Digging Out of a Hole

CINDY: The worst experience, aside from having a horrible losing trip, is to get into a hole right off the bat. You go to a table or a machine and suddenly find yourself losing decision after decision and before you know it, you take a break and realize that you have lost so much that coming back will be hard if not impossible. What do you do then?

ABBY: Oh, I have had that happen over my playing career. It is the most depressing start to a casino trip. I am sure that most players who play over the years on a somewhat regular basis have this laid upon them too. I'd rather lose a little at a time instead of one big blast.

CINDY: I think you have to look at the situation and plan your betting strategy. Do you keep betting the same amount on each decision or do you increase the size of your bets so a few wins will cover the losses? Do you switch games or machines?

ABBY: Do you bet less and try to ride out the storm?

CINDY: I don’t like the idea of betting less because even a hot streak would take a long time to cover those losses. Maybe do this a little and if it looks as if you are having some wins, you could go back to your usual-sized bets.

ABBY: I’ve done the less-is-best way of covering your losses. If you are so down that you’d need a monumental win then just being able to stay in the game without having to pull the plug makes some sense.

CINDY: Doesn’t really appeal to me. Maybe at craps you can reduce the size of your bet but with the full odds still have a shot at coming back. What about slot machines?

ABBY: No, the vig [casino edge] is too high. You’ve got to play games where the contest is close so you can have a chance to have a hot streak that maybe doesn’t cover your losses but at least gives you a chance to make a comeback of some kind.

CINDY: I think I would play the games I had been playing; after all, those would be the games that I find the most fun. Would I bet more to cover the losses? No. That’s a kind of Martingale and would be an even bigger disaster if the bad luck continued.

ABBY: You would stay playing as you had been and hope for the best?

CINDY: Yes. Look, I play the best strategies and I do give myself the best chance to win. That is the best I can do. Why should I change that? Makes no sense to me.

ABBY: I agree. Take the loss if it comes and with a start that leaves you in a giant hole, chances are the trip will be a loss.

CINDY: You could also consider to stop playing. You care not obligated to play the games when you are in a casino.

ABBY: Hard to do but, yes, you can do that too. Stop playing and live to fight another day.

CINDY: Most players wouldn’t do that. At least that would be the least tried result.

ABBY: Being in a big hole to start out a trip? Yuck!

CINDY: Yuck is right.

This article is provided by the Frank Scoblete Network. Melissa A. Kaplan is the network's managing editor. If you would like to use this article on your website, please contact Casino City Press, the exclusive web syndication outlet for the Frank Scoblete Network. To contact Frank, please e-mail him at fscobe@optonline.net.