How did you end up slotting/gambling?

[Kimsa70]

I was going to title this "How did you get addicted to gambling" but thought that a bit harsh a term, though I personally do admit to being an addict. Hate those GA meetings!

Anyways, this may be rather lengthy, but I thought I'd tell my story of what led me to gambling.

As I've mentioned in other threads, I grew up with a father who owned harness racing horses, and when I was as young as 6, he tought me to handicap the horse programs. At the Northampton fair in Massachusetts that year, he gave me $10 to bet on a race, I picked a horse named Jet's Puppy, and it won and I hot back $93 for that $10 bet!

Fast forward, growing up, my dad gambled every day, whether it be going to OTB to bet on the horses or driving all the way to Foxborough,MA to watch his horses race.

I can remember once Foxwoods opened in 1992, he was there every night, some days returning at 3am, and waking up for work at 7.

In 1992, he took us to Foxwoods, and I remember bringing $250 and losing it real quick in slots and thinking "this sucks!"

In my early 30s, I got involved with a crowd and started majorly partying on the weekends, never impacting my job, but I was doing stuff I said I would never do.

Then in 2006, at age 36, my dad got me 1 ticket to Bon Jovi at Mohegan, and I went and I remember playing a quarter slot and missing the opening act, Chris Daughtry, because I was so mezmerized by slotting. The slots still had coins coming out in 2006!

Well, soon after that concert, my weekend partying came to an abrupt end when a bunch of folks got arrested. So, I was left with all this extra time and nothing to do.

I remember going to bed at 9pm on a Friday night, waking up at 11pm. and feeling Iike "I really HAD to gamble"!

So, I took a shower and drove a bit over an hour to Mohegan and played the Triple Cheeseburger 25 cent machine til my $200 was gone. I was so anxious to gamble I got pulled over going 84 in a 65 zone, but the cop let me go.

I started going to Mohegan every weekend with $250. I remember the guilt I felt the first time I used my bank card to take out more than $250.

Then, at my local bar, the bartender told me how she and her boyfriend got into the players lounges for free food and drink. All I had to do was play high limit slots!

After that, I was hooked. If I could turn back time, I wish I never started, but my genetics seem to dictate my destiny!

What's your story???

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[foamy]

I started going to the harness races at 14 I went to Vegas the day after I turned 21 and my family likes to gamble.

[michelelovesvegas]

My in laws took us to Vegas about 5 years ago. I went in the HL room, put money in WOF and hit for $1199.00. Since then the GN has called, offered limo rides, free rooms, free food, comped tournaments, cocktails. Go to Vegas 5 or 6 times a year, Biloxi 4 or 5, AC 1 or 2, Saratoga 2 or 3. I am hooked.

[RiverSong]

It's been so long I can't remember! I use to be a *bus person* taking a casino bus from North Jersey to Atlantic city for day trips...this was around 1980. I started playing roulette and move to slots. I also use to go to the Meadowlands for horse racing.

[Handpayhopeful]

Mother-in-law from first marriage went to Vegas twice a year.... First trip for me was with her in '91... I went twice more in the next 16 years. Got really hooked in 2007.... No regrets playing. Only regret being a degenerate on a few occasions.


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[Suze1000]

I blame the original Wizard of Oz slot machine for my interest in slotting. I would drive hours away just to play this slot machine. Once I found the WOZ there was no turning back. Funny....but I have no desire to play it now.

[Penguin]

Never really played until a couple of years ago. Started by watching Cathy's sister and husband. We are retired and do this just for entertainment value and way to treat ourselves to nice hotel (Ritz in Cleveland) and vacation type trips. Just do this for something to do. Stay with CET cause they have best nation wide program for low rollers as far as comps go and want to get something back for the $$ we spend.

[Big Mac]

Kim thanks for your open and honest story.

I started off playing cards with my buddies mainly 1 card $0.25 guts if anyone has played this game pots can build and we would have guys losing $50 in a night which was huge for a 15 yr old. This evolved to variants of poker same group of buddies and we had a reunion last year and the cards were flying around played $1 guts now it was fun and being a cheap bastard i was able to ride the highs and lows and usually come out a head.

Fast forward to August 1999 I was attending my first trade show in Vegas with I think a hundred bucks in my pocket stayed at the Hilton on the north end of the strip close to the convention center and remember walking and by the time I got to the hall I was completely drenched with sweat it was 110 at 9am...It was only 800meter walk ..

I ventured into the Hilton casino waiting for a meeting and threw a $20 into a quarter machine hit 3 7's for a $15 win ..This is easy..finished meeting and went back to the slot floor played some other games and then found I dream of genie, played this for an hour and ended up $30 holy shit i am going to quit my job and become a professional gambler..Ended up going back to the trade show but all i wanted to do was to continue to get this easy money from the machines..Ditched the show an hour later and i ended up at the riviera played some bj , free drinks, a nice little run and now i am up $100 for the day..

fast forward to 2008 i am back for another conf and staying at NY NY for the 1st time, bankroll has grown to $400 and i go down to play some slots before work..I hit my first handpay on WWII $1200 on a $1..WTF I am hooked from here on.

