What's your take on people that won't gamble?

[poolplayer2093]

There are plenty of "gamblers" at Hard Times Sacramento and The Jointed Cue who will gladly separate you from your money. It's just
a short drive to either from Stockton.

it's an hour away. that's why i don't go out there much. i've matched up at hard times the last few times i've been there

i'm not trying to come off as a jerk on this thread. it's just i'm tired of walking into rooms and seeing guys that have been playing for years doing nothing at all. most of the time they're not even paying table time or buying drinks.

 

[Roger Long]

am i the only one that feels people should bet something, play someone, or go the f*ck home! i'm tired of walking in and seeing people that play drinking water so they can avoid buying a soda and sitting on the side lines doing nothing

No, you're not the only one who feels that way, but you are definitely in the minority. It's the league players and social players that pay a pool room's bills; not the gamblers. If you don't believe me, just go back to your favorite pool room and loudly demand that all the non-gamblers go home immediately. Then hold on tightly to your cue stick to make sure you don't drop it while the owner is chasing your butt out the door!

Roger

 

[Blue Hog ridr]

Been a truck driver most of my life, wages are not always great, so pretty careful on how I spend my money. Meaning, I like to have fun with my money
and taking chances with it isn't how I have fun.
I support my hall with drinking much beer and eating supper there.
Anyway, I'm not opposed to playing for drinks or $5 to $10 a game or short set when I'm in the mood.
I just don't find it necessary in order to complete my night.

 

[Roger Long]

i'm not trying to come off as a jerk on this thread. it's just i'm tired of walking into rooms and seeing guys that have been playing for years doing nothing at all. most of the time they're not even paying table time or buying drinks.

Some smart pool room owners operate under the philosophy that "a crowd draws a crowd," meaning that nobody wants to walk into a dead place. Most places have their share of loiterers, but if they're not causing trouble owners generally tolerate them in order to keep the place from looking dead.

Why don't you just forget about what you're "tired of" and let the owners take care of their own business?

Roger

 

[pwd72s]

Don't drink booze or soda...they are off my diabetic diet. Gambling is NOT my bag...playing pool for the pure enjoyment of it is. I willingly buy my table time, Maybe you think I should get out of the hall I play in, but the owner doesn't...

Perhaps you should just do your thing, and let others do theirs.

(edit) To correct myself...I DID play a single rack of 9 ball for $100 some time ago. My "honorary nephew" Matt needed the money...

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Don't drink booze or soda...they are off my diabetic diet. Gambling is NOT my bag...playing pool for the pure enjoyment of it is. I willingly buy my table time, Maybe you think I should get out of the hall I play in, but the owner doesn't...

You are helping pay his rent, and over head like many other!

Perhaps you should just do your thing, and let others do theirs.

(edit) To correct myself...I DID play a single rack of 9 ball for $100 some time ago. My "honorary nephew" Matt needed the money...

 

[Papa Red]

The way I see it is everyone is a gambler, with todays society if you go to the store, mall, or to work you gamble that you make it home to wake up the next to gamble again. As far as pool gambling its a personal decision and to belittle someone because they don't would fit very nicely in the nit category IMO.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

One more sad story...

I assumed all the regulars in the pool room I go to gambled. So after a few months of going in there, I asked one of the older guys, "how much are you playing for?"

He replied he didn't gamble. I said, "really? I thought you did."

He added, "nope, not any more. Many years back I beat a guy out of some money and it turned out it was all the money he had for his family and he committed suicide the next day. So now I don't gamble."

That is a SAD STORY. Like the night in the 70's I was working in the local ER, a Code III Ambulance comes in with a stabbing victim, Never ever saw so much blood squirting out of a person. Twenty something year old died of the knife wound to the Aorta. He was trying to collect $20.00 he won, at Bar Pool. Looser did not want to pay up, so he stabbed the Winner!

 

[poolplayer2093]

Hmmm.

So your beef is that people who don't spend anything to support the pool hall should lose money to you gambling so you don't actually have to pay the pool hall any of YOUR money?

Sounds like you want pool halls to go out of business.

Now, if you had said that pool halls should throw deadbeats out on the street or have a minimum amount spent, I could agree with you. I'd not be overly happy about agreeing, but it has crossed my mind.

I played competitive foosball and have to say that the only people in a bar on a given night who make pool players look like big spenders are foosers. I am always friends with the wait staff in a place that I frequent and expect good service, for which I tip (over-tip). I never send food back, don't complain about how stiff my drink is, etc.. Unfortunately, when I am with pool players or foosers, most waitresses will not come into the area to take orders (or if they do, it is only to take mine). Been through it dozens of times.

People like that shouldn't be in bars/poolhalls.

My question to you, Poolplayer, is: How much of your winnings do you tip the bartenders and waitresses? The last action I ended up in (don't look for it often, doesn't have a ton of thrill), I won ~$120 from some guys and tipped the bouncer, bartender and waitress $20 each when I left. My winnings didn't end up covering my tab/tips.

i don't normally go anywhere that has bouncers. the bars i play at usually have a bartender/waitress not both but 1 person to do both.

i tip when i buy drinks at bars but that's about it. if they keep the place open for me to play and i end up ahead i'll tip accordingly.

