Non Gamblers?

I've never been much of a gambler. I enjoy playing with friends for a few bucks, but that's just entertainment.

My father was a poker player. That's how he made his living for at least forty years. He was dead set against my brother and me gambling. He caught us playing poker for small change once and took all our money as punishment (probably a dollar altogether, but in 1956 it was worth a dollar). When I complained that he gambled, why couldn't we, he assured me that he was not a gambler; he was a card player. When I asked him what a gambler was then, he told me that a gambler was any guy sitting at the card table with him.
 
I don't bother playing for cash anymore. I actually haven't even played poker for money in a long time either.

I do however have a renewed interest in playing in tournaments again. The problem with that is that I get to play 1 day a week.....2 if I am really really lucky and I don't wanna spend that day waiting hours to finally get to my first match when I can spend it playing non-stop for 6-7 hours. Last weeks tourney drew 90 ppl, started at 830pm and ended at 930am the next day.
 
junkbond said:
I've never been much of a gambler. I enjoy playing with friends for a few bucks, but that's just entertainment.

My father was a poker player. That's how he made his living for at least forty years. He was dead set against my brother and me gambling. He caught us playing poker for small change once and took all our money as punishment (probably a dollar altogether, but in 1956 it was worth a dollar). When I complained that he gambled, why couldn't we, he assured me that he was not a gambler; he was a card player. When I asked him what a gambler was then, he told me that a gambler was any guy sitting at the card table with him.
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My dad was a card player too, he owned his own business and had a card table set up in the front area, in the winter there was a game going at least 12 hours a day, I would go in there at 12 years old to watch and he would get busy with a customer and have to leave the table so he would put me in the game to play his spot, so there I was at 12 years old gambling with full grown men for money, it was never real high stakes but to me it was huge.
 
I do not gamble on pool. That statement is true however, I have a bit of a different view on gambling.

To me, playing another player for a bit of money is more of a 2 man tournament. You are paying to compete. Your are paying to play pool. That is my opinion.

Gambling to me would be side betting. Putting money on something that you have little or no control over. Betting on a horse race is gambling. Casino is gambling. Betting on a tennis match is gambling. Craps is gambling. Even the stock market is gambling.

So I would say no, I do not gamble. I don't place sweat bets on other peoples matches, or anything like that. But I play cheap sets with friends to make it interesting (I mean really cheap, like $10/set).

Some people see that as a bad thing. That is their opinion and they're entitled to it, but I do not agree. I work full time for my money and I cannot afford to throw any of it away.
 
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s0lidz said:
I do not gamble on pool. That statement is true however, I have a bit of a different view on gambling.

To me, playing another player for a bit of money is more of a 2 man tournament. You are paying to compete. Your are paying to play pool. That is my opinion.

Gambling to me would be side betting. Putting money on something that you have little or no control over. Betting on a horse race is gambling. Casino is gambling. Betting on a tennis match is gambling. Craps is gambling. Even the stock market is gambling.

So I would say no, I do not gamble. I don't place sweat bets on other peoples matches, or anything like that. But I play cheap sets with friends to make it interesting (I mean really cheap, like $10/set).

Some people see that as a bad thing. That is their opinion and they're entitled to it, but I do not agree. I work full time for my money and I cannot afford to throw any of it away.
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This is a good way to look at it...paying money to play. But, I don't do it to keep it interesting for myself; it's to keep my competitor interested. If someone can't play seriously without something on it, fine. If there's nothing on it, and whomever I'm playing starts to get nonchalant about how he/she's playing or the game...I don't want to play them. I have one friend who really likes to bet it up, and I mean on everything. A small bet won't even hold his interest anymore (nothing under $20 a game or at least $100 sets). He has the best of it against me, but I never ask for a spot, and it's making me play better....I really don't lose out, cuz he doesn't ask for anything on the golf course. Even though either one of us could put a BIG dent in each others wallet, we find a way to even it out between pool and golf, and he's still happy to play having good size stakes on the line.
 
trustyrusty said:
I believe that, but not sure if not playing anything else competitively has anything to do with liking to gamble. I have friends that played sports at a very high level (college, and professionally) that HAVE to bet on anything to hold their interest in it. I've just never been that way. Like I've said, I don't mind wagering really, just never felt it was a necessity like some do.

