How many times have your best laid wagering plans gone down the tubes?

[Trezz]

I've been giving this a bit of thought lately. Although I view my gambling as a form of entertainment, it's also one of the only things in life that delivers that rush and excitement. When I look back over the last 3 months I've lost control more times than not and lost cashing out around $8K.

Now I don't know if this is just a gamblers thought pattern but I tell myself <or is that con myself> don't worry about it, it was the casinos money anyway.

The thing is before I start each session I have a clear cut understanding that if I reach X amount that's it I'm cashin in, which normally I do. But I then end up reversing the damn thing till I get so far down that I'm starting to chase the wins, which when I wake up later that day <or the next day> I realise is a stupid mindset to have.

Anyways I know this maybe a bit close to home for some people but I just wanted to put this out there and see what type of feedback it creates, thanks

[Slotster!]

With only ten fingers and ten toes to work with, it's impossible to actually put an exact figure on this

"More often than not" is the best way to describe it from my perspective.

Unless I make a REALLY nice win (four figures at least) I rarely cash out. Stupid, I know.

I've tried depositing smaller amounts recently and playing the long term game, but it just doesn't work for me from an entertainment perspective... Feels more like work, and that's not what it's about for me.

[vinylweatherman]

I tend to plan my play. I have a certain amount of money that is available in my Neteller and on my cards, and I know roughly what offers are likely at what casinos. I try to use the offers in order of decreasing value, trying to estimate my chances of ending up ahead, and in an entertaining manner. I like to play in tournaments that have a scoreboard, as this involves tactical thinking rather than just grinding out a WR in the best manner possible.
Jackpot Factory are again running their big prize scoreboard promotions, and I am playing hard there, even to the extent of passing on the Roxy Palace 30% match bonus this weekend. It can easily cost more than £2000 to win, but win it I have, and that £2000 bonus and only 5x WR is extremely satisfying. The entertainment this week is which player is going to say "this ain't happening again mate", and wipe the floor with me.
Someone needs to open a sportsbook so we can wager on the outcome of these tournaments if we don't have the funds to play. We could all be given "form" like racehorses, and our past performances could be recorded, discussed, pondered over. Players would naturally be banned from betting on an event they are playing. Perhaps one of the sportsbooks could consider this, maybe William Hill as they have a reputation for accepting speciality bets, provided they are not too tasteless. I read a case of a man who placed a bet that he would live to 100 - He collected on it!!!!

[Mousey]

I'm a low roller who plays so tight I squeak. (General consensus among casinos: they don't like me) If I deposit $25, manage to get my balance $150 or above, I cash out. If I deposit $50 and grind it out to $200 or above, I cash out. If get a fat hit, for instance, $450, I'll play my balance down to $400 or if I get another hit that takes my balance to $525, I'll play it down to $475 or $500. I set limits and pretty well stick to them. I am well aware that money management won't make me a winner in the long run, it does however, provide me with funds for my small time gambling.

I never reverse.

[Simmo!]

My main enemy is time. If i have a couple of hours for a session, then hit big early, thats when th etrouble starts. Think the answer is to cut down bet size drastically after a big win 'til time runs out. Or buy a good book

[Pinababy69]

Originally Posted by Simmo!

My main enemy is time. If i have a couple of hours for a session, then hit big early, thats when th etrouble starts. Think the answer is to cut down bet size drastically after a big win 'til time runs out. Or buy a good book

Or find a hot French tutor!

[Simmo!]

Originally Posted by Pinababy69

Or find a hot French tutor!

Now you're talking

[johnsteed]

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Trezz

Now I don't know if this is just a gamblers thought pattern but I tell myself <or is that con myself> don't worry about it, it was the casinos money anyway.

Well, that's one way of looking at it. I've let that way of thinking creep into my gameplay too many times in the past, just as you stated above.


cont...

The thing is before I start each session I have a clear cut understanding that if I reach X amount that's it I'm cashin in, which normally I do. But I then end up reversing the damn thing till I get so far down that I'm starting to chase the wins, which when I wake up later that day <or the next day> I realise is a stupid mindset to have.

Hmmm, it seems to work "3" ways for me.


a) Whenever I set a goal of reaching a meager target with the mind-set to cash-out, that I DON'T reach the meager target. It's as though they know my game-plan (I know... I'm being ridiculous) before the session even begins (note to paranoid self - hide web-cam + keep eyes directly out of the monitors view).


b) Other times (those rare times) when I set a fairly attainable check-point to cash-out, I generally blow right past that mark by a couple hundred dollars (off a big hit). Then, I start thinking that I've got this "fun" money to play with (that wasn't a part of the plan), so then I get this brilliant idea to start playing one of my favorite slots (never pay out for me).


And this always happens to me, I'll go through a few hundred spins without hitting anything decent (w/o triggering the "FREE SPINS" session). This streak will continue, and take me below the original mark that I wanted to cash-out at. To which, I'm now in chasing mode because I feel that I'm due (and BIG TIME). I then (almost always) work my way down to the "regret zone". It's the zone you reach when you realized that you should have been content cashing-out at the target that you had planned at cashing-out at.


You now how the story generally ends by this point. If you don't, congratulations.


c) The third scenario going in is that I'm just going to have fun with this money, and not set any goals. It's always these times that I can't be stopped. But, because I never set any goals, I'm unsure as to when I should cash-out (when frankly, I should ALWAYS be sure WHEN to cash-out... when you're up by a mile). Like "Slotster", if I'm doing extremely well, I always feel that I can reach the 4-digit mark, the point at which I'll cash-out. Yet, I can't seem to be able to get past that $975 point. And Krrrrrrrrpppluuuuunckkkk... No "Hollywood" ending here.


I picked "3" poisonous routes that should be avoided, straight from my unsuccessful MG playbook from '05.


Great idea for a thread "Trezz"!


Steed

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[tim5ny]

How many times have your best laid wagering plans gone down the tubes?


Answer: Everytime I drink coffee! That stuff should be outlawed!

[Wildfire7]

Good thoughts Steed, playing while tired and intoxicated makes it even worse, but out of the two I would rather play after a few drinks, rather than tired. I have found it especially bad when we get to that point in the session when nothing is happening, our bankroll seems to be standing still, like its ground to a halt, so in the past I have tried to force the issue by ending the session on a good note. Not a wise move!

As we are always up against this house edge crunching our bankroll, concentration, good judgement and discipline is the only way, it might not mean we win, but it sure as hell gives us a fighting chance of hanging round long enough to hit something decent.

Mental preparation before a session, with strict targets in place that covers all eventualities can only help us, which of cause this is where discipline is the most important of all. For me setting a session time limit is just as important as a win/loss target. Because if we can walk away after a bad session with our bankroll still in ok shape, we can refocus and come back the next day refreshed and raring to go!

Wildire7