Gambling and Pool

jmizzo

jmizzo

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So I have had one firm rule for playing pool for the last 12 years (im 27), no gambling on my game other than a calcutta style tournament or something. I have always done this because I feel like it gives pool a bad name, but then someone asked me why I dont gamble behind close doors. They say the only way to get better is to play with your own money. Is this the common sentiment?

I felt better about not gambling when I heard Ralf Souquet doesnt gamble on pool either, but I have a hard time believing that, when they are on the practice tables at big tournaments.

So I guess the questions to you, what do you think about gambling and pool? Is it best kept for the back room? Does it hurt the public perception of the game?

I ask solely because I love the game. I respect it and its players. I feel bad because in America it doesnt get the respect its due, and is still looked on as a seedy game with seedy characters. Thanks for the response.

PS - so long, if you made it this far, thanks for reading!
 
jmizzo said:
So I have had one firm rule for playing pool for the last 12 years (im 27), no gambling on my game other than a calcutta style tournament or something. I have always done this because I feel like it gives pool a bad name, but then someone asked me why I dont gamble behind close doors. They say the only way to get better is to play with your own money. Is this the common sentiment?

I felt better about not gambling when I heard Ralf Souquet doesnt gamble on pool either, but I have a hard time believing that, when they are on the practice tables at big tournaments.

So I guess the questions to you, what do you think about gambling and pool? Is it best kept for the back room? Does it hurt the public perception of the game?

I ask solely because I love the game. I respect it and its players. I feel bad because in America it doesnt get the respect its due, and is still looked on as a seedy game with seedy characters. Thanks for the response.

PS - so long, if you made it this far, thanks for reading!
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i think it might hurt the image of pool but that's only because it's portrayed as a bad thing. they always show the guy that lost. what about the rush and the joy of winning money??? they should show that. there're some people that lose and feel bad but it's not like they're going to go home and kill themselves.

i think gambling's good for people's games. it helps me hold my nerve more than tournaments. i think people play a lot harder when it's their dough on the line. most of the upper level players that play well play well because they started gambling.

not to mention that it gives people a little more reason and fire behind their practice time
 
My comments in RED

jmizzo said:
So I have had one firm rule for playing pool for the last 12 years (im 27), no gambling on my game other than a calcutta style tournament or something. I have always done this because I feel like it gives pool a bad name, While gambling may bring out the worst in some people I don't believe it gives POOL a bad name. I'm tired of the Majority of society pandering and cowtowing to the Moral Majority(who are in fact the minority that complains the loudest, after all these are the people who brought us prohibition)but then someone asked me why I dont gamble behind close doors. They say the only way to get better is to play with your own money. Is this the common sentiment? don't worry about what other people do, find out for yourself

I felt better about not gambling when I heard Ralf Souquet doesnt gamble on pool either, but I have a hard time believing that, when they are on the practice tables at big tournaments.

So I guess the questions to you, what do you think about gambling and pool? Gambling and Pool are not synonomous (sp) you can have either with out the other.Is it best kept for the back room? NODoes it hurt the public perception of the game? Once again I say No

I ask solely because I love the game. I respect it and its players. I feel bad because in America it doesnt get the respect its due, and is still looked on as a seedy game with seedy charactersWho are these people, I would like a list please. With the exception of one person, the only pleople I've heard this sentiment from were pool players. Thanks for the response.

PS - so long, if you made it this far, thanks for reading!
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You're welcome
 
jmizzo...There's nothing wrong with your take on gambling. It's kind of a "catch-22" thing. Gambling does, imo, hurt the chances of pool attracting big money sponsorship, outside of pool. The public's perception (which counts for a lot, in the long run), of pro poolplayers, is one of hustlers and conmen. Unfortunately some don't do anything to dispel that image. SVB is a great example of someone who can have a great deal of integrity, and also play top level, either gambling or tournament play. He's a great role model for our sport. At the same time, the gambling 'image' also fuels the love of the game (at least that aspect), that many people who play seriously have. It's still only one way to keep score. I've always said tournament pool is much tougher than gambling, simply because, in a tournament, you lose once or twice, and you're out. As long as you can keep reaching into your pocket, you can keep gambling! :D Just like in tournament pool, only one person really wins anything (barring sidebets, etc).

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

jmizzo said:
So I have had one firm rule for playing pool for the last 12 years (im 27), no gambling on my game other than a calcutta style tournament or something. I have always done this because I feel like it gives pool a bad name, but then someone asked me why I dont gamble behind close doors. They say the only way to get better is to play with your own money. Is this the common sentiment?

I felt better about not gambling when I heard Ralf Souquet doesnt gamble on pool either, but I have a hard time believing that, when they are on the practice tables at big tournaments.

So I guess the questions to you, what do you think about gambling and pool? Is it best kept for the back room? Does it hurt the public perception of the game?