I play golf with a weekend group (16 of us) that everyone throws in $20 and after it's over divvy it for for skins, greenies, etc. If I had to guess, I'd say 4 or 5 of them wouldn't play in our group if there weren't money on it (they'd look elsewhere). I GET it, just don't need it for me to want to win. :grin:
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I do the same thing. Play in a regular game where everyone throws in $25. I don't mind since I usually walk with something. But in pool, I don't gamble much because I am better in golf. I know I have a chance in golf, but pool would be giving it away. I love gambling in Vegas too. Greatest city in the world.
 
I used to never play for money, but I've learned to enjoy it (and I've noticed it really helps my game). However, I play for such small stakes that many would say it barely even counts as playing for money. If I'm betting $20, it has to be at least a race to 5. And I'm not betting more than $20 at a time on anything. I'll sometimes do $5 a game (or as much as $10 a game if it's one-pocket and the game is right), or sometimes races to 2 or 3 for $10, or sometimes races to 5 for $20. I don't play longer races for cash, because if it's just $20 it's not really worth the time, and if it's more than $20, I don't like betting that big.

-Andrew
 
Johnnyt said:
I started gambling at a very early age. My Dad had an ice and coal business and booked bets at all the bars, fish markets, ant meat stores he served. He also ran a card game out of the house a few nights a week. We had one of the first TV's on the block and every Friday night there would be a dozen people betting on the fights and shooting crap.

My first big hustle was when I was ten. Kids use to bet their baseball cards by scaling them against a wall. Closest to wall took all the cards scaled. A leaner was double pay. I would wet to tips of my card so it hit the wall and the corner buckled making it drop straight down the wall. I had cigar boxes full of cards. If I still had them I'd be rich. Johnnyt
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LoL. My first big hustle was in grade school. I went to a pretty strict, uniform only Catholic school so it was easy money. I sold gum, candy, cigarettes(bought from the gas station guy for $2) for $5, and even raffled off $25 Walgreens merchandise for $5 per ticket. You stretched that between 6th, 7th, and 8th grade and you had roughly 75 students paying in. But that's just a hustle, that's not really a bet. I think that's the big difference, betting is taking a chance...Hustling is knowingly coming out on top.
 
I'd gamble, but I just don't have the money. I also doubt I could actually pull it off as I still make stupid beginner mistakes from time to time. The most money I've ever won gambling was believe it or not, $380 at the Riviera in Vegas playing that Wheel of Fortune Slot Machine, the one with the wheel at the middle that actually spins. :D
Got to spin the wheel 3 times, about a 160 dollar payout each time. Ofc, I lost some back since it was like $8/play or so.

Better lucky than good :D
 
metallicane said:
I do the same thing. Play in a regular game where everyone throws in $25. I don't mind since I usually walk with something. But in pool, I don't gamble much because I am better in golf. I know I have a chance in golf, but pool would be giving it away. I love gambling in Vegas too. Greatest city in the world.
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Losing is never fun, but if you look at it the way I do....willing to donate some cash to play MUCH better competition to get better - it's worth it.

You play in a golf game for $25 knowing you'll get your money back (sometimes winning more, sometimes losing a little, but coming out even or on top). Would you be willing to get into a group of professional golfers (let's say 7 of them and you) for $100 knowing you won't see that money again? I'm not talking 1 time, I'm talking weekly.....I WOULD!!! It'd be worth it to me, and if I were to spend a year in the $100 group, I bet the $20 group wouldn't want me back - I believe it'd step up my game that much. That's how I look at pool too. I've played GREAT players that I didn't have a shot against, but was willing to lose so much (a certain amount) for the competition and learning experience.

