Have you ever gambled with the rent money?

doitforthegame

doitforthegame

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So have you ever had money that you needed to pay the rent, or car payment or child support that you posted as your stake in a pool game? What were the circumstances? How did it come out? How did you feel?

I once played my arch nemesis a race to 9 for $500. For lots of reasons I was flat on my ass. Totally broke. I almost always got the best of him, so I went ahead and played him even though I only had $80 to my name. We never posted the bet. Everyone knew each other and it was never an issue. Yup...I was a dirtbag. Anyway, he went out to an 8-2 lead. Needing one game. I was scared to death. Not only didn't I have money, there were a lot of people watching because our matches had lots of sharking and player commentary. When I lost this match, everyone would see that the Emperor had no clothes. To say I was sick to my stomach was an understatement.

He missed a 4 ball with a very runable table. Then, I guess the gods for some reason took pity on me. You have a couple of times in your pool career that you say to yourself "Wow...I couldn't play any better than that!". This was one of them. I made almost every shot from there. My safety left him locked up so I always had ball in hand after. Without even realizing it because the focus was so intense, I brought the match to 8-8.

He missed the 6 ball and left me in the corner jaws up table. Down below at the foot of the table the 7, 8 and 9 were situated so the cue ball had to go on a spot the size of a quarter. I didn't even think about it. I made what I consider my best shot of my life. I made the ball and the cue ball made it to the perfect spot. I was out!

After the match a looked up at the guy. He was holding the cue with one hand, head down staring at the table. He looked at me sheepishly and said "Uh...hey, I have to owe you. I don't have any money."

Swear to God a true story.

Bob
 
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I did that one time and got cured really fast.

I played a guy named Ding -- who was my landlord and also a good player.

Ding had a nice house in Wrightsville, PA that he would rent out while he lived with his wife across the street. It was a beautiful place--- nice 8' pool table in it and everything.

One day, Ding goes out and buys a new 8'er for his house and we start playing every so often. One day, he says let's just play for your rent --- and for some reason it felt like the right thing to do.

We play 14.1, race to 100. Long story short, I play LIGHTS OUT to start with--- I can't recall if I ran the first 50 or ran something like 30-safe, 20-safe... but I'm up 50-0 and I strut around like a peacock while drinking all the beer in his fridge (haha). I thought I was the chosen one from that point.

I don't recall the exact details, but I think I "tickled" a ball into a wired position in the stack. Ding smashes the rack and keeps running out. I think he had a 2 or 3 inning set to 100 from that point. He beats me 100-50 and I never felt so #($&*ing sick in my entire life.

I just saw him not long ago (this story was from around 2000 or 2001). I gave him a big hug and told him I wanted a shot at the title again. Good thing rent won't be involved this time, though.
 
I have.

I also have a theory about those that have. It either cures you or kills you.
 
doitforthegame said:
So have you ever had money that you needed to pay the rent, or car payment or child support that you posted as your stake in a pool game? What were the circumstances? How did it come out? How did you feel?...

...Swear to God a true story.
Click to expand...

Great story, Bob. :p

When I was 20-something, I used to go down South with a road player named Geese. Geese's best game was one-pocket, but he could play 9-ball when he had to. Some of my fondest pool memories are when we left town in pursuit of action. :smile:

Down South, you'd walk into a joint that had 20 and 30 tables rocking and rolling. We never had that kind of action in Maryland, so this was pretty cool for me. I could play a little, too. I actually had game back then. :cool:

What happened to me in Rome, Georgia, on this trip changed my path in life, I guess you could say.

We pulled up to a bar that looks like a happening spot. Geese didn't have much of a personality when it came to attracting action; in fact, he preferred going to the pool rooms where they did not serve alcohol. Me, I loved the bars and could usually find out quick if there was the potential for a game of stakes. ;)

The bartender knew we were strangers in town, and he sensed right away why we were there. He told Geese that he could bring in a local to play him some if we wanted action. About 20 minutes later, an older gentleman with salt-and-pepper hair walked in. He came right over to Geese and asked him what he wanted to play for. We had action! :D

I think they were playing for about $20 a game, 9-ball. Back then, there were no spots. If a stranger came to town, he played even, sometimes having to shoot with a house cue. We quickly got stuck about 200, and things weren't looking too good, but after an hour or so, the tide changed. Geese quickly ran a few racks, and now we were about $400 winner. The local guy unscrewed his stick, paid Geese for the last game, and walked out.

