV-wise whether you hold 2456 or 4568, but most hands have one best play. Even in the hand mentioned where you have two equivalent correct choices, a number of not-so-strong players throw everything away, which is quite a bit worse. 

On the 100% game, let’s assume it makes $50 a day for the house. There are enough imperfect players that the house still makes some money, but less than the house average and less than the break-even number the casino needs to survive. The casino now has a number of choices — of which there are basically an infinite number of variations:

1. The casino can live with making less money on these games. They might figure that players who play these games also bring in friends who don’t play so well. Or these players might also bet on basketball while they’re there and the house makes money on that. Or maybe advertising these games as “loss leaders” can bring in players, not all of whom will correctly play the loose games.
2. They can reduce the “extras.” Casinos offer slot club points. Often casinos have policies such as loose games take more coin-in to earn a point than tight games do. Or loose games aren’t eligible for point multipliers. Or loose games get points, but the players playing them get no mailers. 
3. The games themselves are tightened. The 10/6 games become 9/6 games. These games have a 1% hold and the casino can make money on these games — IF players still play them. Players, of course, always have the choice of whether to play or not.
4. Players who only play the loosest games and do so successfully are restricted. Lots of ways to do this as well, and there are mild restrictions and severe restrictions. There are temporary restrictions and there are permanent ones.

One could argue that if there were no strong players, the house would make plenty of money and not need to resort to any of the measures listed. And that’s probably true. (But not necessarily. Even if casinos could increase their daily hold to $150 per machine per day, most competent slot directors would be exploring ways to increase that to $200.) Just as the casinos are trying to make money, players have similar incentives. Players figure out that if they get good enough, they can support themselves playing in casinos. That’s a lot more attractive way for some of us to go through life than working at a of “regular job.” 

The players who aren’t so competent at the games can certainly bemoan the fact that good players force the casinos to take countermeasures. And these players can also blame people like me for teaching others how to do well playing these games. 

If skillful players didn’t figure out the game and some of us teach others, then it would definitely be much, much easier many more players to win in casinos. And that “easy money” would cause people to work hard to get that money. That’s the way capitalism works — and you can probably find similar incentives under other economic models as well. You find an area where you can make money and you go do that. If that doesn’t work, you try something else.

Complaining about those who are further along the “skillful player path” doesn’t do much good, however. The facts of life are that if you want to succeed at gambling (or anything else for that matter), you have to learn how to play the game, and then play what you have learned. If you’re not willing to do that, it’s much easier to resort to blaming others for your misfortune.

Whether it does them much good or not, there will always be players who play the blame game. That’s just the way some people are wired.

Schools out! Summer vacation is here, and with this break from school comes a lot of extra downtime to fill for students from adolescents to college age. One way kids and teens curb their boredom is by playing video games, often alone, with parents at work and kids left to their own devices, it can be challenging to keep their gaming in check. That’s why it’s essential for parents to learn the risks of excessive gaming, its link to problem gambling, and what they can do to address this growing issue. As a nation, we’re seeing a drastic increase in a sedentary lifestyle, which can lead to depression and anxiety. Kids and teens for ages 8-18 spend an average of more than 7 hours a day looking at screens. [1]

Video gaming, much like problem gambling, can quickly become addictive for players of all ages, but it poses a significant risk for the developing minds of children. A recent study found that of surveyed youth, about one in ten showed signs of addictive behaviors, and some respondents even displayed six out of the 11 symptoms the American Psychiatric Association uses to identify compulsive gambling. [2] Among the more than 90% of US kids that play video games [3], researchers have found that young gamers are more prone to aggressive thoughts and feelings, desensitization to violence, and anti-social behavior. [4] 

When gamers win a prize or finish a new level, the reward centers in their brains release dopamine that gives them a rush. The more this release happens, the more gamers crave the rush and the more gaming they have to do to achieve the same feeling. [5] While video game addiction doesn’t necessarily lead to problem gambling, the neurological imbalances caused by gaming may be priming children for addictive behaviors. [6] As reported in the Florida FY 2021/22 Helpline report 53% of problem gamblers this year (versus 48% in 2020/2021) started gambling before age 26, and 17% started prior to the legal gambling age of 18 (an increase from the past fiscal year of 13%). There has been a 33% increase over the past three fiscal years of gamblers first starting to gamble at, or before, the age of 25. (7)

Protecting children from developing addictive behaviors is essential for healthy development. Video games and applications, as well as their developers, are taking advantage of children’s access to these platforms. According to our research, technological advances and software for online, mobile, and video game applications, geared toward youth of all ages, as well as adults, is leading the gambling industry. [8] 

