Is it just me or....

[FloridaPhil]

NO one earns a straight up long term significant cash PROFIT anymore (i.e. simply Cash Out MORE money than they put in); If they do like Bob Dancer allegedly does and acts like an "AP" by counting every single giveaway, promotion, freebie etc. the casinos give them in the casinos' efforts to keep them pumping money in, then maybe...MAYBE they might show a hypothetical profit over the long term. But I'm sorry, I do not derive utility or satisfactory value for having lots of t-shirts, Crockpots & frying pans, Luggage etc in exchange for my cash.

You have summarized my feelings on this issue. Stories of cash rebates, a casino returning a percentage of your losses, comp points that you can actually buy something with and casino errors in the player's advantage are an entertaining read on a rainy day afternoon. In reality, I have never seen or heard of such things except in a book.

Video poker costs money to play. I don't care if you count free beers or dog grooming as profit, that's the way it is. If you play the right games the right way, you can hold down your cost to play. In return you will get all kinds of free stuff. Some of it is enjoyable and/or useful. If you play VP as a hobby like I do, you can enjoy playing it regularly without a lot of financial damage. I've added this up a few times and not counting comps or free play, together it costs us on average about $5,000 a year to play VP. Back out the free play, free rooms, free food, free drinks, sunglasses, jackets and wine glasses and it's a lot cheaper than playing golf, buying a boat or RV or cruising Europe. My classic car hobby cost me 10 times more than that, but I get to sell the car at the end.

Unless you want to turn into a vegetable watching Fox News all day, you have to have a project to keep your mind working. VP is exercise for the mind. Young people don't understand this. They will some day.

[Carcounter]

Not much to report here. My results have been what I consider to be well within expectations. Up $2,300 for the year and have had 2 royals totalling 6k. Last trip I had something happen that never happened to me before. I had 3 back to back to back dealt straights. Nver recall this before.

[Chicagoan]

I'm like Case ---- I don't take photos of my winning hands. I'm in a casino to try to make money, not act like a tourist.

[Tedlark]

A couple years ago I stopped taking pictures of 1k royals but I started again because on those days when I hit multiple royals it's pretty cool to have a record of those days. I do though; take pictures of bigger hits.

This weekend I will be deriving satisfaction by stopping into Harrah's Joliet to order my Keurig Elite coffee maker (I will be regifting this one to my neice who is a sophomore in college because I also got one from Four Winds) and next Sunday I will be deriving satisfaction from again stopping into Harrah's Joliet to pick up a $100.00 gas card. I'm a bit unhappy because I really wanted a t-shirt.

[billryan]

My hat is off to the usual gang of idiots. They don't win so it's obvious to them no one can.
But if you play your cards right, you just might get to vacation in hot spots like Cripple Creek and Elko. Not to mention the Cajun Riviera.

[Webman]

Bill, referring to members as a "gang of idiots" is not constructive for the forum. There are other ways to make the same point without such insults. Please refrain this sort of name calling in the future. Thanks.

[billryan]

I'm a fan of Bill Gaines and his gang of idiots. It's a term of endearment. Google it.
What term would you prefer is used for people who simply reject reality? I will use that instead.

[Webman]

Thanks. Let's go with Rejectors of Reality.

[FloridaPhil]

How about "If you can't say anything nice, don't say it?"

[Chicagoan]

“Politeness is a sign of dignity, not subservience.”
----Theodore Roosevelt