Putting gambling and "luck" into perspective
Dear Mark,
I am writing a paper on luck for a college logic class. You once
wrote of individuals who had won the lottery more than once. Granted,
that is lucky, but has there ever been an individual who was crowned
the "luckiest person" in the world? Rachel G.
Luck and logic-now there is an oxymoron if ever there was one.
Sorry, Rachel, I know of no such list of luckiness. My favorite
benchmark of providential fortuitousness has to be that of Vesna
Vulovic. In 1972, Vulovic was a 22-year-old flight attendant on
a Yugoslav Airlines DC-9 enroute from Stockholm to Belgrade when
a bomb planted by Croatian terrorists exploded on board the plane
at 33,330 feet. All 27 aboard perished except for Vulovic, who
by chance was the only person in the tail section of the aircraft
when it fell to earth from six miles above. The rear portion of
the airliner stayed intact and took a life-saving bounce by hitting
a snow-covered mountain slope at a favorable angle. Vulovic lived
to tell about it.
I doubt you can get luckier than that.
Dear Mark,
I was in Las Vegas recently and made it a point to find the 9/6
jacks or better video poker machines. At one place I even found
a 10/7 machine but noticed that it only paid even money on two
pairs. Most of the 9/6 machines paid two for one on two pairs.
Is this a case of the house giveth and the house taketh away?
Jim D.
Good eye, Jim. Jacks or better machines are often categorized by their payouts on the Full House and Flush lines. These are the lines the casino alters to increase and decrease the house edge. Like you, many players feel they have found a bargain when they find a 10/7 machine. But on closer examination, you'll note a bit of casino charlatanism as the even money payout for two pair lowers your return by almost 5 percent. These machines should be avoided.
Dear Mark,
Now that we are retired, my husband and I love to travel and enjoy
going to different casinos in the different states we visit. Could
you please recommend a guide which lists all the different casinos
by state? Mary K.
By far, the best all-inclusive guide of casinos nationwide
is Steve Bourie's, American Casino Guide. Updated yearly,
the 1999 American Casino Guide indexes every casino/resort in
the U.S., plus all the toll-free phone numbers, web sites and
e-mail addresses. Bourie also lists which casinos give away the
Fun Books, the marketing department's phone number so you can
stay on top of slot clubs, more than 200 pages of casino gambling
tips, techniques and winning strategies, a comprehensive listing
of room and suite rates, riverboat cruise schedules and cost,
buffet prices and detailed maps. Additionally, you get more than
$900 in valuable casino coupons.
You can find the 1999 American Casino Guide at all major bookstores
for $14.95, or call Bourie direct at (800) 741-1596.
Dear Mark,
This is how I accrue my "gambling money." I never spend
change. I throw all my change into a bag at the end of the day
and periodically roll it and take it to the bank and exchange
it for bills. This is my "play money" when I go to Las
Vegas or Lake Tahoe. All my winnings add to this fund, and conversely,
losses also come from this fund. Just thought I would pass along
this tip. Craig S.
You're singing from the right pew, Craig. Loose change gambling is responsible, disciplined gambling. I applaud you, Craig, for gambling with money "you can afford to lose."