While these developments are concerning, there are steps you can take to safeguard your children’s mental and physical health from the negative impacts of video game addiction, including: 

• Limiting screen time: Children over the age of six should be limited to two hours on non-school days. [9]
• Monitor your own activities and set the right example
• Disable in-app purchases
• Explain the danger of gaming to children
• Understand their motivations and monitor their actions [10]

We understand that many parents feel a bit out of their depth as technology continues to advance, but there are many ways to protect your children from harmful behaviors. If you, your teen, or other loved ones are struggling with problem gambling, you can call 888-ADMIT-IT, the FCCG’s 24/7, multilingual, and completely free Helpline that has all the resources you need to start the path to recovery this summer. 

1. “Research and Resources.” All Kids Bike, 23 Feb. 2023, allkidsbike.org/research-and-resources/?gclid=CjwKCAjw4ZWkBhA4EiwAVJXwqa9WJeFRIMHVKMPnxmjmbJREVNiv3hoHTODP7DbMOAEuwTiYHoHFiBoCA-IQAvD_BwE. 
2. Seay, Nikki. “Excessive Video Gaming Can Alter a Child’s Brain.” Drug Rehab Options, 28 Sept. 2022, rehabs.com/blog/excessive-video-gaming-can-alter-a-childs-brain/. 
3. Barclay, Rachel. “Do Video Games Make Kids Saints or Psychopaths (and Why Is It So.” Healthline, 20 Oct. 2018, www.healthline.com/health-news/video-games-saints-or-psychopaths-082814#A-Daily-Dose-of-Violence. 
4. “The Good and the Bad Effects of Video Games on Children.” Institute for Educational Advancement, 25 May 2022, educationaladvancement.org/blog-the-good-and-the-bad-effects-of-video-games-on-children – :~:text=Video games can have a,increased aggressive thoughts and feelings.
5. Ibid
6. “Video Games and Screen Addiction .” Mayo Clinic Health System, 1 July 2022, www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/are-video-games-and-screens-another-addiction.
7. “2021–2022 24-Hour Problem Gambling Annual HelpLine Report.” Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling, February 5, 2023.
8. Ibid
9. “Healthy Limits on Video Games.” Child Mind Institute, 17 Jan. 2023, childmind.org/article/healthy-limits-on-video-games/#:~:text=Put%20clear%20limits%20on%20your,less%20on%20non%2D%20school%20days. 
10. “Can Playing Video Games Lead to a Gambling Problem?” Algamus, 28 Apr. 2022, https://www.algamus.org/blog/video-games-gambling-problem#:~:text=The%20signs%20of%20a%20gaming,beer%20or%20glass%20of%20wine.

¡Salida de la escuela! Las vacaciones de verano están aquí, y con este descanso de la escuela viene una gran cantidad de tiempo de inactividad adicional para los estudiantes desde la adolescencia hasta la edad universitaria. Una forma en que los niños y adolescentes frenan su aburrimiento es jugando videojuegos, a menudo solos, con los padres en el trabajo y los niños con sus propios dispositivos, puede ser un desafío mantener sus juegos bajo control. Es por eso que es esencial que los padres conozcan los riesgos del juego excesivo, su vínculo con el problema del juego y lo que pueden hacer para abordar este problema creciente. Como nación, estamos viendo un aumento drástico en el estilo de vida sedentario, que puede conducir a la depresión y la ansiedad. Los niños y adolescentes de 8 a 18 años pasan un promedio de más de 7 horas al día mirando pantallas.[1]

Los videojuegos, al igual que los problemas con los juegos de azar, pueden convertirse rápidamente en adictivos para los jugadores de todas las edades, pero representan un riesgo significativo para las mentes en desarrollo de los niños. Un estudio reciente encontró que, de los jóvenes encuestados, aproximadamente uno de cada diez mostró signos de comportamientos adictivos, y algunos encuestados incluso mostraron seis de los 11 síntomas que la Asociación Estadounidense de Psiquiatría usa para identificar el juego compulsivo.[2] Entre más del 90 % de los niños estadounidenses que juegan videojuegos[3], los investigadores han descubierto que los jugadores jóvenes son más propensos a tener pensamientos y sentimientos agresivos, insensibilidad a la violencia y comportamiento antisocial.[4]

