Splitting up your bankroll

[Eduardo]

One thing I do to make my play more entertaining is I split up my bankroll into different "categories."

For instance, on the past several trips I have brought a bankroll of $500.

$200 I designated for single line play (Loose Deuces quarters with an edge, my favorite).

$200 I designated for multi-line play (usually Ultimate X, a Wheel game, or whatever looks interesting at the time)

$100 I designated as my "pot shot" money.

I tend to increase the volatility as my trip goes on, starting with the single hand which can take quite a while, then escalating to multi-line. I don't often play for hours on end... I'm usually hoping to get a few hours of play total in each trip. This trip I had a machine that just wouldn't let me go... wouldn't give up the big win, but also wouldn't lose. After about 2.5 hours of that nonsense and up around $60, I actually had to change casinos.

The goal with each of these "bankrolls" is the same. Double my money or die trying. For example, if I win $200 on single line, I'll pocket those winnings for the rest of the trip. If it's a nice win early on I will pocket at least the original $200 and the $200 won and decide if I want to play a little more on the remainder - but usually I'll stop right after the big win and move on to the next bankroll.

Multi-line of course goes faster than the single line, but offers some nice opportunities with more lines and usually multipliers. This is probably where I find the most actual enjoyment- while it lasts.

The "pot shot" bets are always incredibly high risk- $5 single line machine, 10 play quarters... whatever I'm in the mood for. Usually to cap off the trip. I will win or lose in about 30 seconds (and believe me, I expect to lose), but it's a nice thrill and a chance to win something I couldn't win in my other play.

This most recent trip, I bombed out. Previous trip, I had the pleasure of winning in all 3 categories (hit loose deuces for $625, multi-line winnings that added up to $250 (triple wheel, spin and ux) and caught a pot-shot $5 "royal with deuces" for another $625 on about the 5th or 6th hand of my final bankroll.

Curious if others split their bankroll in this way. If not, give it a try to spice up your game.

[DaBurglar]

Where do you typically play?

[billryan]

I used to to have an elaborate system for vacation bankrolls but now barely keep a separate br.
Budgeting 20% of your bankroll on potshots seems awfully high. How about budgeting zero but using a percentage of your winnings instead? Discipline and pot shots are fairly incompatible.
How often are you playing?

[stevel96a1]

your playing with an edge and tampering with your bankroll?!?!?
why fix something thats already working?

[Eduardo]

I play about twice a year on trips to Vegas, so not much compared to most players here. Yes, it's a high percentage for a potshot, but the percent of the bankroll doesn't really matter to me. $100 is barely enough for a potshot to begin with. $50 wouldn't be worth it. It's all just an entertainment budget for me... so far, this is the most entertaining way I've found to play it. I used to be almost all single line, but no longer have the patience for that.

[Eduardo]

your playing with an edge and tampering with your bankroll?!?!?
why fix something thats already working?

With my level of play, the edge is almost meaningless. Almost, but not quite. I don't ignore pay tables by any means. But as far as getting a meaningful short term experience, the difference really isn't all that much.

I play 25/15 Loose Deuces (100.15%) when it works for my schedule. It's my favorite game. Usually I'll make at least one outing to play it. This is Red Rock, GVR, Palms or Westgate. This trip I played out at Sunset Station (non-smoking area) because I wanted to see a new Station Casino I hadn't been to. That's the machine that wouldn't let me leave.

But if you add up the number of 5 of a kinds I hit this trip, that 25/15 pay table vs 25/12 only would have cost me a few dollars. Almost meaningless as far as my trip cost was concerned. But I'll certainly take it. A few dollars is a decent % of my bankroll after all.

Perspective is a little different when you're talking a fixed bankroll over an extremely low level of play. If my goals are double or bust, there was zero monetary gain from the improved pay table, since I lost it all. What I did gain was a few more chances at a win that could possibly double my money or more. Yes, that's often worth it. I've had trips where those last few coins are when the magic kicked in and a deuces payout won the day. That might not have happened on a lesser pay table in that case.

At the same time, I'm no longer hesitant to play at a strip casino for 10 or 20 minutes when it's simply more convenient. I just consider that few dollars lost as a part of the expense. It's a gamble and I've lowered my odds. But I'm okay with that on vacation.

[billryan]

I play about twice a year on trips to Vegas, so not much compared to most players here. Yes, it's a high percentage for a potshot, but the percent of the bankroll doesn't really matter to me. $100 is barely enough for a potshot to begin with. $50 wouldn't be worth it. It's all just an entertainment budget for me... so far, this is the most entertaining way I've found to play it. I used to be almost all single line, but no longer have the patience for that.

Two or three times a year is recreational. Fifty times a year would be suicidal.

[Eduardo]

No, there is no excuse whatsoever to play the way I do 50 times a year. Please... nobody do that!

If I played even 5 times a year, I would approach the game very differently.

I used to be much more disciplined, but I've come to realize that with such limited play it's much less important. It's vacation, I'm here to gamble... I can sacrifice a few dollars once in a while and I'm not going to earn enough points for meaningful comps on my budget either. (I do get an offer here and there, but nothing too exciting). It's all about the chance of winning, and the realistic view that losing is more likely.

I also enjoy some craps. Well, if I was going to feed thousands into a craps table, there are only a few smart(ish) bets to make, and a load of "sucker bets" in the middle of the table. Well, if I only have $200 to burn in a night, sometimes it's a lot more fun to play the sucker.

But if I was ever going to teach someone craps, I'd be sure they know those aren't the best bets around.

[OTABILL]

Eduardo, your post is what I hope to see more of on the recreational forum, the views and experience of a true recreational player. Your statement" It's vacation, I'm here to gamble" says what I and plenty others feel. Thanks

[billryan]

You are correct.
If someone were to come here looking for advice on how to play VP on a week-long cruise, never to play again, advice would be a bit different than someone wanting to play on a regular basis.
A vacation is a couple times a year. Playing weekly and excusing poor play as being on vacation is costly.