Meet Jerry, the
Award-Worthy guest writer
22 September 2003
By Mark Pilarski
Dear Mark, A long overdue note to tell you how
much I enjoy your column. While I agree 100%
with your gambling views, I would offer another
take on Keno. Having been gambling in Reno since
1948 and as a long time Nevada resident, I
consider gambling to be entertainment. Here is
my take on Keno. I meet three friends two or
three times a week and we each play two games of
Keno progressive at $1.25 a game. If we win, we
split the winnings. Here's the math: Two games
at $1.25 and a buck for the Keno writer. Another
$1.00 for our "free" drink for a total of $4.50.
We take turns playing, so we stay longer. In
three years, our biggest win was $65.00 for 5
out of 6. $5.00 for the Keno writer and a
whopping $20.00 for each of us (only three of us
that day). So we are not making any money,
right? Now, let's look at it another way. If we
met at Starbucks, do you think we could get out
for $4.50? Do you think we would be welcome to
hang around as long as we like? Do you think we
would ever make any money? Also we have friends
who spend several hundred dollars a week playing
golf, or what about fishing, hunting, bowling...
well, you get the idea. We enjoy ourselves and
COULD win something. Reno has to be the best
place in the world to live. We drink, eat and
see shows for next to nothing and are welcomed
every time we visit. Flash: I delayed writing
you for so long, but we finally hit a solid six
for $4700.00! Two hundred dollars for the Keno
employees and $1500.00 each of us (three again).
Keep up the good work, and I especially enjoy
your "war" stories about gambling. Jerry L.
Who am I, Jerry, to fault you on your
philosophy? Your gambling coterie is betting
money they can afford to lose, and you have set
loss limits ($4.50) and win goals (free drinks).
Your impeccable reasoning calls to mind the
violet-haired Reno beauty who borrowed $5000
from her bank for a two-week trip to Bermuda,
leaving her $250,000 Rolls Royce in the bank's
underground parking level as collateral. When
she returned, repaid the 5 grand along with
$15.41 in interest, and started toward the
parking area, a bank VP approached her
discretely and said, "Please forgive my
curiosity, but why would anyone leave a car
worth a quarter million as collateral for a loan
of $5000." She smiled at him and asked, "Where
else could I park my car, under guard, for two
weeks for $15.41?" Understand, Jerry, that keno
is a tough beat because of the enormous casino
advantage the house holds on the game.
Consequently, table games and selected casino
wagers, played intelligently, offer the greatest
hope for the player, unlike yourselves, whose
dominant purpose is walking out of the casino
with the casino's loot. But I do tip my fedora
to the "entertainment factor" of gambling,
especially with games, keno included, that are
enjoyable to play on a modest bankroll (under
$5). I can't be critical of any player whose
strategy limits his or her gambling to under
five bucks, maintains total bankroll control,
and who enjoys casino the R&R aspect of casino
gambling. I think I will just muffle my claptrap
and quietly endorse the proceedings of your
cadre of green felt gamblers.
Gambling quote of the week: "Mastering the
inherent unpredictability of any game or art
form can trigger overpowering "pleasure," and
this dopamine rush gets deeply embedded in the
memory of some of the most talented
practitioners." James McManus, Positively Fifth
Street
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