Yippee! We made a nice score being on the road. Back then, you had to make at least $100 a day to survive on the road which went for hotel, gas, food, et cetera. So this 400 bucks came in quite handy! :p

We gathered up our belongings, happy as could be. As we exited the premises to make our way through the parking lot to our car, I saw the local sitting on a curb, crying his eyes out. I mean he was really sobbing, claiming he lost his rent money and couldn't go home to his family. :(

All of a sudden, the wind was taken out of my sail. Geese said to get in the car, so we could leave. I felt horrible about what happened, but Geese said, "Did you feel bad when we were stuck 200 clams? Look, if he hadn't lost this money to us, he would have lost it to somebody else. I'd rather it be us that he lost it to." It made sense at the time, but I never, never, never forgot that man bawling on the side of the road.

In fact, that was my last road trip. I then pursued the career that I'm in today. I learned a lesson that day, and it was to never allow myself to let it ride. Gambling is fun, but it will never come before my security. I like having a roof over my head. :wink2:
 
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doitforthegame said:
So have you ever had money that you needed to pay the rent, or car payment or child support that you posted as your stake in a pool game? What were the circumstances? How did it come out? How did you feel?

I once played my arch nemesis a race to 9 for $500. For lots of reasons I was flat on my ass. Totally broke. I almost always got the best of him, so I went ahead and played him even though I only had $80 to my name. We never posted the bet. Everyone knew each other and it was never an issue. Yup...I was a dirtbag. Anyway, he went out to an 8-2 lead. Needing one game. I was scared to death. Not only didn't I have money, there were a lot of people watching because our matches had lots of sharking and player commentary. When I lost this match, everyone would see that the Emperor had no clothes. To say I was sick to my stomach was an understatement.

He missed a 4 ball with a very runable table. Then, I guess the gods for some reason took pity on me. You have a couple of times in your pool career that you say to yourself "Wow...I couldn't play any better than that!". This was one of them. I made almost every shot from there. My safety left him locked up so I always had ball in hand after. Without even realizing it because the focus was so intense, I brought the match to 8-8.

He missed the 6 ball and left me in the corner jaws up table. Down below at the foot of the table the 7, 8 and 9 were situated so the cue ball had to go on a spot the size of a quarter. I didn't even think about it. I made what I consider my best shot of my life. I made the ball and the cue ball made it to the perfect spot. I was out!

After the match a looked up at the guy. He was holding the cue with one hand, head down staring at the table. He looked at me sheepishly and said "Uh...hey, I have to owe you. I don't have any money."

Swear to God a true story.



Bob
Click to expand...

Like, Like.....................
 
JAM said:
Great story, Bob. :p

When I was 20-something, I used to go down South with a road player named Geese. Geese's best game was one-pocket, but he could play 9-ball when he had to. Some of my fondest pool memories are when we left town in pursuit of action. :smile:

Down South, you'd walk into a joint that had 20 and 30 tables rocking and rolling. We never had that kind of action in Maryland, so this was pretty cool for me. I could play a little, too. I actually had game back then. :cool:

What happened to me in Rome, Georgia, on this trip changed my path in life, I guess you could say.

We pulled up to a bar that looks like a happening spot. Geese didn't have much of a personality when it came to attracting action; in fact, he preferred going to the pool rooms where they did not serve alcohol. Me, I loved the bars and could usually find out quick if there was the potential for a game of stakes. ;)

The bartender knew we were strangers in town, and he sensed right away why we were there. He told Geese that he could bring in a local to play him some if we wanted action. About 20 minutes later, an older gentleman with salt-and-pepper hair walked in. He came right over to Geese and asked him what he wanted to play for. We had action! :D

I think they were playing for about $20 a game, 9-ball. Back then, there were no spots. If a stranger came to town, he played even, sometimes having to shoot with a house cue. We quickly got stuck about 200, and things weren't looking too good, but after an hour or so, the tide changed. Geese quickly ran a few racks, and now we were about $400 winner. The local guy unscrewed his stick, paid Geese for the last game, and walked out.