Going on trip #40 tomorrow bankroll is now $4k hotels are comped attending the same conf. with a venture to G2E.

The feel and vibe of Vegas with the allure of a big win is addicting and controlling the tilts and staying within budget are the keys to enjoying my gambling time. Time with the Joker crew and enjoying the sights and restaurants keeps it fresh.

Cheers

B

[SoCalRob]

My whole family were gamblers and avid Vegas goers. Grew up around the noise of slot machines. I thought the coins hitting the tin was the best sound ever. When I turned 18 I went to my local that was 18 and up. My mom would also sneak me into Harrahs Rincon even though it was 21 and up. From there... The rest is history.

[Pat]

My Dad was a gambler (not a very good one BTW), and would go to Sportsmans and Hawthorne and bet on the horses. He would also take me with him to the bar (I was 5 BTW) where I watched him play pool for money, place bets with a bookie and buy Irish Sweepstake tickets. Because he wasn't very good, but compulsive, there were many times when things were not so good financially at home. Many times, our electricity and heat were turned off in the winter due to his behavior. I didn't go to Vegas until I was well into my 30's. I too can be a very compulsive personality, so I have to be careful, but I do love to gamble.

[Kimsa70]

My Dad was a gambler (not a very good one BTW), and would go to Sportsmans and Hawthorne and bet on the horses. He would also take me with him to the bar (I was 5 BTW) where I watched him play pool for money, place bets with a bookie and buy Irish Sweepstake tickets. Because he wasn't very good, but compulsive, there were many times when things were not so good financially at home. Many times, our electricity and heat were turned off in the winter due to his behavior. I didn't go to Vegas until I was well into my 30's. I too can be a very compulsive personality, so I have to be careful, but I do love to gamble.
Thanks for sharing, Pat.

My dad wasn't a good gambler, either.

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[Pat]

[QUOTE=Kimsa70;59057]Thanks for sharing, Pat.

My dad wasn't a good gambler, either.

Kimsa, I think you and I both know of gamblers who say they win all the time. You and I both know they are fibbers. :)

[kdk]

My whole family were gamblers too. I heard stories about my grandparents even- family owned a bar in the Chicago area- where they had some illegal slot machines in the back room years ago- Grandmother used to go all the time and play them even though they were owned by her own family.

My mother liked going back when I was too young to go and would talk about how much she won or how fun it was, and I couldn't wait to be able to go myself. Finally when I moved to Arizona for college I found out that there were casinos here, and then the age was 18. That's what really got me- I wasn't able to legally go to the bar but I could go to the casino for fun.

[Kimsa70]

[QUOTE=Kimsa70;59057]Thanks for sharing, Pat.

My dad wasn't a good gambler, either.

Kimsa, I think you and I both know of gamblers who say they win all the time. You and I both know they are fibbers. :)
Ha ha ha! You know it, Pat!

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[Pat]

KDK, sounds like the same kind of place in Chicago where my Dad frequented. I can remember Slot machines in a back room as well. And you triggered another memory of my Dad coming home with a slot machine for me to play with. A real slot machine

[SoCalRob]

[QUOTE=Kimsa70;59057]Thanks for sharing, Pat.

My dad wasn't a good gambler, either.

Kimsa, I think you and I both know of gamblers who say they win all the time. You and I both know they are fibbers. :)
I can think of one.

[kdk]

KDK, sounds like the same kind of place in Chicago where my Dad frequented. I can remember Slot machines in a back room as well. And you triggered another memory of my Dad coming home with a slot machine for me to play with. A real slot machine

Yeah the old corner taverns that were in neighborhoods, that you don't see really anywhere besides around Chicago. These were before my time, but would love to see that!

[CTslotters]

Great thread, Kim! (Btw, this is Kathy's story, Adam started slotting because of me, HHH! But he was always a gambler)
I remember going down to Wildwood, New Jersey as a kid and on our way home we stopped in Atlantic City. I would play games and go on rides on the boardwalk with my cousin while our parents gambled. Kids weren't allowed in the casinos on the floor, but I remember standing at the entrance as they headed in and my dad saying I can pick a machine for him to put a dollar coin into and I'd get to keep the winnings if he won. I pointed to one and he walked over to it, put the coin in, pulled the handle, and got a win! Ten coins! I now had $10 more to hit the boardwalk with and thought gambling was the greatest!
A few months after I turned 21 my parents took me to Foxwoods, I had a roll of quarters to play with and hit for 800 quarters on a flaming red 7 machine on a 3 coin bet! I thought I was rich! I lived in Boston at the time so only went to the casino a few times a year. It wasn't until I met Adam in 2008 that we started going to the casino together, mainly to see concerts and go out to dinner and then that led to some slotting and then when my parents took us to AC in 2012 we really got the gambling bug and haven't looked back since!