I ask solely because I love the game. I respect it and its players. I feel bad because in America it doesnt get the respect its due, and is still looked on as a seedy game with seedy characters. Thanks for the response.

PS - so long, if you made it this far, thanks for reading!
Click to expand...
 
What's wrong with gambling? Does the lotto hurt the image of the state? Does gambling hurt the image of golf? Does Bingo hurt the churches image?
Gambling is the American way my friend, and as a good American I like to do my part!:thumbup:
 
People bet on golf all the time. It has big sponsors, and is regarded as a gentlemen's game.

I don't gamble much, and have not used it to improve my game. Occasionally I do gamble, but it's when I am wanting to play someone who won't play unless we bet something. (My wife wishes I would do it more.)

The part that I hate is the whole barking at each other for a day an a half before you get matched up. (maybe not a full day and a half, but it seems that way some times.)
First you have to decide on the spot.... each one trying to out maneuver the other. Once that's decided, then you have to throw in the amount and how long the race will be, and again, each person is barking.

Or when someone comes in, asks if anyone want's to play some, and you step up, and they say 'race to 5 for 20?" You agree and win the first set, and they start begging for a spot, when you know they didn't play their game 'cause they were clocking yours.
If you don't give them a spot, they continue to whine and whine.... The choices are:
1. Put up with their incessant whining until they quit (bugs the crap out of me)
2. Give them a spot, but now you've set yourself up to give up a bigger spot to them after the next set.
3. Loose back what you won, and quit, telling them you don't like to play with people that whine incessantly about the spot, when they are the one's that came in looking for the game.
3. Quit them winner, and listen to them biatch about that, which you can then tell them, 'Hey... you were the one that asked to play some, so if you didn't want to play your best game, that's not my fault.' and send them on their way. (which is usually how things end up..)

This is why I don't like gambling....(Find your happy place.. find your happy place..)
 
I don't see anything wrong with gambling on your game, but I definitely don't think it's necessary to improve your game. If you need or use money as a motivator to win that's fine by me, but I don't need it.
 
Neil said:
Why does anybody feel gambling on pool hurts it's image, but it is perfectly fine and acceptable to gamble on any other sport without hurting it's image? Ever play poker for funsies?

Gambling on your game will improve it soley because it gives you an incentive to win, and a good reason (monetary) to improve so you don't lose. Not everyone needs the monetary incentive to improve, but it helps most.
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Neil's post reminds me of a saying:

You can play so you don't lose, but you gotta learn how to play to win.

Or something like that. And I believe that there is a difference between playing just hard enough to win one game and playing hard enough to win most of them. Anyone can win once. It takes a player to make the wins outweigh the losses.
 
Gambling

I've always avoided gambling on pool because most pool players (98%+) don't have the $ to lose. When I was a young man in college, I took a few paychecks from guys in bars and I felt worse about that than I would losing my own money. I have plenty of $, so why take somebody's who doesn't have it to lose?
 
jmizzo said:
So I have had one firm rule for playing pool for the last 12 years (im 27), no gambling on my game other than a calcutta style tournament or something. I have always done this because I feel like it gives pool a bad name, but then someone asked me why I dont gamble behind close doors. They say the only way to get better is to play with your own money. Is this the common sentiment?

I felt better about not gambling when I heard Ralf Souquet doesnt gamble on pool either, but I have a hard time believing that, when they are on the practice tables at big tournaments.

So I guess the questions to you, what do you think about gambling and pool? Is it best kept for the back room? Does it hurt the public perception of the game?

I ask solely because I love the game. I respect it and its players. I feel bad because in America it doesnt get the respect its due, and is still looked on as a seedy game with seedy characters. Thanks for the response.

PS - so long, if you made it this far, thanks for reading!
Click to expand...


Yes, I agree that gambling is the wrong way to go. Just look at Vegas, they have been trying to make money on gambling for years and just can't seem to do it.
 
poolhustler said:
Yes, I agree that gambling is the wrong way to go. Just look at Vegas, they have been trying to make money on gambling for years and just can't seem to do it.
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That's because they're playing against the house and the house has the best of it. in pool you can match up with who ever you want how ever you want
 
Ponytail said:
People bet on golf all the time. It has big sponsors, and is regarded as a gentlemen's game.

I don't gamble much, and have not used it to improve my game. Occasionally I do gamble, but it's when I am wanting to play someone who won't play unless we bet something. (My wife wishes I would do it more.)

The part that I hate is the whole barking at each other for a day an a half before you get matched up. (maybe not a full day and a half, but it seems that way some times.)
First you have to decide on the spot.... each one trying to out maneuver the other. Once that's decided, then you have to throw in the amount and how long the race will be, and again, each person is barking.