Yippee! We made a nice score being on the road. Back then, you had to make at least $100 a day to survive on the road which went for hotel, gas, food, et cetera. So this 400 bucks came in quite handy! :p

We gathered up our belongings, happy as could be. As we exited the premises to make our way through the parking lot to our car, I saw the local sitting on a curb, crying his eyes out. I mean he was really sobbing, claiming he lost his rent money and couldn't go home to his family. :(

All of a sudden, the wind was taken out of my sail. Geese said to get in the car, so we could leave. I felt horrible about what happened, but Geese said, "Did you feel bad when we were stuck 200 clams? Look, if he hadn't lost this money to us, he would have lost it to somebody else. I'd rather it be us that he lost it to." It made sense at the time, but I never, never, never forgot that man bawling on the side of the road.

In fact, that was my last road trip. I then pursued the career that I'm in today. I learned a lesson that day, and it was to never allow myself to let it ride. Gambling is fun, but it will never come before my security. I like having a roof over my head. :wink2:
Click to expand...

The crying would bother me quite a bit because I am a softie :crying:, but don't any of you wannabee thieves out there, think that I'll be giving you your money back if I get lucky and win.
 
Have you ever gambled the rent money?

Not that I know of. I certainly haven't gambled with my rent but I can't say for sure what any of my backers were doing.
 
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different times

I've played for the mortgage quite a few times but the period I remember best was when I was broke and something very rare for me after turning fifteen, without wheels. I was in a small town without anything resembling a pool hall within ten miles or more and I was busted. Flat freaking broke. The ice box was empty, as in all bare racks empty. I had been down to a bottle of grape jelly and a cousin came through with a buzz on and ate it with a spoon, no bread or a cracker to go with it.

There was a bar about a mile away I could walk to that was good for small action, sometimes just beer or what I was after, three or five dollar a game action, not too bad in the late seventies. Some lucky days I had a few dollars left over from the day before, some days I had to find an odd job to make three or five dollars for a stake. Then it was off to the bar to try to make a few dollars. Every game was crunch time since I was always broke or near broke. I had a great fondness for beer at the time but I purely hated when we started playing for beer and that first slug of beer went down and I felt it all the way in an empty system that hadn't had a bite of anything in it for 24 hours or so.

Couldn't work without wheels and couldn't fix the wheels without work so this went on for a few months. I was house sitting for someone who had to work out of town for six months or so, so I was only chasing food but playing pool to eat and hoping for action every night which was by no means certain was an interesting time. Playing pool to pay the rent, actually two mortgages a home and commercial property, was no big deal when I had wheels and a few dollars to work with. I suspect that technically I bet money I couldn't afford to lose sometimes but I rarely bet my last dollar and if I had a twenty dollar bill and gas I could pump it back up.

Hu
 
True dat Justin! Me too, also many years ago...although my nemesis was a roulette wheel at the Riv, coupled with my "can't miss" system! LMAO After losing $800 in only a few minutes, I then had a 900 mile drive home to 'think about it' (Now, where's that rent money gonna come from again? :D)! LOL It cured me all right...haven't touched a roulette table since!

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

JCIN said:
I have.

I also have a theory about those that have. It either cures you or kills you.
Click to expand...
 
Roulette wheels are nasty Scott.
I once found out how quick a wheel could eat up a $120.
$120 wasn't a big bet but I felt like a complete azz for doing it.
 
doitforthegame said:
So have you ever had money that you needed to pay the rent, or car payment or child support that you posted as your stake in a pool game? What were the circumstances? How did it come out? How did you feel?


Bob
Click to expand...

I do it every month!! Haven't been evicted yet.:thumbup::grin::cool:
 
This brings to mind one of the best lines I ever heard.

A friend of mine went home and told his wife he lost his pay check.

Without batting an eye she said, "You better go find it."
 
tom mcgonagle said:
This brings to mind one of the best lines I ever heard.

A friend of mine went home and told his wife he lost his pay check.

Without batting an eye she said, "You better go find it."
Click to expand...

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL! :rotflmao1::rotflmao1::rotflmao1:

Keith flew out to the IPT tournament in Reno, which took place September 2006. I did not go with him to this event, mainly because I don't fly. Knowing he was going to be in the casino environment where gambling is rampant *and* knowing how much Keith loves those crap tables, I warned him that he had better not come home without his IPT tournament check.