[TwoArmedBandito]

My parents loved to gamble. I remember as a kid , going on road trips to Reno, Tahoe and LV. We were able to "play" slots at a grocery and laundrymat. Won like 4$ in nickles.

[dvandentop]

Not sure parents never gambled and I was occasional gambler. Maybe 5-6/times a year is all. Maybe 1 Vegas trip went to Vegas 1st trip 10 years ago. Idk how many total now.

Then when they opened big local by me all downhill from there lol. Got the sickness and many thousands later

[Moneybags]

So, how did I get started with slots? A wealthy lady seduced and betrayed me.

Romantic, ain't it? OK, now the true story:

Growing up, none of my family gambled. But I loved to play poker. One of the guys I played with had an idea to play BJ in teams, doing some light card counting. It was great. We would go 2 to 4 times a year to Vegas. One of us would sit at 1st base and another one would sit at 3rd base. We would each keep count using stacks of chips, so there were never any code words or the like having to be exchanged, and we would never have volatile swings in our betting patterns that would bring heat down on us.

When we weren't playing BJ, we would play craps.

I never played slots, thinking slots were for women and suckers.

Eventually, DW turned me on to slots and I started reading up on the actual (not theoretical) hold numbers, and saw that in games relying on skill (e.g. BJ) the players did worse, even though in theory they should have done better.

When I got my first HP (an 8 Quick Hit jackpot), I was hooked. I had never won so much money at BJ or craps, and in all likelihood never would.

[Kimsa70]

So, how did I get started with slots? A wealthy lady seduced and betrayed me.

Romantic, ain't it? OK, now the true story:

Growing up, none of my family gambled. But I loved to play poker. One of the guys I played with had an idea to play BJ in teams, doing some light card counting. It was great. We would go 2 to 4 times a year to Vegas. One of us would sit 1st base and another one would sit 3rd base. We would each keep count using stacks of chips, so there were never any passwords or the like having to be exchanged, and we would never have volatile swings in our betting patterns that would bring heat down on us.

When we weren't playing BJ, we would play craps.

I never played slots, thinking slots were for women and suckers.

Eventually, DW turned me on to slots and I started reading up on the actual (not theoretical) hold numbers, and saw that in games relying on skill (e.g. BJ) the players did worse, even though in theory they should have done better.

When I got my first HP (an 8 Quick Hit jackpot), I was hooked. I had never won so much money at BJ or craps, and in all likelihood never would.
You're one of the few who says slots can pay better than tables.

I'm at the point of wanting to be a table, not slot player!

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[Jeani]

I had only been to Biloxi once and I think it was around 1989 or 1990. I had never gambled before then and won maybe $100 the few days we were there. Fast forward to 2006. It was around my 50th birthday and I was a bit sad...turning the big 50 and had thought my good friend would throw me a party. Well she forgot my birthday so no party. I was home alone and for some reason, not sure why, I decided to drive to Tampa and stay at the Hard Rock. I think there had been a lot of advertising on TV as it had only been open 1.5 to 2 years. I called and made a 2 night reservation, packed my bag and off I went.

I had the best time! I wasn't sure then how the slot machines worked and was putting money in not knowing what I was doing. I remember putting a $10 in a machine and pushing the button and it spun. No money won and the $10 was gone in that one spin. I was like....what the heck happened!! I then found this $1.00 Green Machine and I sat there for hours and walked away with $300. I was so happy. The Hard Rock at that time was pretty small and the machines were run on the bingo cards. They have pretty much done away with the bingo card machines although I think they still have a few here and there.

When I lived on the east coast of Florida my friends and I would drive down to Hollywood (3.5 to 4 hours) and visit the Racino's and the Hollywood Hard Rock or drive over to Tampa (2.5 hours). Now that I live closer to Tampa (1 hour) I am able to visit there at least once a month if not more often. I would love to go 2-3 times a month but just don't have the funds for that many trips at least not right now. When I turn 62 my financial situation will be much better and I'll hopefully be able to do more casino resort vacations.

[zeus]

Some friends asked us if we would like to go to Vegas with them back in 2003. We booked it for the week before my 40th birthday. We stayed at Treasure Island for four nights. Not knowing what to expect we took a massive $600 to gamble with. Yeah, for four nights. HHH. We went, we toured, we ate and we played some slots. It was really a fun trip. Never touched another slot until June 2006. We had gone to DC to visit Allen's sister. She mentioned an overnight in AC. We stayed at the Sands. We played some slots, but being the tight ass I was, I was looking for those few Penny slots they had at the time. It was fun.
Lets move on to 2007. I mentioned going to Vegas. Allen was like "What, I did not think you like gambling because of the way you are with money?" Now close to 20 trips to Vegas under my belt, I am an addict! Yes I may still be a low roller, but I never think about vacationing anywhere that does not have casinos because I can say that no activity brings me as much joy.

