| |
| |
|
Casino & Gambling Information brought to you by casino bonuses and top online ecasinos |
|
|
|
The Eternal Allure of Gambling
I just spent three days in the land of milk and money - Las Vegas. There is something refreshingly honest about the place: it's all about money and it knows it. It doesn't pretend to be anything else. No doubt some of the architects think that their work has some importance of its own: the re-creations of Venice, Camelot, Paris, Egypt, and New York. Battling pirate ships and erupting volcanoes aside, once you enter the themed palaces, they are all the same: crap tables, blackjack tables, roulette wheels, and thousands upon thousands of slot machines - all promising to give you a fun time while you lose your money in the pursuit of a possible fortune. The lure of gambling has existed throughout recorded history but has never gripped the millions who now participate. We play state-sponsored lotteries, visit tribal and other legal casinos, create special accounts for Internet gaming, bet the horses, bet the dogs, bet on sports, fights, anything where we can catch the excitement of beating the odds. Moralists worry that a large percentage of those who risk their money, are those who cannot afford to risk anything: the poor, the unemployed, the minimum wage fringe who, at the best of times, barely hang on to the basement rung of the economic ladder. They argue that gambling should be a pleasant pursuit for those who can afford to lose a reasonable amount, using the money they have earned for purchasing excitement, entertainment, and momentary escape. Who's kidding who? For the middle class gamblers who bet on the super bowl, the derby, the occasional lottery ticket, or visit the casinos once or twice a year, gambling is a diversion, a fun time, a little bit of excitement sandwiched between the realities of career advancement, building a nest egg, raising children, and doing their civic duties. The thrill of a potential win is the lure of proving their ability to compete, to come out on top, to better their opponents, the pros, the odds, the morning line. It is a personal challenge that can boost their self-confidence when they win but has few negative effects when they lose because their real self-image relates to the important aspects of their lives, separate from their gaming ventures. It is those who cannot afford to lose who become addicted to the lure of chance. Stuck in minimum wage employment, without the education, the skills, or the entrepreneurial savvy to work their way up the social and economic pyramid, they see gambling as the promise of a permanent way out, a tsunami that can sweep them instantaneously to the top, an overnight millionaire. A lottery ticket, a slot machine, a pick 6 wager, plays no favorites. The poor, the homeless, the forgotten, the have-nots, all compete with the rich and famous on an equal footing. They become hooked on continued gaming because it is the only chance of reaching the lifestyle they want to achieve. A successful businessman wins a quarter of a million dollars and it is nice: a bonus, a chance to splurge on new toys, the opportunity to retire outstanding debts, or expand their company with a welcome infusion of capital. A working-class-stiff wins a quarter of a million dollars and it is truly life-changing. A janitor, a gardener, a fast food worker, a guard - with a windfall like that, they can turn their back on the roach-infested slum apartment and move to a better neighborhood or buy a small house and a new car. They can quit their hated job, help their families, participate in the good life they have only previously experienced as outsiders, looking in. The problem is that it is non-sustainable. Winning what seems like an enormous amount of money seldom leads to rational investment: education, skill upgrades, saving for future college costs or business opportunities. Moving from nothing to something, in an instant, is not an event likely to produce rational planning. For those whose monetary and emotional needs have never been truly met, immediate gratification is the direction of choice. A lifetime of denial demands a certain degree of self-indulgence when the means for it become miraculously available. Is it any wonder that a large percentage of lottery winners file bankruptcy within five years of their win? The moves, the changes, the life enhancements that substantial wins provide are ephemeral. In the short run, they provide an exciting exit from a black tunnel. In the long run, such a win turns negative - because the dream has become a reality, even if only for a brief moment, returning to prior levels of existence becomes an even more painful form of imprisonment. The need to recapture that dream, and perhaps maintain it this time if a mega-million prize can be snatched, keeps the gambling industry thriving and the promises of dream fulfillment entice us all, most especially the poor, into one more venture, one more ticket, one more chance. Virginia Bola is a licensed clinical psychologist with deep interests in Social Psychology and politics. She has performed therapeutic services for more than 20 years and has studied the effects of cultural forces and employment on the individual. The author of an interactive workbook, The Wolf at the Door: An Unemployment Survival Manual, and a monthly ezine, The Worker's Edge, she can be reached at http://drvirginiabola.blogspot.