Cuando los jugadores ganan un premio o terminan un nuevo nivel, los centros de recompensa en sus cerebros liberan dopamina que les da un subidón. Cuanto más sucede este lanzamiento, más jugadores anhelan la emoción y más juegos tienen que hacer para lograr la misma sensación.[5] Si bien la adicción a los videojuegos no conduce necesariamente a problemas con el juego, los desequilibrios neurológicos causados por los juegos pueden estar preparando a los niños para comportamientos adictivos.[6] Como se informó en el informe de la línea de ayuda del año fiscal 2021/22 de Florida, el 53 % de los jugadores con problemas este año (frente al 48 % en 2020/2021) comenzaron a jugar antes de los 26 años, y el 17 % comenzó antes de la edad legal para jugar de 18 años (una aumento del último año fiscal del 13%). Ha habido un aumento del 33% en los últimos tres años fiscales de jugadores que comenzaron a jugar a la edad de 25 años o antes.[7]

Proteger a los niños de desarrollar comportamientos adictivos es esencial para un desarrollo saludable. Los videojuegos y las aplicaciones, así como sus desarrolladores, están aprovechando el acceso de los niños a estas plataformas. Según nuestra investigación, los avances tecnológicos y el software para aplicaciones en línea, móviles y de videojuegos, dirigidos a jóvenes de todas las edades, así como a adultos, están liderando la industria del juego.[8]

Si bien estos desarrollos son preocupantes, hay pasos que puede tomar para proteger la salud mental y física de sus hijos de los impactos negativos de la adicción a los videojuegos, que incluyen:

– Limitación del tiempo de pantalla: los niños mayores de seis años deben tener un límite de dos   horas en días no escolares [9]

– Controle sus propias actividades y dé el ejemplo correcto

– Deshabilitar compras en la aplicación

– Explicar el peligro de los juegos a los niños.

– Comprender sus motivaciones y monitorear sus acciones [10]

Entendemos que muchos padres se sienten un poco fuera de lugar a medida que la tecnología continúa avanzando, pero hay muchas maneras de proteger a sus hijos de comportamientos dañinos. Si usted, su hijo adolescente u otros seres queridos tienen problemas con el juego, pueden llamar al 888-ADMIT-IT, la línea de ayuda de FCCG 24/7, multilingüe y completamente gratuita que tiene todos los recursos que necesita para iniciar el camino hacia la recuperación. este verano.

1. “Research and Resources.” All Kids Bike, 23 Feb. 2023, allkidsbike.org/research-and-resources/?gclid=CjwKCAjw4ZWkBhA4EiwAVJXwqa9WJeFRIMHVKMPnxmjmbJREVNiv3hoHTODP7DbMOAEuwTiYHoHFiBoCA-IQAvD_BwE. 
2. Seay, Nikki. “Excessive Video Gaming Can Alter a Child’s Brain.” Drug Rehab Options, 28 Sept. 2022, rehabs.com/blog/excessive-video-gaming-can-alter-a-childs-brain/. 
3. Barclay, Rachel. “Do Video Games Make Kids Saints or Psychopaths (and Why Is It So.” Healthline, 20 Oct. 2018, www.healthline.com/health-news/video-games-saints-or-psychopaths-082814#A-Daily-Dose-of-Violence. 
4. “The Good and the Bad Effects of Video Games on Children.” Institute for Educational Advancement, 25 May 2022, educationaladvancement.org/blog-the-good-and-the-bad-effects-of-video-games-on-children – :~:text=Video games can have a,increased aggressive thoughts and feelings.
5. Ibid
6. “Video Games and Screen Addiction .” Mayo Clinic Health System, 1 July 2022, www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/are-video-games-and-screens-another-addiction.
7. “2021–2022 24-Hour Problem Gambling Annual HelpLine Report.” Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling, February 5, 2023.
8. Ibid
9. “Healthy Limits on Video Games.” Child Mind Institute, 17 Jan. 2023, childmind.org/article/healthy-limits-on-video-games/#:~:text=Put%20clear%20limits%20on%20your,less%20on%20non%2D%20school%20days. 
10. “Can Playing Video Games Lead to a Gambling Problem?” Algamus, 28 Apr. 2022, https://www.algamus.org/blog/video-games-gambling-problem#:~:text=The%20signs%20of%20a%20gaming,beer%20or%20glass%20of%20wine.

The following is a true story, other than the names of the gamblers. It happened at Harrah’s Atlantic City a number of years ago. Since I’ve played little at this particular casino, and always as a tourist rather than a local, I might have some of the details wrong. But the gist of this story is accurate and might provide fodder for thought and discussion.

