As you’ve already heard we both like to gamble. For Nic, it’s the tables; specifically roulette. And she’s good at it. We have certainly lost a lot of money, but Nic’s gotten good at riding out her winnings. And sometimes even walking away while she’s up.
Interestingly for me it’s slots. Don’t get me wrong. I really like Texas Hold’em, but only do the occasional home game. When I’m at the casinos I’ll usually kick around and watch Nic while she manages her fortune, but inevitably I’ll gravitate over to the din of ringing machines and try my luck.
While down in Las Vegas for our wedding, Nic came across a series of cards printed with various gambling tips and picked me up one on slots. The best tip from that card is one I’ve actually seen in practice, and have benefited from. And it’s surprisingly obvious.
If you’re going to play slots, pick the ones near the entry.
Casinos intentionally set the machine around the doors to have a higher percentage of payout, on the principle that winning gamblers will draw others in to try their own luck. I’ve seen it first hand, as I watched a gambler at Bally’s Las Vegas hit a $12000 jackpot. And have even personally netted over $200 in winnings on multiple occasions by playing near the entrances.
So there’s got to be something to it. But it’s still gambling, so good luck!