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Amazing Lottery Secrets - Just the Facts! When it comes to Lottery Secrets, we've discovered amazing and powerful information, that we feel anyone who plays their respective lottery should be aware of. Did you know that the greatest percentage of lottery players choose to "quick pick" their numbers?If you knew this bit of information you might want to reconsider. Roulette System: 4 Most Important Factors To Beat Roulette at Online/Offline Casino In this article, you are going to learn about the most important factors to beat the roulette and the entire casino including most of its games.Very few people get rich gambling but you can win and I will show you how! For over 60 years, casino style gambling has been legal in the state of Nevada, USA. Would You Bet on Your Brand? - Three Strategies for Winning at Brand Poker It seems you can't turn on the TV without seeing some sort of World Series of Poker contest. Poker, especially, Texas Hold 'Em, has become extremely popular. Gambling Superstitions Many times while gambling, I've found myself searching for subtle signs to assist me in making my next bet. For example, if I'm playing roulette and a person in a red blouse stands next to me, then I'll place an outside bet on red. Two Great NFL Systems Why would the odds maker make adjustments you ask? Simply put my friend, the reason why is because the odds maker already knows what today's "Joe Public" bettor will do and that is to pounce on the system or trend play or in the case of bad weather jump on the "UNDER" and when hearing about an injury jump on the opposing team like there is no tomorrow.Personally, when hearing of a team suffering an injury to virtually any player with the exception of the QB, I have found it very profitable to play the ole "wait and see" game, meaning that later in the week once Joe Public has influenced the line that value will probably be found on the side of the team with the injury!Below you will find a couple of NFL system plays dated since 1990 that have been quite profitable because of the fact that they are very uncommon in frequency and secondly because they combine solid handicapping theory, meaning that there is rhyme and reason as to why they occur!1) Play against teams playing their 3rd consecutive road game if they lost the 1st game and won the 2nd game. Horse Racing Betting, The Risk Free Way You may or may not of heard of all this talk about been a change to horse racing betting where you can bet on horse races risk free.Yes that's right, Risk Free!Now this isn't some bogus system that gives you one horse that is guaranteed to win, it isn't even like normal gambling. How To Extend Your Stay & Play At A Casino How To Extend Your Stay & Play At A Casino If you decided to build a new home, would you start construction without first developing a plan or blueprint? Or would you begin a new business without having a business plan? Would you go to war without knowing your enemy and having a predetermined plan for victory? Well why do you go to the casino without a plan for winning? Winning is what it is all about. I have never lost money at a casino and felt good about it and if you are honest, neither have you. Buying A Thoroughbred: Is It For You? Buying a thoroughbred can transform a man. Horseracing is the sport of kings, and owning a thoroughbred racehorse can truly make a man feel like a king. Bookmaking Basics The role of a 'bookie', the common name of the person involved in bookmaking, is quite important in the world of gambling. The bookie is responsible for keeping track of all the bets in the game. Gambling Comps 101 or The Ask Game Gambling Comps 101 or The Ask Game I don't know who did it or when it happened, but someone shortened the word complimentary to comp and made it an industry standard. In casino language, comps are cash or gifts (freebies) that the casinos give to their customers as a reward for gambling with them. Video Poker: Why People Lose More Than They Should Ask any casino executive and they'll tell you that video poker is a real money maker for the house. Yet, many video poker games feature a house edge of less than one percent, and others still can actually yield over a 100% payback if the player uses an optimal playing strategy. The Secrets of the Big Numbers Pssst.. Compulsive Gambler Seeks Alternatives To Stop Gambling Compulsive gambler's life was devastated by gambling and now seeks alternatives to help his addiction before he loses everything. This seems to be a common trend among compulsive gamblers. World Poker Tour -- The Beginning of a Phenomenon World Poker Tour high stakes poker tournaments started a revolution in the way the game is viewed, enjoyed, followed and played. Even though the World Series of Poker had been televised for years before the World Poker Tour (WPT), the game of poker was elevated when "WPT cams" were placed around the table so that the world could experience seeing what hand the players were playing and become emotionally involved in the decisions that were being made. Offshore Gambling Many gamblers have come across the term "Offshore Gambling", but are not entirely sure what it means. A casino that deals with offshore gambling is one that basically operates outside the jurisdiction of a given country or it can be an online casino that has its servers in a country where online gambling is not prohibited. To Bet Or Not To Bet? Do You Have What It Takes To Be A Happy, Healthy Gambler? I placed my first bet when I was at university. I did not do it to make money, that was just a by-product of what I was really after - the thrill. The Secrets of the Fives and Nines Pssst.. Poker Table Position Poker seating and the position one has at the table is one of the most important and least talked about aspects of poker. It's especially relative to the Texas Hold'Em poker game because it is positional in nature. As Poker Goes Hollywood Hansen is Seen as Icon In People magazine's December 2004 issue, Gus Hansen was voted one of the 50 sexiest men alive. He was in good company with the likes of Jude Law, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Sacha Baron Cohen, Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, Jimmy Smits, Donald Trump, Blair Underwood, and Bruce Willis, to name a few. Stay Young- Play Bingo! Exercise, intellectual stimulation, surgery, meditation or detox - you name it, we love it. Let's face it, we live in a society obsessed with staying young.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