 

[poolplayer2093]

You pegged him for sure.. Look at many of his past posts, he's always stirring the pot o poo. His initial thread was such an idiotic statement I did not even care to offer a reply.. Very nitty!

if you say so man. i'm not trying to stir the pot. if you read my first post it's a complaint about people that go into pool halls and won't spend/bet a nickel. if it came out as anything else then either i wrote it poorly or you took it the wrong way.

you don't like it shoot me your address. i'll mail you a spork so you can eat my a$$

 

[poolplayer2093]

After seeing many posts on this I would say you aren't the only one who feels this way. With that said. I believe Gambling is a choice and if someone chooses to gamble so be it, but if someone doesn't want to gamble it's their choice and they have no obligation to gamble just because you would like them to.

I enjoy getting a table and practicing by myself and often don't want someone coming up and bothering me, much less harassing me about gambling with them. Sure asking is ok, but if someone says no thank you it should end there.


I really wonder just how many people you would tell to "go the F*ck home" who refuse to gamble with you? Are you really that confrontational and negative?

I'm just asking. I'd imagine more than a few people would react somewhat negatively if you actually said that to their face.

i didn't say i'd go around telling people to go home. how i feel and what i say are different.

you really think they'd react negatively to that??????? what would make you think that

 

[poolplayer2093]

95 responses in less than 8 hours.

I think this even beat the 'old guys in hustlin gear' thread.

But my favorite is still the 'I shaved my eyebrows' thread.

Hands down.

i get way more action now that they've grown back. i think it's because people aren't as freaked out now that i look normal again

 

[poolplayer2093]

I never gamble at pool; I get annoyed by trying to figure out who needs weight and how much weight needs spread around. The weight people want and expect these days from great players is a damn joke (I not being a great player, lol). I always felt like a little bit** asking for weight in order to match up, is my issue. Also, I can guarantee is that no one will ever tell me "2 get tha F*** out for not doing so", I'll bet on that.

depending on what the bet is i'd tell you to get out. the cash would just have to be worth it

 

[Beer:30]

i'm not trying to come off as a jerk on this thread. it's just i'm tired of walking into rooms and seeing guys that have been playing for years doing nothing at all. most of the time they're not even paying table time or buying drinks.

You ever thought of donating a portion of your winnings to the pool hall you are so worried about? They're providing a forum for you to make money they should be in on more of a cut than your drinks. For some reason I don't think most people are going to go cough up 10-20% of their winnings to the house.

 

[CreeDo]

if you say so man. i'm not trying to stir the pot. if you read my first post it's a complaint about people that go into pool halls and won't spend/bet a nickel. if it came out as anything else then either i wrote it poorly or you took it the wrong way.

you don't like it shoot me your address. i'll mail you a spork so you can eat my a$$

that was kinda funny I gotta admit.

Back on track, do you really see people not spending a buck and people not gambling a buck as the same problem? Cuz I see it as two different problems. Plenty of guys go to play pool socially, pump 10 in the jukebox, order food, order plenty of drinks (which they immediately put on the rail), etc. Surely there are gamblers who sit around, nursing one coffee for 5 hours waiting for someone to come in and play them a set.

People not spending money at a pool hall sucks but at the same time, if you run them out of there... you go from "probably won't spend any money" to "DEFINITELY won't spend any money."

 

[poolplayer2093]

Some smart pool room owners operate under the philosophy that "a crowd draws a crowd," meaning that nobody wants to walk into a dead place. Most places have their share of loiterers, but if they're not causing trouble owners generally tolerate them in order to keep the place from looking dead.

Why don't you just forget about what you're "tired of" and let the owners take care of their own business?

Roger

the pool room i go to lets homeless people come in and panhandle. it's hard to hit a ball without someone asking you for change.

that's probably just stockton though

 

[bud green]

I don't think poolplayer was saying that the players who come in and buy stuff and play pool are bad...its just the ones constantly loitering around putting their two cents in when they aren't either gambling or supporting the pool hall. Phonies and bums.

90 percent, AT LEAST, of the so called gamblers in pool are lock artists who complain about no action when the B and C players are around and won't donate, and then turn into mice when real players show up.

I totally understand the idea that some people feel playing for something helps them focus, but for a lot people, it ruins their basic enjoyment of the game. They can't just play pool for fun anymore.

Unless you love gambling, or are making enough money doing it to actually affect your life, why would you turn your hobby into a job?

 

[poolplayer2093]

You ever thought of donating a portion of your winnings to the pool hall you are so worried about? They're providing a forum for you to make money they should be in on more of a cut than your drinks. For some reason I don't think most people are going to go cough up 10-20% of their winnings to the house.

if you saw the equipment i use to win the 20-80 dollars i might win/lose on a given night you'd take that back.

i risked my own dough and if i win i pay the table time. hell if i lose i still usually insist on paying my own time. i don't give my money away. i'll spend it or lose it.....that's where that stops

 

[poolplayer2093]

I don't think poolplayer was saying that the players who come in and buy stuff and play pool are bad...its just the ones constantly loitering around putting their two cents in when they aren't either gambling or supporting the pool hall. Phonies and bums.

90 percent, AT LEAST, of the so called gamblers in pool are lock artists who complain about no action when the B and C players are around and won't donate, and then turn into mice when real players show up.

I totally understand the idea that some people feel playing for something helps them focus, but for a lot people, it ruins their basic enjoyment of the game. They can't just play pool for fun anymore.

Unless you love gambling, or are making enough money doing it to actually affect your life, why would you turn your hobby into a job?

Thank god someone got what i was trying to say! i think maybe i phrased it poorly

 

[Beer:30]

if you saw the equipment i use to win the 20-80 dollars i might win/lose on a given night you'd take that back.

i risked my own dough and if i win i pay the table time. hell if i lose i still usually insist on paying my own time. i don't give my money away. i'll spend it or lose it.....that's where that stops

So you don't care about the room, you're more upset they won't play you for money?