That's why the so called gamblers (NITS that have to have the nuts) make me laugh. They don't gamble, and it's not the game that's important to them; they're there to steal....I'll even occasionally play them (the better playing ones), and it's funny when I quit at my pre-determined amount, and they start barking - I don't chase the money....THANKS FOR THE GAME. :rolleyes:
 
I'm not the gambling on pool sort either. I am known to play for beers and what not, but thats about it. I love playing in tournaments and don't mind losing my money there. To me I just don't have much fun when I'm thinking about the money on the line. In tournaments I go into it saying "I'm paying X dollars to play and I don't expect to get a dime back" so I put no pressure on myself.

To me playing pool is all about having fun, meeting people, and spending time with good friends.

Brian
 
I've never gambled a penny on pool games. Not that I'm opposed, it's just that being a student of the game to reach higher levels, and the accolades of my peers have always been enough to keep my attention.
 
Gregg said:
I've never gambled a penny on pool games. Not that I'm opposed, it's just that being a student of the game to reach higher levels, and the accolades of my peers have always been enough to keep my attention.
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Gregg,
I have always agreed with you; but some would not.

I was extremely lucky that when I began playing seriously several years ago, I fell in with a group of professional players; who have mentored me since. They insisted on professional stroke instruction, and on instruction from the old school masters on the intricacies of the game. Something additional that they have ALL insisted on is gambling at pool. They feel that their games would never have reached their maximum level without the testing under "competitive fire", without something of their own (more than just pride) on the line.

They try to match me up as much as possible (though I am usually reluctant). Better players (receiving weight), worse players (giving weight), and similar players (playing even) ALL deliver some benefit to the player seeking to improve. Small stakes are fine, bigger stakes are better (to get your adrenaline pumping).

It is impossible to simulate in practice the difficulty of playing with adrenaline pumping; it is a different game. While tournaments may make us a bit nervous, the prospect of losing money makes us more nervous (JMO).

While I have been forced into the majority of my gambling adventures, I HAVE to admit that it is DEFINITELY helpful to the advancement of my game (and I resisted this idea for a long time feeling that I was a "student of the game"). I would be interested to hear what sjm thinks of this issue (he is one of the purest "students of the game" I have encountered).
 
Hahaha. Reading back through this thread is like going to a meeting of the gamblers anonymous! Nah I don't gamble.....EXCEPT (insert when or for reason).:grin:

Terry
 
Williebetmore said:
Gregg,
I have always agreed with you; but some would not.

I was extremely lucky that when I began playing seriously several years ago, I fell in with a group of professional players; who have mentored me since. They insisted on professional stroke instruction, and on instruction from the old school masters on the intricacies of the game. Something additional that they have ALL insisted on is gambling at pool. They feel that their games would never have reached their maximum level without the testing under "competitive fire", without something of their own (more than just pride) on the line.

They try to match me up as much as possible (though I am usually reluctant). Better players (receiving weight), worse players (giving weight), and similar players (playing even) ALL deliver some benefit to the player seeking to improve. Small stakes are fine, bigger stakes are better (to get your adrenaline pumping).

It is impossible to simulate in practice the difficulty of playing with adrenaline pumping; it is a different game. While tournaments may make us a bit nervous, the prospect of losing money makes us more nervous (JMO).

While I have been forced into the majority of my gambling adventures, I HAVE to admit that it is DEFINITELY helpful to the advancement of my game (and I resisted this idea for a long time feeling that I was a "student of the game"). I would be interested to hear what sjm thinks of this issue (he is one of the purest "students of the game" I have encountered).
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The only thing about some folks' attitude (stakes = added pressure) that I disagree with is that it's NEEDED to test yourself. I would've made or missed just as many shots as I did playing you at the DCC (without a wager) if there would have been something on it. I'll stick with the contention that some folks are just more competitively driven regardless of $$$$ involved than others. Money is not inconsquential, but it does have more importance to some than others (and I'm not just saying Bill Gates types either). Sure, there's only so much money for me to play around with, but if I were to play SVB for that set amount, or for free...I really don't think it would affect my play either way, and I'd certainly enjoy it either way.