[sondor]

I come from a family of Gamblers...I remember going to my Grandpa's for the weekly card games...I got to watch He-Haw, Lets Make a deal and Laurence Welk on his little B&W TV, collect empty Beer bottles and empty his spittoon for a nickle, but liked going. My parents would go to Vegas once every 5 years or so(Air travel was expensive, in fact I remember hearing how they would go on the train with my Aunt, uncle and Grandpa) and I would always get some trinket, probably the shit they give away. One of my Aunts & her Husband moved out there when they retired. Just never had the money to go, after I got a real job me any my GF, now wife went. On my first roll of quarters I won $3600 on a quarter progressive, that was 25 years ago. Just really liked Vegas and my Aunt and Uncle liked the company. Been going couple times a year since then, sometimes more when airfare is cheap.

[Kimsa70]

I come from a family of Gamblers...I remember going to my Grandpa's for the weekly card games...I got to watch He-Haw, Lets Make a deal and Laurence Welk on his little B&W TV, collect empty Beer bottles and empty his spittoon for a nickle, but liked going. My parents would go to Vegas once every 5 years or so(Air travel was expensive, in fact I remember hearing how they would go on the train with my Aunt, uncle and Grandpa) and I would always get some trinket, probably the shit they give away. One of my Aunts & her Husband moved out there when they retired. Just never had the money to go, after I got a real job me any my GF, now wife went. On my first roll of quarters I won $3600 on a quarter progressive, that was 25 years ago. Just really liked Vegas and my Aunt and Uncle liked the company. Been going couple times a year since then, sometimes more when airfare is cheap.
Wow! $3600 win on your first $10 quarters! That would get anybody hooked!

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[sondor]

Wow! $3600 win on your first $10 quarters! That would get anybody hooked!

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We had not even checked in yet at the Lavish Palace Station, room not ready...Luckily it was one of the new ones that would hold credits and I was winning so stepped it up to 2 quarters instead of one. Hit the three symbols and nothing happened...I was like that sucks you should win something for that, then some guys slaps me on the back and says way to go you won...I said won what? He pointed so the Marque and said that...took a check for the almost the whole thing and brought it home (Gave the guy who told me the other roll of quarters I had). My aunt would not believe me when they came to pick us up to go downtown...Won there too had a big tub of quarters I brought back from downtown and we played on that for most of the trip.

[kdk]

I realized after reading these I have a part 2 to my story. I had mentioned that I went a lot to the casinos when I was 18 since that was something I could do then. Back then though I didn't have a lot of money, and I would go and lose $60 and cry about it for a week. Once I turned 21 my social priorities changed and I almost never went to a casino- maybe 2 or 3 times per year max, and wouldn't gamble much when I would go. I even would go to Vegas just to party and maybe drop $20 gambling but that would be it. I didn't even know you could get comped rooms- I would pay retail price for a hotel room, which seems crazy now.

Then back in 2008 I was in Vegas for the annual industry convention that I go to now. Room prices were always really expensive during this time and I hated paying it, but had no choice. But there was a woman who I worked with who was really successful in our business and love to gamble. She had a host at the Las Vegas Hilton at the time- and had asked if she could get a group of rooms comped by her host- so that each of us could stay in one. We just had to sign up for a card and to promise to gamble there. So I did- and from the day we checked in I hit the slots. I only played reels back then still -and started playing dollar reels and just had some crazy luck. I remember playing dollar pinball and getting bonus after bonus, I couldn't lose though on anything I played. I never got a jackpot but after playing for 3 days I came home almost $1000 ahead, and I think I might have only brought $200 with me, thinking that was a lot of money to take to the casino.

I had so much fun that when I got home I wanted to go to a casino again- so started going to my locals, signed up for cards, going on gambling trips, etc and was all downhill from there....

[Laurie]

I blame it all on foamy HHH
My family didn't gamble at all but all of his did! After we were married we would take an occasional trip to LV or the horse track in Omaha but I really didn't care for it that much.
When our son moved away to college I went to the local with him a few times just for something to do. I got hooked soon after when I hit a jackpot progressive $1700 on a 50 cent bet. Still mainly low roll and haven't had a handpay since!


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[CPT]

This is a good read, thanks for all the stories!
My parents took us to Atlantic City when I was 10. We were able to walk in and see the lights and bells, but obviously couldn't go any further. My parents left us in the hotel room (what degenerates!) to go at the time the Merv Griffin Resorts. They brought back some coin buckets with nothing much else to show. I was still intrigued though! Then a few years later they went back and won some $$, and bought us a cheap slot machine from a boardwalk shop.

I used it in my first "How to Beat The Slots Video"..


