Why do some people get mad when you ask them to gamble?
- Thread starter Woof Biscuit
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Answer
They are angry because you don't know them and you figure you are better and you want to take their money right out of their pocket. Doesn't matter if it is $1 or $100. In my opinion, it is rude. But, it is not rude to ask if someone wants to just "play" pool with you. But, to go up to someone you do not know and ask them to gamble is not pleasant. It puts them in a position of feeling like they have to back down and probably ruins their time to play because they feel they had to back down to you.
Especially if you say "gamble cheap." You are openly challenging them to play for "small" money AND insulting them by implying that it will be "inexpensive" if they lose and that is insulting.
It is one thing if you know they are gamblers.... but if you don't know them ..... you basically are challenging a stranger to see if you can "take their money" .......which is different than just playing pool.
That is the way I look at it. My response would probably be ..."here...why don't I just take my money out of my pocket and give it to you...." Personally, I don't like to gamble. I don't like the idea of taking other people's money over a game. I don't need the ego boost or to make someone else feel badly when they lose. An extra $20 or $100 that I take from someone else over a game is not my idea of fun.
But, hey .....that is just me.
They are angry because you don't know them and you figure you are better and you want to take their money right out of their pocket. Doesn't matter if it is $1 or $100. In my opinion, it is rude. But, it is not rude to ask if someone wants to just "play" pool with you. But, to go up to someone you do not know and ask them to gamble is not pleasant. It puts them in a position of feeling like they have to back down and probably ruins their time to play because they feel they had to back down to you.
Especially if you say "gamble cheap." You are openly challenging them to play for "small" money AND insulting them by implying that it will be "inexpensive" if they lose and that is insulting.
It is one thing if you know they are gamblers.... but if you don't know them ..... you basically are challenging a stranger to see if you can "take their money" .......which is different than just playing pool.
That is the way I look at it. My response would probably be ..."here...why don't I just take my money out of my pocket and give it to you...." Personally, I don't like to gamble. I don't like the idea of taking other people's money over a game. I don't need the ego boost or to make someone else feel badly when they lose. An extra $20 or $100 that I take from someone else over a game is not my idea of fun.
But, hey .....that is just me.
How do you know that something is "up for sale?" Why, because that someone merely walked through the door of the pool hall? Just by walking through the door of the pool hall, that automatically means that person is putting something up for sale? This is precisely the view of pool hall rats that are stuck in the "playing pool = gambling / gambling = playing pool" mental tarpit.
Many folks that play pool, play the game for the mere enjoyment of it. It's hard to believe by the pool hall rats, but it's a fact.
And like I mentioned in a previous post, some pool hall rats are extremely BONEHEADED in their approach to "make an offer on something up for sale." As an example, approaching the table of a guy who's having a fun night out with his lady is a dumb thing to do. The pool hall rat is placing that guy in the position of having to choose between his lady, or the pool hall rat, and that's an easy choice -- just shoo the pool hall rat away. However, some pool hall rats don't take no for an answer, and continue to hound and harass until "the mark" (humorously, they call him "the customer" as some sort of fake respect) has to get mad to get his "no!" across.
When a guy that likes to gamble is oh-so-confused as to why his "customer" (read: mark) is not accepting his "offer," he (the gambler) merely has to look in a mirror. But that's a difficult thing to do on the part of the gambler, because, after all, "pool = gambling / gambling = pool."
-Sean
great answer.
Tell them you only gamble with Monopoly Play Money, as you are kind of down & out. unemployed, and ready to meet with an attorney in the a.m to file bankruptcy. Plus the funny thing was just before you asked me to gamble I was going to ask you if you could LOAN ME THE MONEY FOR A BEER. THAT I WILL GLADY REPAY YOU FOR WHEN I GET BACK ON MY FEET.......LOL.
Hey Joey, I'll gamble with you . . . .
. . . for just as long as my credit holds out!
That used to be my answer sometimes when strangers came up wanting to gamble when I was with a lady and obviously just out for a social evening. When they wanted to bet a little I'd offer to bet a lot, on credit! Never got taken up on the deal for them to put their cash against my credit. Funny how many strangers suspect your credit to not be good in a pool hall. A shocking lack of faith in their fellow man.
Hu
I've got another question. What do you normally gamble for? I see you're from Florida and it's not likely that I will be headed your way so I'm not asking if you want to play me.
Perhaps the others have heard of your gambling exploits and have already pegged you with their personal perception of what they have heard about you. If you are known to gamble $50 or $100 a set or more, they may feel that you are just baiting them with the cheap set talk.
I like the suggestion Bob Jewett made best out of all the suggestions. If they want to play you some cheap sets they will.
I've got similar problems. I'm known to play hard whether I practice by myself, compete against others for funzies or if I am gambling. I sometimes see people who gamble, gambling with even better players than myself for cheap sets. Those same people love to practice with me (for free) and more often than not, I win although it is not always an easy go. If I ask them if they would like to play cheap sets like they play with other, better player, they tell me that they can't beat me. :thud::speechless: I guess it could be because the other better player lays it down pretty good and keeps the game close and every now and then the better player lets the lesser player win every now and then, just to keep them interested. If I can, I'm going to beat them 10 out of 10 tries.Maybe they would rather be deceived rather than have an honest measure of their game.