Amy and Bo lived not too far away from Atlantic City, and drove to visit this casino perhaps three weekends a month — except when they were on cruises (which they enjoyed a lot) or were otherwise busy. They played single-line $1 Double Double Bonus mostly, but sometimes went for the $2 game or perhaps $1 Triple Play.

While they played mostly an accurate strategy, the game there has a 1% house edge. Over the course of a weekend, their average loss was about $800. This was an average, but the swings in this game are fairly large. Occasionally they’d hit one or more royals, or aces with a kicker, and ended up several thousand dollars ahead — but when that didn’t happen, their actual weekend losses were on the order of $2,000 or so. As I said, this averaged out to about $800 in the soup for each weekend, for two or three weekends per month.

Harrah’s, of course, considered Amy and Bo to be excellent customers. Players to be rewarded. Players to be pampered. (If you’re willing and able to sustain repeated losses this size, you’ll get pampered too.) Amy and Bo each received regular bounce back free play. I don’t know the actual amount. I assume it was about $100 apiece per week.

At this casino at this time, though, you didn’t have to play off the free play immediately. You needed to download the free play to your bank during the relevant time period, but it would be fine to leave it sitting in your bank until you were ready to play it off. At most Harrah’s casinos today, once money goes into your bank you have a relatively short period of time to play it off. Perhaps 24 hours. Perhaps 72 hours. It varies by casino and sometimes other things as well. But back then, at that casino anyway, you didn’t need to play it off so quickly.

Amy and Bo were social people and over time got to know several gambling friends whom they trusted and also played at this casino. If our two players went cruising for one or more weeks, they’d have these friends visit a kiosk and move the free play into their bank. But the friends wouldn’t play off the free play. The money would wait for Amy and Bo to return.

Harrah’s discovered this was going on. (This wasn’t too hard. Free play downloaded with no play at all is a fairly simple move to spot.) The host took Amy and Bo aside and told them not to do this anymore. If they stopped now and didn’t continue the practice, it would be considered “no harm no foul” and officially forgotten about by the casino. After all, these were two valuable customers to the casino. But, if Amy and Bo didn’t heed this warning, they were told there would be consequences. 

Amy decided this was nonsense. They had earned the free play, after all, and they were the ones playing it off. No fraud whatsoever. So, they continued their practice, and were warned a second time — a little more forcefully.

Before I continue, what do you think should happen? Were Amy and Bo within their rights and the casino unjustifiably enforcing silly rules, or were Amy and Bo out of line? Players disagree on this, so whatever your opinion is on the subject, there will be some players who agree with you and some who don’t. I’ll give you my opinion, but I’m not trying to imply that whatever I think is the only correct way to look at the matter.

Players tend to look at this type of free play as a reward for past play. Casinos tend to look at this free play as an incentive to get the players in for another visit. For a cost of $200 (i.e., $100 each), Amy and Bo will typically lose $800. This is a nice trade off insofar as the casino is concerned.

But if Amy and Bo cruise for four weeks and have the free play saved in their respective banks, when they come back, they’ll be getting $1,000 in free play ($200 for each week they were away, plus another $200 for when they came in to collect it). Their losses will still be $800 for the weekend. Harrah’s isn’t in the business of giving players $1,000 when their expected losses are $800. Once or twice, maybe, but Harrah’s wants to make a profit.

Eventually Harrah’s restricted these players and they no longer received weekly bounce back money. They could still come and play, but now their benefits were reduced. After a year or so of “behaving themselves,” perhaps this issue could be revisited.

Amy was quite put out by this and wasn’t shy about letting people know it. (Which is how I happened to hear about it). She felt she was being treated unfairly. She earned that money with her play. She should be able to decide how and when to redeem that money.

Once Amy and Bo had been warned a few times, they should have known they either had to follow the rules or get restricted. My opinion is that they needed to make a determination. Is this particular casino “special” so that they don’t want to “burn it down?” If that answer is ‘yes,’ they need to follow the rules. If that reason is ‘no,’ they can take what they can for as long as they can.

Amy and Bo tried a third option. Yes, they thought Harrah’s Atlantic City was special. And they kept having friends move free play into their bank when they went cruising. This option didn’t turn out well for them.

What do you think?

Bonnie and I have been married nine years now, and she turned 80 years old June 3. From the get-go, she knew I was a professional gambler, and it became clear to me early on that she had no potential to understand advantage gambling. But she enjoys the meals, cruises, and other traveling that my profession brings me, and my life works better with her in it. 

