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.