. . . for just as long as my credit holds out!
That used to be my answer sometimes when strangers came up wanting to gamble when I was with a lady and obviously just out for a social evening. When they wanted to bet a little I'd offer to bet a lot, on credit! Never got taken up on the deal for them to put their cash against my credit. Funny how many strangers suspect your credit to not be good in a pool hall. A shocking lack of faith in their fellow man.
Hu
I know your credit is good, especially with me, but if I told you no, would you get mad?
of course not
Of course I wouldn't get mad, now that I know my credit is good with you I'd just hit you up for a double sawbuck to pay Buff, haven't tried my credit with him yet!
Hu
I know your credit is good, especially with me, but if I told you no, would you get mad?
Of course I wouldn't get mad, now that I know my credit is good with you I'd just hit you up for a double sawbuck to pay Buff, haven't tried my credit with him yet!
Hu
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I don't get mad unless they start hounding me, but I can see why they would. Timing is important. If you play a few games with them for free, and then ask if they want to gamble, your lips might be saying some perfectly polite question... but in their mind it sounds like:
"Oh, you just beat me for fun? Well maybe you wanna gamble. I bet you fall apart when there's money involved."
"Hmm, I just beat you again. You look like somebody I could milk a few bucks from."
"This is boring, we're either gonna play serious or I'm gonna find someone else to shoot with".
"Oh, you just beat me for fun? Well maybe you wanna gamble. I bet you fall apart when there's money involved."
"Hmm, I just beat you again. You look like somebody I could milk a few bucks from."
"This is boring, we're either gonna play serious or I'm gonna find someone else to shoot with".
If anything league has only added gamblers. You are just focusing on the people not wanting to gamble. Show up on a masters night in any major city and you can find action.
I didn't read every post, but here's my take.
I used to gamble back when I played alot (I took 10 years off, just getting back into the game). But I typically only did it with people I KNEW, or had at least seen how well they played. I was pretty decent too. No way would I play a $20 set with someone I didn't know. $5? So if I lose 4 in a row I'm not out a bunch? Sure. I like to put a little money in a game but I want to *know* it's fairly even.
I didn't mind giving weight or getting weight, but I never wanted to be hustled. You have to be one serious player to be able/willing to go up against just any body for $20 sets unless you are damn good or have lots of spare change. Heck, for me, $5 sets was enough to make it fun. Beats playing practice sets for absolutely nothing.
Lose 3 $20 sets, now you're down $60 plus table time. Nah...
I used to gamble back when I played alot (I took 10 years off, just getting back into the game). But I typically only did it with people I KNEW, or had at least seen how well they played. I was pretty decent too. No way would I play a $20 set with someone I didn't know. $5? So if I lose 4 in a row I'm not out a bunch? Sure. I like to put a little money in a game but I want to *know* it's fairly even.
I didn't mind giving weight or getting weight, but I never wanted to be hustled. You have to be one serious player to be able/willing to go up against just any body for $20 sets unless you are damn good or have lots of spare change. Heck, for me, $5 sets was enough to make it fun. Beats playing practice sets for absolutely nothing.
Lose 3 $20 sets, now you're down $60 plus table time. Nah...
blah blah
Shoebat
...another way to get a cheap game, without calling anyone out personally and putting them on the spot, is to go into the back room (or the area where all of the regulars hang out) and wave a bill high in the air like a happy kid. Shout, "Hey, hey, hey! I got a whole Ten Dollars!!! Who wants to play me a race to five for ten?" or some such proposition.
You're inviting cheap fun and getting a chance at playing absolutely anyone. No one should be offended at that.
You're inviting cheap fun and getting a chance at playing absolutely anyone. No one should be offended at that.
tap tap tap
I like this answer; it's the one closest to mine; the key point here is whether you know each other before the gambling question is asked. So many negative things can be read into it otherwise...including taking it as rude or an insult...or just figuring the person asking either thinks or knows he already has you beat.....I guess if you're in a pool hall, though, you have to expect these kinds of scenarios or questions........
I like this answer; it's the one closest to mine; the key point here is whether you know each other before the gambling question is asked. So many negative things can be read into it otherwise...including taking it as rude or an insult...or just figuring the person asking either thinks or knows he already has you beat.....I guess if you're in a pool hall, though, you have to expect these kinds of scenarios or questions........
JC
Coos Cues
Because I work for the federal government and that's how we roll. If we want your money, we simply take it.
I like it!
Sounds like a fun way to do things. You aren't putting anybody on the spot and you are setting the stakes. I miss challenge tables and think every bar and pool hall should have at least one. Put your money up and play whoever has the table at the moment for whatever the accepted bet is. It was a fun way to kill time. Sure beat sitting on a stool for six hours to play thirty minutes.
Hu
Sounds like a fun way to do things. You aren't putting anybody on the spot and you are setting the stakes. I miss challenge tables and think every bar and pool hall should have at least one. Put your money up and play whoever has the table at the moment for whatever the accepted bet is. It was a fun way to kill time. Sure beat sitting on a stool for six hours to play thirty minutes.
Hu
Some people are nits, but they go through life pretending they are not. When they are confronted with this fact it makes them angry.:angry:
yes sir, thank you, sir.Because I work for the federal government and that's how we roll. If we want your money, we simply take it.
uttahere:http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=255775