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRedh2xvjZY

My brothers and I put our allowance in it and when it was full, we would go out to eat with the $$. My parents were a forgiving house.

Then at 18 my parents took me to Turning Stone in NY where it all started. When 21 came around I went with Credz to the Borgata for a weekend bender and the rest is history. When the PA casinos did open my parents went with me a few times to be sure I was responsible and then they left me to find out the harsh realities of gambling on my own..haha So I blame my parents!

[Gambling girl]

We used to live in Northern California so when you turned 21 you went to Reno, NV. I guess I always liked it but it wasn't that big of a deal until my husband & I got comped a sweet at Harrahs Lake Tahoe about 15 years ago. We got a phone call from the players club saying "come down to pick up your Platinum card" So now I'm thinking they got the wrong people because we weren't big gamblers!! I was so afraid they were going to kick us out of our suite & say they made a mistake!!

Anyway, they did upgrade us to Platinum & I WAS HOOKED !! So we started to go ALOT.. So now we live in AZ & go to Laughlin quite a bit & Las Vegas a couple of times a year. My husband is on dialysis & it is hard to get away for more than a couple of days at a time. He always goes with me to Laughlin & he enjoys gambling also!

I love this forum because I can be honest about spending my money gambling.. I usually don't say to much to our family & friends, don't think they woul understand.

[michelelovesvegas]

This is a great thread. Even though I replied to how I got hooked, after a few of you went back to childhood, the proverbial bells went off.

Father and Uncles playing poker in the basement in Upstate NY. My father had to go the bathroom, told me to play his hand. Probably 9 years old. Got a full house and wanted to raise and no one would let me. My father was pissed when he got back!!!

Grandmother was a bingo fanatic in Dubois PA, playing also in basements, usually at churches!! She would spread out the whole table in cards and had to use markers or daubers. Kid could play then. She could keep up with her cards as well as mine. When the parlors weren't opened, we played penny ante at home, bingo, gin rummy, whatever. Always for money.

Husband and I went to Bahamas 10 years back. Went to the casino. Had no idea what we were doing. Would hit on a 17 to try and get 21. That's the point - right? Won $4000.00 that night.

Went back the next, it was so easy. Lost $5000.00.

My mom is a degenerate gambler so I got it honest. Sure if my Dad was still alive, I would be having a blast with him too.

[foobear]

When I was 5, my dad taught me how to play blackjack as a way to learn how to add and subtract. Soon after, he taught me to play poker. We'd play with pennies and nickels. I was about 6 when he started to teach me about odds to learn multiplication and division. I suppose my fate was sealed after that. In college, I used to clean out the boys at their Saturday night games. But I didn't starting slotting until my first trip to Vegas in 2008. I was hooked on the city and the gambling immediately. Didn't win anything significant but the whole experience was addicting.

[pkspins]

I grew up gambling. I was brought up Catholic. All those church festivals had so much gambling. Bingo. Chuck-A-Luck. That other wheel one like Chuck-A-Luck except it had bills ($1,$5,$10) on it. Those pull tab tickets. All those spin the wheel games where you bet on a number and if the wheel landed on your number you won a prize like a stuffed animal or a doll, and if it landed on your number in the red section you got one of the bigger prizes. The really big festivals had basement back room poker where the church got a portion of the pot and where they made the big money that let them charge 10 cents for a piece of pizza upstairs lol.

Do festivals have those games any more? Most of the ones I went to as a kid don't happen any more because the churches have closed or whatever. But last year we were traveling and ended up going to a church festival we saw signs for. Mainly to eat, but I was hoarding quarters and dollar bills all day thinking I could play some chuck a luck. They didn't have anything.

[SME]

My first trip to a casino was shortly after I turned 21, with my parents on a trip to Foxwoods. I remember losing and didn't "love" it so I never went again.

Fast forward to age 25 when Jeremy proposed. We both wanted a small, low key wedding... but our parents had other plans. Mine had been planning my big fat italian wedding probably since birth, and Jeremy's family also wanted a grand affair, so our low key vision wasn't really an option. We didn't want to hurt our parents and got kind of swept up in it. One day I was fed up and threatened that we would go to vegas to elope because I hated all the wedding planning.

So when we booked a weekend in Vegas a few months before our wedding, everyone else thought we would do what we threatened.

Well, we didn't elope. But we had a great time, staying at Excalibur and even hit a "jackpot" on a quarter powerball machine. And it started. We said we would go back for our first anniversary. And we did. And every year since then for the past 9 years :)

[Kimsa70]

I grew up gambling. I was brought up Catholic. All those church festivals had so much gambling. Bingo. Chuck-A-Luck. That other wheel one like Chuck-A-Luck except it had bills ($1,$5,$10) on it. Those pull tab tickets. All those spin the wheel games where you bet on a number and if the wheel landed on your number you won a prize like a stuffed animal or a doll, and if it landed on your number in the red section you got one of the bigger prizes. The really big festivals had basement back room poker where the church got a portion of the pot and where they made the big money that let them charge 10 cents for a piece of pizza upstairs lol.