I guess I'm just not good enough (lol) to wager enough to really FEAR losing...but, I don't see why anyone would either. That probably makes me more of a reluctant wagerer than a GAMBLER. That's fine with me. Since most of the better players I want to play HAVE to play for money, I'll oblige them, and if I lose, happily take my lesson with me. I'd love to have your situation having pros around to pick their brains and help me advance my game, but since that's not available to me, I'll pay for my tutoring the way I have been. Worked for me in golf, and since I'm still not as into pool as golf, it may take a bit longer in pool....but it's FUN (getting there).
 
To me....

Tristan said:
Good point, I only skimmed the post because it bored me. But you're right I can go ahead and judge him.

So, why are you afraid to gamble? I hear that being afraid to wear a glove is because you doubt your masculinity. Does the same hold true for gambling?
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It seems to be just the opposite conclusion than the one you have arrived at. Both conclusions depend on each person's paradigm. From my viewpoint it is the ones who have the strength to NOT gamble in the overwhelmingly pro gambling environment that are more comfortable with their identity. It is the ones who are always in need of proving themselves to be better or the bigger $ winner that are "afraid" their own egos won't match up with reality, or their ego needs that win to sustain itself. My ego needed the boost to support itself in my youth when winning the game was everything. Now after many years I've learned that when it all comes down to it..... you are just competing with yourself.

I don't gamble in pool..... it's a game, and I play it for enjoyment. I have no need to take someones money over a game, nor would I enjoy giving them mine. In real life everything is a gamble.... from how you take care of your 401k to your real estate assets..... so we ALL GAMBLE!

As to the post 'boring you' .... why read it and why respond? Then, you went as far as "judging" someone based on whether they gamble????? Are you afraid to NOT gamble? Are you secure in your masculinity?

td
 
my take is that playing for money is NOT gambling. Even if you believ you have made a perfect spot, playing for money is a test of skill and competition. Gambling is betting on the outcome of some event which you have zero or very little control over.

Either way, I will play cheap games when I can afford it with good players for the experience and the thrill of competition.

If you are playing for more than you can afford to lose, then you are gambling with your life.
 
Da Bank said:
my take is that playing for money is NOT gambling. Even if you believ you have made a perfect spot, playing for money is a test of skill and competition. Gambling is betting on the outcome of some event which you have zero or very little control over.

Either way, I will play cheap games when I can afford it with good players for the experience and the thrill of competition.

If you are playing for more than you can afford to lose, then you are gambling with your life.
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You are correct that playing for money is not necessarily considered "gambling". Too many people take the term out of context, as always happens in threads about playing pool for money.
 
I'm a non gambler too. I don't have a problem with it and have bunted them around for 20 or whatever on rare occasion.

I think the problem with gambling on pool is that there's a lot that can go wrong but not a lot that can go right. You especially can get your reputation trashed.

This is how a lot of people (fair or not) will look at regular gamblers:
If you gamble but don't bet enough to put a dent in your finances, you're tight, a nit, no heart, etc. And your reward isn't big enough to care about.

If you gamble a serious chunk of your income, there's a nice payoff, but you may also make your life worse if you lose such a big chunk... so you're seen as a dumb kid who pisses away his money, or you have a gambling problem, or you are one of dudes who hangs out at the pool hall all day hoping to get a lucky score instead of getting a real job...or you're just generally insane for risking huge money on what amounts to a coin flip.

If you play better players you're a fish or a donator or atm. Or you're trying to hustle the nuts. If you play worse players you're a sleazy hustler who steals from people, or you're a locksmith/nit/etc. Or you're a coward with no heart.

Sometimes it seems like the only way to "win" at gambling is to bet the farm on a coin flip and somehow come up heads repeatedly. Everything else is just killing time and money (and reputation).

Some people seem to think you must gamble to improve. I know that's not true. I'm not even convinced playing better players does a lot to improve your own game. Getting taught and having stuff explained by better players works great, but if you just see a guy moving the CB and getting out without details as to what he did, why and how he did it... you're not getting your money's worth. The same money spent on an instructor will bring you a lot further in your game.
 
I don't gamble very often or very much. I just don't like the way it makes me feel. Win or lose I don't like the way I feel.
 
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