How old should our youth players be before they start gambing in pool?

C

ChrisBanks

Banned
18? 21? A different number?

Does it make a difference if they are not betting their own money? Does it make a difference if the gambling session is monitored by a parental guardian?
 
ChrisBanks said:
18? 21? A different number?

Does it make a difference if they are not betting their own money? Does it make a difference if the gambling session is monitored by a parental guardian?
Click to expand...

You wouldnt happened to be related to Mr Lock would you?:smile:

I think the early the better.My youngest one is 6 and he's already
Playing 50 dollars sets and winning.Building a champion here.:smile:
 
8pack said:
You wouldnt happened to be related to Mr Lock would you?:smile:

I think the early the better.My youngest one is 6 and he's already
Playing 50 dollars sets and winning.Building a champion here.:smile:
Click to expand...

I don't know if you're being serious or not! I don't know how tall a 6 year old is, but I doubt whether they would be tall enough to shoot!
 
They're not "ours," they're their parent's kids. "We" shouldn't be deciding. The room owner can stop it, but "we" shouldn't have that kind of power.

I know it's the main forum, not npr, but a lot of life mixes together, doesn't it?

Jeff Livingston
 
chefjeff said:
They're not "ours," they're their parent's kids. "We" shouldn't be deciding. The room owner can stop it, but "we" shouldn't have that kind of power.

I know it's the main forum, not npr, but a lot of life mixes together, doesn't it?

Jeff Livingston
Click to expand...

Interesting perspective, and thank you for your participation!
 
Up to each person or in this case "child". But if they don't have their own money, then whose money are they going to gamble with? Their parents hard earned money? Don't gamble with money thats not yours.
 
I've told this story before here and I'm pretty sure Scott doesn't mind if I repeat it...

When I played 9 ball halfway decently, a young guy comes into McCoys and starts his career. That was Scott Frost. Well, I still gambled a little bit back then and he wanted to play me 9-ball on the 9' GCs for, I think, a buck or two a game.

So, here I am ahead about $15 bucks or so and Scott is running out of money. He has two friends with him but they're not helping. I'm thinking, damn, I robbing a child, and I didn't like the feeling and hoped no one would notice or care. The room was pretty empty.

Suddenly, in walks a woman about my age. She's heading towards Scott and I thought, Oh Crap, it's his Mom!...I'm in trouble. I said to myself, OK, I'll give back the money if she complains. Scott says something to her, she opens her pocketbook and out comes a 20 that she hands to Scott and says, "Good luck" or something like that.

We were back in action! (I still tell folks that I'm up on Scott...shhhh, don't tell anyone the amount, please)

Not a big fancy story, but it stuck in my mind.

Jeff Livingston
 
Seeing a 10 year old playing for 50 was interesting... Considering it wasnt his but as a parent I would stay clear of the gambling at a young age. My sons will definitely play when they get older but I wouldn't allow it. Nor would I gamble in front of them. I think setting a strong example of fair play is better for the younger players. I didnt start gambling until I was 17 or 18 and it wasnt for huge sums (5 maybe 10 bucks a set) so i dont see a problem in that. The problem arises when two hot heads start woofing at each other and the child thinks its funny when it really isnt. It may not bother some but it would bother me as a parent.
 
No way I'm putty my youngster in the box. He might get the idea he can make more money playing pool than going to college, then getting a good job that actually has paid vacation, 401K, benifits, pension, and the possibility of moving up to make the really serious cash. That's just my take on it.

Now if he gets a job, and wants to gamble with HIS money, that is his deal, not mine. We all have to make choices, and then live with them, both good and bad.
 
ChrisBanks said:
18? 21? A different number?

Does it make a difference if they are not betting their own money? Does it make a difference if the gambling session is monitored by a parental guardian?
Click to expand...

It always makes a difference if you are losing YOUR money. It is much less painful to lose someone elses cash.
 