Do festivals have those games any more? Most of the ones I went to as a kid don't happen any more because the churches have closed or whatever. But last year we were traveling and ended up going to a church festival we saw signs for. Mainly to eat, but I was hoarding quarters and dollar bills all day thinking I could play some chuck a luck. They didn't have anything.
Pkspins, I, too used to go to Catholic church fairs and play the spin wheel game. I remember always winning betting on #14, and getting a stuffed animal. Yes, they still have those games at fairs.

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[pkspins]

Pkspins, I, too used to go to Catholic church fairs and play the spin wheel game. I remember always winning betting on #14, and getting a stuffed animal. Yes, they still have those games at fairs.

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I'm glad they still do. I used to have so much fun and win so much stuff. Times were different then....our parents could just give us a bunch of dimes and quarters and let us go. My most memorable win was on the basket of cheer wheel. Kids were allowed to play it, but if we won we had to go find a parent and bring them over to select a prize. A bunch of us kids were playing it because it was something to do and the other wheel's prizes were kind of lame. My number hit on the red section so I had to go get my dad to come pick up the laundry basket of liquor I won. My parents didn't drink so we had booze for guests for a couple of years.

[Skyler]

My grandmother started all if us on vegas. She used to go during the end of the rat pack era and always glamorized vegas. My first time to vegas was a road trip with my family when I was 3. They brought my great grandmother so she could babysit and my grandmother, mom, and uncle could party! The day we left we ate at the buffet at the Hacienda (where Mandalay bay is now) and everyone got food poisoning except me and my great grandmother, the only two who couldn't drive! So, the three others took turns driving and chugging pepto. Good times!

My next trip was when I was 19. I had just separated from my first husband and moved back home with my tail tucked between my legs. My family hated him and was so happy! They already had a trip booked and bought me a plane ticket. It was amazing! Even though I was underage I looked older and did plenty of playing slots and drinking pina coladas. It was a total escape from how screwed up my life was at the time and I became hooked!

As I went more often it became more about gambling because it was more fun when the video slots started coming out.

When I was in my 20s I became borderline addicted to bingo. It was the only gambling available in TX. I was spending so much money it was impacting the quality of my life. I stopped going and changed my routines so I wouldn't go. Now I have casinos within an hour from me, but dont go often, instead opting for destination gambling! This makes me happier because I dont feel like a degenerate all the time, just when I go on vacation haha!

[hlaburg]

My parents never gambled... First time I went to Vegas was 1998 and I was like ok this is cool but didn't play at all. I met a friend at work in 2003 who loved the slots/video keno and he would tell me some of his winnings. I said hey I want to play! Started going with him to local casinos, had fun but never really "got" into it. Went to Vegas over the years with friends to get away from LA and again never played much.

In 2010 I stayed at Palazzo and gave them some play and a comp offer came in, the rest is history... .50 cent bets became $1 then $5, a host was assigned to me and now I go about 3-4 times a year. I love the comps and how well I get treated, no place like Vegas and I do all my gambling at the mecca!

[kolonialone]

I started out going with my sister and her husband to the NA casinos in Iowa when I visited her after I turned 18. I played the horses and a few slots but never really won anything and didn't really go much when the NA casinos started opening up in OK, but in 2005 I was supposed to go to New Orleans for Southern Decadence and Katrina happened and that trip was canceled so I went to visit my parents instead and one fateful night on that visit to an OK NA casino near my parents I sat down at a nickel machine my sister had been playing and not many spins into it I hit the progressive(tied to bingo - first 4 balls were the 4 corners) for $20k. I was ruint for slots after that and haven't stopped since then.

[Leticia]

Love these stories mine is boring compared to all of these....about 10 years ago Mitch mentioned there were casino's in La. asked If I wanted to go we've been going ever since! Ok I should be going to sleep I have to get up early!
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[hytail]

Early exposure to card games during summer breaks in grade school and junior high. By high school joining in pick up bj and poker games was common. After high school some of these pick up games were becoming rough with folks who were older and I did not know. Started reading and practicing card counting (got pretty good). Then I saw this movie California Split (can still find it on Amazon and it's my favorite gambling movie) with Elliot Gould and George Segal. I was hooked. With bj, won a lot of money, didn't like the pit boss attention, and then after a while it just bored the hell out of me - don't think I have played it ten times in the last 20 years. Now for cards, Pow Gai has some entertainment value to me nowadays.

As Seattle was my home at the time, Reno was my destination of choice. Now its Las Vegas because I like the freedom of so much everywhere in and out of town. With slots, I can go on a tilt, but 75 to 85% of the time I manage to come around... But I am sticking with it because I like hanging out with you all!