One of the things we did early on was to insulate her from the gambling swings. The bulk of each of our assets are not commingled and file taxes separately. She had some assets of her own coming in — as had I. Our wills are set up that she gives her money to her heirs, and I give money to mine. We have a “Bob and Bonnie account” for household expenses and we each contribute to it.    

While it doesn’t affect her directly if I’m ahead or behind $50,000 or more this year, she’s definitely on my side. She wants me to do well, and she helps me as she can. 

I get offers from many casinos. Some local to Vegas and some from out of town. If I have competing offers on one weekend (I usually do), I analyze the promotions and select the best one for us. Usually that means the most money for me — but not always. If there’s a promotion that includes a shopping spree that would be of interest to her, and if the deal is otherwise acceptable with her getting all of the goodies, that promotion goes to the top of the list.

In early May, I received a flyer from Harrah’s Lake Tahoe about a celebrity golf tournament in July. I scanned it and put it in my “Potentially Interesting” stack and vowed to look at it more closely later. We had several things to do in May and June and there was no urgency to make a decision when I got the mailer.

In late May, it became time to look at that mailer and I couldn’t find it. I asked Bonnie if she had moved it from where I left it and indeed, she had. She had looked through my “PI” stack in order to see what might be interesting to her. Although she doesn’t dispute that I have by far the biggest vote as to which play is best for us, it’s not like she has no vote at all. If she sees something that catches her eye (perhaps a particular concert, or maybe an excursion that looks interesting, or even one of those shopping sprees that I’ve mentioned before) she lets me know that she has an opinion on it. I sometimes overrule her, but not often. 

From our history together, she has a sense of what I’m interested in, but not the details. When she reads that if I earn 8,000 Tier Credits over our stay, then I’ll get $400 in free play, she has no understanding how I calculate how much that is in terms of expected win or loss. She doesn’t remember the machines I play at each place, how much they are worth, or what it takes to earn 8,000 Tier Credits.

On this particular offer, she noticed there was a golf tournament in Lake Tahoe. She knows I don’t play golf and has seen me watch golf on television maybe five times in the nine years we’ve been together. So, she figured I wouldn’t fly that far to see something that wasn’t that interesting to either one of us, and that I had placed it my “PI” stack by mistake. She moved it to my “Probably Not” stack. She told me later that she almost threw it away. Clearly (to her) it was an offer we weren’t going to use.

Then I explained why I had placed it in “PI” rather than “PN.” I said there was an airfare component to the offer and what was also happening at the ROW in Reno at that time was important.

“Why? Reno and Lake Tahoe are 60 miles apart.”

“Yes, but you use the same RNO airport to go to both casinos. It costs a total of $120 for both of us to take the shuttle from RNO to Tahoe and back again. And our Reno offers do not include airfare. So, doubling up makes sense.”

“If you knew all of this, why didn’t you put it into the “yes” stack right away instead of the “PI” stack? It seems like you already figured out we were going.”

“Well, we hadn’t received the ROW mailers when I got the Lake Tahoe offer. The dates don’t have to match up. If we decide to go to the ROW at the end of July, this particular Lake Tahoe offer doesn’t help us. Plus, I want to participate in the Improv showcase on July 15 (If you’re in town, tickets will set you back $10 each and the show is family friendly. www.lvimprov.com  It’s a very funny show and please come up and say ‘hi’ afterwards) so I don’t want to be in Northern Nevada at that time. In addition, we do get offers from Las Vegas and elsewhere. Some are “can’t miss.” We can’t be in both Las Vegas and Northern Nevada simultaneously.”

“So are we going to Lake Tahoe, Bob? This is all so complicated.”

“Well, the casino offer is okay, not great. We can make the dates work for double-dipping purposes and still allow us to be home for the Improv showcase. Don’t forget that Lake Tahoe in July is absolutely gorgeous. The comparison between the temperature and scenery in Lake Tahoe and Vegas in July makes that part of the decision a no-brainer.”

“So the golf isn’t that important?”

“Well, there will be bunches of stars to watch. You like Steph Curry, Patrick Mahomes, and Justin Timberlake. Watching Charles Barkley swing a golf club will keep you giggling for weeks. He’s in the basketball Hall of Fame, but is a duck out of water on the golf course. There’s a lot of walking, but if you’re up for that, it’s a new experience that you’ll very much enjoy. Maybe not every day. But at least one.”

“So we’re going?”

“I think so. And please don’t re-file my flyers. This one was in the “PI” stack for a reason.” She won’t remember all of my reasons why I want to go (or even what make the offers at the ROW so interesting), but hopefully she remembers not to re-file my flyers.