Putting gambling and
"luck" into perspective
21 January 2000
By Mark Pilarski
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."
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