Parents never really gambled as far as I recall - other than losing on some investment (that's gambling isn't it?). One uncle and aunt gamble a lot - he's a very good dice player and gave me some good training - I am pretty familiar with the game, just don't feel it so I rarely play.

Occasionally I will handicap sports - wins are small and have never really come out ahead. haha Love the horses - I have won big but not even close to all I have lost, and well, like they say "don't bet on horses". But going to the track can be exciting and its a great place to go on a casual date.

[MNvegasgal]

Grew up on the ND/MN border.. Drinking age was 19 in MN.. and they had pull tabs in the bars. (Mini slot machine paper tabs you pull the strips off to see if they have a "winner"). We would pool our money and play together as a group. When I turned 21 the ND bars had black jack.. so I learned to play $1.00 black jack. Went to my first Casino in MN when I was 24.. and liked it.. but didn't get hooked. First husband and I went to Vegas in 1991 and stayed at Bob Stupak's Vegas World. We went to shows, gambled a little.. and I got a royal.. without full coin in. Only went one other time with first husband.. and it was not a fun trip. Fast foward.. 1998 had moved to the Twins Cities, was married to 2nd (and current :)) DH) and we started going with our friend from ND either for March Madness - or Fall football. I didn't get my first handpay until 3 years ago.. so before that I was playing for a hand pay. Now we go to Vegas 2 - 3 times a year - Biloxi one (or twice) and the local 1.5 hours away in WI(for DH to play craps) or the local in MN(30 minutes away.. I normally go by myself on Saturday or Sunday mornings). Las Vegas October trip 2013 I hit my first, 2nd and 3rd hand pay in Vegas). Have not hit another one in Vegas since. Learned to Maximize comps.. while limiting going on tilt (DH doesn't play slots.. so he normally comes home with his Bankroll or a little more). I normally blow threw mine and my secret stash. Do not have a secret stash for our next Vegas Trip in october as I haven't been gambling since I have been on baby back up duty. Might try and run to Treasure Island - Red Wing tomorrow morning for a promo and free play, plus my $200 bucks.

I was raised in a large catholic family.. but we had 8 kids.. my parents had NO money for gambling. I think as they got older and retired.. they started to go to the dog races in FL.. but I don't know if my Mom or Dad ever went to a casino or Vegas. My family has other addictions.. so I think I inherited the tendancy .. but just don't abuse alcohol or drugs..

[michelelovesvegas]

I love this thread!! Just went on the casino gambling boat here in GA with Mom.. Nada… when we got back she said she still had time to go to the Bingo. 83 years old.. love it.

[BorgataBabe]

@Kimsa, this is a great thread. When I was 12 my parents bought a retired racehorse named Mr. Olsen "Ollie", he got hurt and couldn't race anymore but was very gentle for a thoroughbred and they didn't want to put him down. My parents became friendly with the original owner and we went to a lot of horse races for a few years.

At 19 I met my husband whose parents brought him & his brothers to AC all the time when they were younger and my FIL was also an avid horse better.

Me & my DH always enjoyed betting horses and initially only played table games in AC. We even got married on Derby Day in 1995. We celebrate our anniversary every year the weekend of the Derby in AC. We keep saying we are going to celebrate our 25th at the Kentucky Derby and I can buy a big ass hat!

We only just became slot players about 5 years ago when I realized my father was getting better weekend comps and more FP playing slot machines than we were getting on the tables. So I start playing slots and one of my 1st decent hits came right away on WOZ Ruby Slippers. I was max betting which didn't seem like such a big deal at the time because at the craps table I could literally lose $300 in 15 minutes. So I'm playing $4.80 a spin and I got a line hit that paid $820! I was in shock, it would take me hours at a craps table to win that kind of money. I was hooked from that moment on! I slot 90% of my time in the casino now and only play craps when I have already earned a lot on the slots!


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[nighthawk66]

My last wife got me hooked lol

[bluesfan]

It is my husbands fault! He surprised me on my birthday many years ago with a trip to Las Vegas. One of my gifts was a book of Eqypt, and inside the book flap was the trip itinerary for the trip! And yep we stayed at Luxor!
The first thing I did when I got there was get a players card! The first game I played was 5 cent Jungle Jackpot, 15 cents a spin. I won 3 credits on my first spin and cashed out! A lot of nickels kicked out! Yes that is how long ago it was, machines had coins still! I think I had $200 for that trip, and the lowest denom at the time was nickels. I played that and quarters only. My local back home at the time was Hollywood in Aurora, IL, had never been there before my first Vegas trip. After that trip I started going and have even hooked ever since!

[NYphoenix]

I worked in the same restaurant as my dad as a busboy at the age of 13 and when we got off work he took me to the local horse track where he would allow me to bet on the ponies betting for me.
I tailed off from gambling for a while till the same horse track became a "racino" and I got a chance to play these video one arm bandits...the rest is history!

