Why we gamble

1 December 2015

By Frank Scoblete

About 54 million Americans and Canadians go to casinos every year. That’s about 40% of the joint adult population of these countries. So why do all these people go to casinos when they know the house has an edge that will grind them down, sometimes fast, sometimes slow and sometimes moderately? But over time, they are almost assured to be losers.

LARRY: I have lost money playing blackjack and roulette but I enjoy the atmosphere and the challenge. The casino is an exciting place. People are really pumped up and everyone is wishing and hoping to win some money.

BEVERLY: I play slots. I am able to put my work week behind me and just be, I don’t know, like a little kid playing with her toys. I guess you can say I disappear into my own world. What’s good about slots is that it is rare anyone disturbs you. I played a few times at the tables and there were always these obnoxious people who got annoyed with me because truthfully I didn’t know how to play, especially blackjack.

JIMBO: Craps is my game. Give me the dice and back up boys because I am gonna launch ‘em! I make a lot of the bets on the table and I have a ball. Yeah, over the years, I can’t lie, I am down but that doesn’t matter because the excitement of the game brings me back time and time again. I find the slots boring because I like to be with a lot of cheering people. That’s half the fun; all of us being together, hoping to beat the house.

RICKY: I am a casual gambler. I play a little of this and a little of that. Slots, video poker, blackjack, craps; you name it I have played it but for very low stakes. Why do people go to casinos? It’s kind of like a fun park for adults. The games are the roller coasters. I think it is an escape but many times it can be depressing if you lose your cool and your money. So it does take a certain amount of discipline to go to a casino, have fun and not get too caught up in the thrill.

MARY: Slots. I dream of slots, I’m telling you. Before I go to the casinos I think “What would I do if I won millions on one of those big progressives?” I plan out my new, rich life. Who I would help; where I would live; what would I buy? I’d travel the world. So each month I save up my money and then I head to the casino for two days. I’ve won some jackpots but nothing that can change my life. Actually I am behind in my playing career but there is always tomorrow. As Scarlet O’Hara said, “Tomorrow is another day.”

NINA: I actually don’t gamble much. I take the bus to the casinos twice a month. I might play maybe fifty dollars but that’s about it. I do like to people watch, walk the Boardwalk. That’s a nice day for me.

There you have it, some reasons why casino gambling is a powerfully attractive force.

Frank Scoblete’s new book is “I Am a Dice Controller: Inside the World of Advantage-Play Craps!”