The last day of the tournament, he called me up and said he was on his way up to the tournament room to pick up his check. I again reminded him that he had better fly home with that check in tow. He assured me that he would.

About 30 minutes later, I get a call from Keith. He said, "Well, you're not going to believe this, but nobody got a check. They said there were no checks." Well, I began to see red, thinking he gambled his tournament monies away. The phone call ended abruptly. :angry:

About 10 minutes later, he called me up and said, "I got my money, so I'll be on the next flight home." I was relieved.

When he got home, I picked him up at the airport. He then proceeded to tell me that he sold his forthcoming IPT check to a friend, who paid him the amount check minus 5 percent. Keith was the only IPT player who came home with some cheese. As most know, nobody got a check at the end of that tournament. :embarrassed2:
 
Blue Hog ridr...Yeah, but I had a "system"! :rolleyes:...so much for systems! LOL Funny thing is, my 'system' allowed me several smaller wins on several occasions...just not this LAST one! :(

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Blue Hog ridr said:
Roulette wheels are nasty Scott.
I once found out how quick a wheel could eat up a $120.
$120 wasn't a big bet but I felt like a complete azz for doing it.
Click to expand...
 
doitforthegame said:
So have you ever had money that you needed to pay the rent, or car payment or child support that you posted as your stake in a pool game? What were the circumstances? How did it come out? How did you feel?

I once played my arch nemesis a race to 9 for $500. For lots of reasons I was flat on my ass. Totally broke. I almost always got the best of him, so I went ahead and played him even though I only had $80 to my name. We never posted the bet. Everyone knew each other and it was never an issue. Yup...I was a dirtbag. Anyway, he went out to an 8-2 lead. Needing one game. I was scared to death. Not only didn't I have money, there were a lot of people watching because our matches had lots of sharking and player commentary. When I lost this match, everyone would see that the Emperor had no clothes. To say I was sick to my stomach was an understatement.

He missed a 4 ball with a very runable table. Then, I guess the gods for some reason took pity on me. You have a couple of times in your pool career that you say to yourself "Wow...I couldn't play any better than that!". This was one of them. I made almost every shot from there. My safety left him locked up so I always had ball in hand after. Without even realizing it because the focus was so intense, I brought the match to 8-8.

He missed the 6 ball and left me in the corner jaws up table. Down below at the foot of the table the 7, 8 and 9 were situated so the cue ball had to go on a spot the size of a quarter. I didn't even think about it. I made what I consider my best shot of my life. I made the ball and the cue ball made it to the perfect spot. I was out!

After the match a looked up at the guy. He was holding the cue with one hand, head down staring at the table. He looked at me sheepishly and said "Uh...hey, I have to owe you. I don't have any money."

Swear to God a true story.

Bob
Click to expand...

When gambling with the rent money,you better have tons the best of it,if u want to get there,NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE TO BEAT YOUR OPPONET,YOU ALSO HAVE TO BEAT YOURSELF,and for all those out there that had tried it know exactly what i mean!
 
Scott, there was a casino worker several years ago here that had a system for snapping the roulette ball and making it land where he wanted it to.
Probably somewhat accurate. His friends would bet on certain numbers.

I guess his system did work well enuff for security to be studying his moves
while he was working. They eventually figured out what he was doing.

I used to work a money wheel for the carnival. We were taught to study the bets on the lay down and spin the wheel accordingly. Of course, this system didn't work 100% and when it back fired on you, you paid out large. When an extra large pay out happened, did we ever hear about it. I was like, Who cares, you're trying to manipulate a wheel to rip people off. The boss would watch us spin the wheel and if we weren't doing it right, he'd know we were trying to be fair and again, we'd hear about it. He'd tell us to take a break and put someone else on the wheel.

I just wouldn't put it past the roulette wheel workers to know how to snap the ball in their favor at times. Same as the wheel.
You study the lay down and after you have snapped the ball thousands of times, it wouldn't be hard to figure out a half decent system.
 
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I gambled my last $1 away many times in my mid teens, but I didn't have any pressure. The small group of friends I grew up with would always bail each other out. If one had money, we all had money. Johnnyt
 
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