[camon]

I started by playing scratchers where I used to work. There was a scratcher machine and a bunch of us employees would get scratchers all the time for fun. I was also a good picker so I usually get even on them. For scratchers, it is really about what I keep staring at when I wanted to get a scratcher and it is usually my money back or a winner of a few dollars more. The most I ever won on scratchers from what I remember is I think 100 or 200, I don't quite remember. It has been a few years I have really played scratchers due to the liquor store by my house that I always pass all the time to get to the metro trains getting a new owner and not selling lotto there. This was also a few months after I stopped working to go to college. I usually always buy 1 or 2, whatever my catches my attention. I have bought 20 bucks worth of them before, but usually I get even or half of what I spent, so I did not find a need to do that anymore. The store by my house on the way to and from the train station does have new owners again and lotto back, but have lost interest in scratchers due to the casinos paying me more. Scratchers mostly just got me even or losing a dollar or 2 here and there when there is not a winner. I played at the most 5 dollars scratchers, mostly $2 or $3 no higher than $5.

In 2010 was my 1st ever trip to Vegas with my family and in a casino and I had fun, but it did not get me into casino gambling yet and was still into scratchers. I was really into music, entertainment, and concerts at that time. In 2011 around my birthday when I was 24 turning 25, there was a Backstreet Boys Concert in Temecula at Pechanga Resort and Casino and also at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City. I had tickets to the Gibson, but then realized the womens fastpitch tournament weekend was the same weekend and in Corona, way too far from Universal City and a lot closer to Pechanga. So then I sold my tickets on the BSB fanclub forum and bought a good seat someone was selling from one of the fans friend that could not go, and then my mom and I drove to Pechanga in the afternoon to avoid rush hour and find good parking for the concert. Then I got a players card and went even playing (I remember I had only 60 bucks I brought with me) and enjoyed the slots there. Since then, I went on pechangas website to look up the free shuttle bus schedule because I remember seeing it a lot at the park and ride on the way to college (this was before I went to the unversity and stopped working), then my mom would go a couple times a month. Then we found out about other buses like Morongo, Harrahs, Valley View, San Manuel, etc. We mostly just go to our one local Pechanga because we win there a lot.

I go to casinos for fun when I am bored, have nothing scheduled going on, and when friends are there to meet up with and hang out. I do not consider it an addiction because I take the bus there 5 hour stay and start off with the free play, I do not bring all my winnings from previous casino trips (maybe I bring a little, less than a 100 depending on if its middle of the week and I already went once to use my mailing offer free play for the week and only have my bus free play), I stay away from high limit and dollar machines, I walk around and slot hop a lot, I do not stay on the same machine when losing hoping it will come alive and try to win back what I lost on it, and I play pennies. Also when I win a big jackpot off pennies and/or is way ahead, I may bet a little higher but only if the machine is consistent in paying. Oh and my mom has social security and she gives me money to play when my free play winnings run out on a bad payout day. Some days, no matter what machine you go on, bonuses are paying hardly anything. Oh and just like scratchers, I go with what I am staring at and my gut feeling.

My dad on the other hand, he hates slots because he hardly ever wins. The only time he ever won was at one of the further away locals when we were staying overnight for a concert I wanted to go see and I picked a machine for him and he won 50 bucks within the first couple spins betting 25 cents. He likes to play tables. My mom and I like slots. I also have done a lot of internet research on high volatility and low volatility slots as well as how they work and stuff like that to help me pick slots better and win more. I do this with weightlifting too and running to help my running time and my strength for my goals.

Oh and all of you know about my favorite slot titan 360..did not start going to casino more than once a week until I fell in love with that machine and winning on it all the time. The entertainment, the crowd, the sound effects, and the friendly people who I meet playing it makes me want to go back. I remember when I first started playing it, I would hit the wheel majority of the time on the first few spins. Also there was one time the penny machines by the wall I always liked to play and also the dollar machines (whole section in this one area) was out of service for maintenance and I walked through it to go to the bathroom after getting to the casino. After the bathroom, I walked through it again and saw a seat on titan 360 open and on the 1st spin, wheel and mini jackpot. I was like "wow, no other machine has give me that much success as this one". Then another trip when I went to casino and walked over to titan, it was out of service as well for maintenance and upgrades on the players card system like the other section was the previous trip, then I was bored and was forced to play other stuff and lost. Next trip, it was opened and I won my first hand pay on 450 free games. Since then, I fell in love with the machine and has been playing it since. I still play other stuff too, but I never leave a casino trip without sticking a 20 in it.

[charlie50]

Ok mine started when i was in the Navy in the 70's some of the E M clubs had slots. But the Acey Deucey clubs had the better ones so we would try to go there and play . But as a E-3 i was only allowed to play the lower denominations 5-cent and 10-cent (sorry no Penneys back then )lol and just kinda grew from there .