GREAT COMEBACKS
Even tough starts can end with a big win
By Frank Scoblete
What’s one of the worst ways to begin a casino visit? I’d say it is losing right off the bat. Digging a hole for yourself, sometimes an extremely deep hole, which then takes the positive energy out of you.
Veteran casino players know that one of the joys of playing the games is the actual anticipation before your visit. The anticipation is enlivening.
Losing quickly is emotionally draining. It takes the starch out of you. You lose your confidence. Why can’t I win? What the heck is wrong here?
I’ve been there. I am sure most of the readers of this magazine have been there too. The more a player visits casinos, the better the chance that such a player will inevitably experience a rotten opening to their gambling trip, be it a one day trip from Hades or a several day trip from Hell. That trip is waiting for you if you haven’t had it yet.
Digging oneself out of a hole can be draining. But there are times when a player can come roaring back or, at least, get back on his or her feet. I’m talking comebacks; overcoming the dreadful start and encouraging the return of some joy.
I’ve been there too; my head hung low and then it begins to happen – the return from the pit.
Here are two women who have made those comebacks. Yes, Lady Luck finally smiled on these ladies.
NATALIE
I signed up for a two-day casino trip with my woman’s club. It was to be two days of play, fun shows, and great dinners. I was so looking forward to it. I mean I actually had dreams about going and in those dreams, I won money.
I went to my first machine and the roof caved in, not literally but in terms of my winning. I couldn’t hit anything but even-money hits. I changed machines for the next two hours and nothing. I had lost half the money I had brought with me to play. I mean I was so down in the dumps I’ll tell you that.
My friends were in a good mood when I met them for dinner. Over half were ahead and the ones who were behind were not being crushed like I was. I was miserable.
That night we saw an enjoyable show but after I decided to just go to my room and sleep. Maybe tomorrow would be different. I still had half the money I brought and maybe things would turn around. I still had a little hope; well, very little but I slept well and the next morning after breakfast I gave it another shot.
Within a few spins I hit a nice-sized jackpot. I wasn’t back obviously, but I now felt a little better. In about a half hour I had made back everything I lost. I was hitting decent wins and when that happens at slots you have a good chance of making a comeback. I made my comeback. I doubled the amount of the money I had originally brought to the casino and you know what? I stopped playing after a couple of hours and decided to take my win home.
The worst trip turned out to be a great trip. I wouldn’t want to go through that first day again but the second day was one of the best I ever had in a casino.
MACY
It was an overnight trip to my favorite casino. I got to the casino in the morning with my husband. He likes blackjack and I like the slots because they relax me. I was holding my own for about forty-five minutes but I slowly started to go down and then down further and then it became a blur of losing. I wandered around from machine to machine but I couldn’t get anything started. Seriously, I felt like those zombies in those horror movies.
At lunch my husband was bragging about how well he did at blackjack. That didn’t make me feel too good because when I told him that I got hammered, he laughed. “Some of us know how to play,” he joked. I could have hit him over the head with a plate!
But that afternoon, you would think it would be different but it was the same, although not quite as bad. I just kept going lower and lower and I was really down. I mean I know the casino has the edge at the machines but really could I win just a little now and then?
My husband broke even that afternoon so he wasn’t as obnoxious at dinner about his exploits. We ate at the buffet and I must confess I handled my sorrow by eating like a madwoman. My husband made a comment that I might explode if I kept refilling my plate. I thought to myself that maybe I should hit him over the head with my plate.
That night was magic. I didn’t win any big jackpots but I kept winning consistently. In two hours I was now ahead and I played another hour and made some decent money. Considering how this day went I was so, so very happy.
The really good news was that my husband had a rotten night at the blackjack table and I laughed and told him he had to learn how to play! I’ll bet he wanted to hit me over the head with a plate then.
Folks, there you have it; two great comebacks. All the best in and out of the casinos!
Visit Frank’s web site at www.frankscoblete.com. Frank’s books are available at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Kindle, e-books, and at bookstores.