Or when someone comes in, asks if anyone want's to play some, and you step up, and they say 'race to 5 for 20?" You agree and win the first set, and they start begging for a spot, when you know they didn't play their game 'cause they were clocking yours.
If you don't give them a spot, they continue to whine and whine.... The choices are:
1. Put up with their incessant whining until they quit (bugs the crap out of me)
2. Give them a spot, but now you've set yourself up to give up a bigger spot to them after the next set.
3. Loose back what you won, and quit, telling them you don't like to play with people that whine incessantly about the spot, when they are the one's that came in looking for the game.
3. Quit them winner, and listen to them biatch about that, which you can then tell them, 'Hey... you were the one that asked to play some, so if you didn't want to play your best game, that's not my fault.' and send them on their way. (which is usually how things end up..)

This is why I don't like gambling....(Find your happy place.. find your happy place..)
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your wife wishes you'd do it more? is your wife the one you want to play?
 
It's not the gambling it is the Gamblers.

You can find a bookie and place a bet on just about anything that has a verifiable outcome.

Gamblers are looking to win someone's money.

If you want to learn how to play under pressure, Bet $50 on a match and only have $25 in your pocket....

the biggest difference between gambling and playing in tournaments is your choices.

Gambling you choose your opponent, how much to play for, game, spot (if any), race, rules and how long you are going to play.

Tournaments, you only choose which one to enter. Everything else is decided for you.
 
Gambling is no big deal and I think you have to be pretty uptight to think otherwise. I don't think it needs to be hidden. If someone publicly posted proof of shane playing a money set tomorrow, do you think cuetec cues would drop him as a sponsor? They'd probably laugh at anyone who tried to tell them they ought to. It'd probably sell them a few extra cues if shane was actually using a cuetec while playing a set.

Don't let anyone tell you that you need to gamble in order to improve. If you don't feel like it, then you don't have to do it. It's very possible to improve and have fun without it. If you are curious and feel the urge to try it out, don't be scared... certainly not out of any 'moral issue' because there is none. It's only sleazy when one player is on the hustle (and I'm sure a few will argue that's not sleazy either).
 
To me gambling on pool is an opportunity to get better. If you put a little money on the line, and you're playing someone better than you, you know you'll get a pretty good game out of them (at least a better game than if you're playing for fun).

You can also look at it as a way of keeping score. As long as you're not trying to take advantage of lesser players, if you're up, then your game is doing pretty well.
 
im definitely no high roller or even close...but i dont have any interest in playing unless im gambling...im not even a great player its just i dont enjoy just playin in the weekly tourneys here or even the bigger ones..just enjoy the gambling part of the game...it may be sad but oh well..."it is what it is"...
 
With all the comparisons to other sports I'm surprised no one has mentioned probably the biggest gambling game of them all - Football. The single biggest gambling day of the year is Superbowl Sunday. The amount bet on the NFL alone is in the billions annually and IIRC it is well over a billion on the Superbowl alone.

So what influence has gambling had on the popularity of football? It has helped it tremendously. If you asked me what single innovation has most contributed to the popularity of football I would have to say it was the invention of the point spread.

So I don't think gambling itself reflects badly on the game. The problem probably has more to do with the perception that those that make a living at it don't make much money (relative to other games, especially including poker) and it therefore is looked at as a somewhat seedy endeavor. And because there is not much money in professional tournament pool it doesn't have the buzz that other games do.

I can almost guarantee that if pool had a tournament every week that paid $1,000,000 to the winner it would have more interest and be on TV live every weekend just like golf. It wouldn't be looked down on if people were getting rich at it.

And I bet a lot of fans would be betting on it, just like football. And then we wouldn't be having this discussion. ;)

Also, very few games involve gambling by the participants (baseball, football, etc.). The only big game getting attention that does is poker. The difference is that pool is 99%+ skill. I think most of us realize that there is considerable skill in poker but I think generally people can convince themselves that with just a little luck they have a chance against even professional poker players. Generally speaking people can't con themselves this way when it comes to pool and therefore fewer people take it up as a recreational gambling pursuit. This plus the fact that it is harder to get action in pool because it requires matching up. Poker does not, all you need to find is an empty seat at a table.
 
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I think the stigma of gambling in pool goes back many years. Maybe to the prohibition years of speakeasies and bathtub gin. The association of drinking and gambling in pool halls and card rooms goes way back. Stories of men losing the rent or grocery money put a bad name to all forms of gambling. Even so poker is now mainstream, but most would agree that poker is a game not a sport. For whatever reason pool has not been able to shed the seamier side of it's reputation when it comes to the general public and I think that gambling has contributed to pool not making it's way to becoming a star sport in the USA. Even today in the movies if the cops are looking for a bad guy the 1st place they go is a pool room.
I do believe that competition will better your game and if it bites your wallet when you lose you'll play harder to win. jmho
 
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