Those magical nights

1 October 2015

By John Grochowski

Most days in the casino are a mix of wins and losses. Maybe you’ve lost some money at the blackjack table, but have that one winning streak that pulls you back to even. Or maybe you’re playing video poker and draw four of a kind early to pad the bankroll, but then fade in a cold streak.

There are also days when you just can’t win for losing, when you’re up against your loss limit for the day far too soon.

But rarely, there’s a day when everything goes right. A couple of readers shared their stories of that one glorious day:


Fallon: I’d converted from slots to blackjack a few months earlier. I’d just take $100 to a $5 table and bet $5 at a time. One time, I had a pretty good winning streak, and made $40. I never lost more than $60. I knew I was doing better than on the slots, but I missed the thrill of the big wins.

One day I saw a man winning money by betting more when he won, then betting less when he lost. I decided to try it. After two wins in a row, I doubled my bet, then kept adding to my bet after each win in the streak.

Well, I got on a roll. Every time I had to hit a 16, I drew a low card. Every time I had a so-so hand, the dealer busted. I got a blackjack on a $35 bet, and another one at a $50 bet. I added a green chip to my bet after the $50 blackjack, and got a double-down hand on a $75 bet. I thought I was going to pass out, betting $150 at once, but drew 10s on both hands and won. I lost a $100 bet then – can you imagine, old penny slot player me betting $100? – but I’d still won more than $200.

I went back down to a $5 bet after that. I wasn’t going to give back all that money. I had a couple of more good streaks. Nothing like the first one, but pretty good. Overall, I won more than $300.


Dallas: I’d had three or four craps sessions in a row that were just frustrating as all get-out. Point, then seven out. Next shooter, point-seven. Point-seven, point-seven – we couldn’t get anything going.

One day my wife said, “Why don’t you just play slots with me?" I told her I’d go to craps first, but if it started like the last few, I’d cut losses and join her on slots ASAP.

There was never any need to move. No question of it. The first shooter after I arrived made three or four points, and I won a little on pass and come with odds. Next shooter did the same, and I won a little. I was next, and I was the cold shooter in the bunch. I made two points, won with an 11 on the come-out, then sevened out.

The fourth shooter – he was beautiful. Nothing but numbers. When he did roll a 7, it was on a come-out, so at least the odds weren’t working on our come bets. He’d make a couple of points, I’d increase my odds, and then he made a couple of more. Half an hour he held the dice, maybe 40 minutes.

I wound up winning more than $3,000 before I left to meet my wife for lunch. I told her, “See? This is why I play that silly game.”

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