Jesse...Your opinion follows mine, only I would probably try to steer my kid away from gambling at all. Once they're an adult they can make their own decisions. I've seen far too many kids who started gambling young, and by the time they were adults they hated the game...which should never happen. jmo

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

RunoutJJ said:
Seeing a 10 year old playing for 50 was interesting... Considering it wasnt his but as a parent I would stay clear of the gambling at a young age. My sons will definitely play when they get older but I wouldn't allow it. Nor would I gamble in front of them. I think setting a strong example of fair play is better for the younger players. I didnt start gambling until I was 17 or 18 and it wasnt for huge sums (5 maybe 10 bucks a set) so i dont see a problem in that. The problem arises when two hot heads start woofing at each other and the child thinks its funny when it really isnt. It may not bother some but it would bother me as a parent.
Click to expand...
 
I think its shocking parenting if you let a child gamble, regardless of the amount, type of gambling etc. I gambled playing pool when I was 16 for like £20 a set, but it was my own money and my parents didn't know (they would have gone ape sh*t!). Strangely enough I think getting a taste for risking money at a young age hasn't been such a bad thing. I play poker for a living now, and I've seen many people go completely broke through it and giving a youngster a taste of that through pool could have the same consequences.

On the other hand though if they're good enough they're old enough. I don't fully agree with it but if the parents are willing to stake their kid then atleast its regulated to some extent.

Personally, if I had a kid, I'd rather pay for them to enter a tourney.
 
When I first met Shannon, he was 12 at a tournament in Richmond Ky at the Maverick Club. When I got there he was in the nack on the practice tables playing 9-ball for $100 a game with a guy who was about 45. Shannon was ahead and the guy tried to bump up the game to get it back and Shannon said 'No, I won at a $100 a game and if you want it back you can win it back at a $100 a game and if you don't like it you can quit'. I did leave out the more colorful language, at 12 his language was pretty colorful.
 
I think the question assumes that gambling is automatic in pool. This is IMHO one of the notions that harms the sport.

The first notion should expect that there is no gambling at all as part of the sport. Any gambling is in addition to or ancillary to the sport. Yes, I know how hokey that will sound to many, but I really believe that.

The gambling notion as a whole, regardless of whether it involves pool, should only be engaged in after a person is an adult and has their own financial means I think, so age is only part of it.

By the same token, if I found out for instance that my college age child was gambling while I am contributing the brunt of their financial support then I want my percentage as their stakehorse if they win anything. And I would collect it, for sure.



.

.
 
8pack said:
You wouldnt happened to be related to Mr Lock would you?:smile:

I think the early the better.My youngest one is 6 and he's already
Playing 50 dollars sets and winning.Building a champion here.:smile:
Click to expand...

Hey 8Pack,
How did I get involved in this thread? Merry Christmas, to you and your family. Waiting to hear how my name came up in this thread? Thanks.
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
Chopdoc said:
I think the question assumes that gambling is automatic in pool. This is IMHO one of the notions that harms the sport.

The first notion should expect that there is no gambling at all as part of the sport. Any gambling is in addition to or ancillary to the sport. Yes, I know how hokey that will sound to many, but I really believe that.

The gambling notion as a whole, regardless of whether it involves pool, should only be engaged in after a person is an adult and has their own financial means I think, so age is only part of it.

By the same token, if I found out for instance that my college age child was gambling while I am contributing the brunt of their financial support then I want my percentage as their stakehorse if they win anything. And I would collect it, for sure.



.

.
Click to expand...

Merry Christmas to you and your family. And may you have many more to come!
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
Lock N Load said:
Hey 8Pack,
How did I get involved in this thread? Merry Christmas, to you and your family. Waiting to hear how my name came up in this thread? Thanks.
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
Click to expand...



He just has a style somewhat like your but not.:)
Just having fun really.:grin:
Merry Christmas to you and yours also Mr Lock.
Happy Holidays to everyone.

Anthony
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top