[yoinkster]

I got an e-mail today from totesport telling me I had free money to spend in their casino (the usual BS) and it got me wondering - does anyone here do much gambling? I used to bet on who would kick off a football match (although you get roughly 2/1 on the odds, it's very regularly the away team that kick off) and made a fair bit of money doing it. I once put £200 on Arsenal to kick off against Liverpoo in the Champions League one year. My dad got very confused when I let out an almighty cheer as we kicked off. Good times.

So yeah, anyone else ever do betting? Or indeed anyone ever try their hand in the online/physical casinos? I used to do a bit of blackjack when I was at uni, you'd sign up to a place, they'd match your deposit and you had to gamble, say, a total of £2,500 before you could withdraw what they matched in your deposit and you'd generally lose a few quid on your total, but when you put in £100, they give you £100 and you end up with only £180 you're still £80 up. Was quite good fun as a student as I obviously wanted to avoid studying and it helped put a few extra pennies behind the bar.

 

[Scully]

Someone once told me,,, you'll never see a poor bookie.

So I keep off it - apart from the lottery.

Now there's a thought...STOC Lottery Syndicate.

 

[Rich]

I was a croupier for three years, so the answer is no.

 

[Stevieb]

Love a bet on the horses and the footy also love a day at a day at the races

 

[Si]

I play Poker, mainly in physical competition and sometimes online. Online I tend to play technical poker like Omaha Hi/Lo, in Casino competition its all Texas Hold'em

I do financial spread betting as its more tax efficient than actually buying and selling shares etc

I also spend a reasonable amount of time in the Casino, tend to play Blackjack, sometimes roulette as its more social.

I dont bet on horses or dogs unless im at the course when I will simply take £100 for the day when its gone its gone, tend to walk out up though.

My Mrs plays poker online a lot, she made around $15000 last year.

 

[GJM]

A bit of online hold-em. Just a few quid here and there for fun.
Now that I am laid off I will not be playing much. Will need every penny to hold onto the ST.

 

[yoinkster]

QUOTE(kosmo @ 18 Dec 2009, 07:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Someone once told me,,, you'll never see a poor bookie.

So I keep off it - apart from the lottery.

Now there's a thought...STOC Lottery Syndicate.

I agree you'll never see a poor bookie but I don't think it's difficult to walk away with a bit of profit if you pick your bets properly. Betting on horses or dogs isn't the best imho as there are other factors in play other than just the odds (yeah that didn't make sense but hopefully makes sense enough to get the point across

), for my money though, I like Bet In Play, you can watch the match, see how it's going and then wade in. If it's not the kickoff that I bet on I then move on to number of bookings in the game, sometimes you can just tell the ref's feeling generous and isn't going to book anyone. That's how I like to do it if I ever do bet.

STOC Lottery Syndicate sounds like a cracking idea ... shall I make a thread/proposal and see if we get any bites? Or do you want to run it

QUOTE(Si @ 18 Dec 2009, 08:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I play Poker, mainly in physical competition and sometimes online. Online I tend to play technical poker like Omaha Hi/Lo, in Casino competition its all Texas Hold'em

I do financial spread betting as its more tax efficient than actually buying and selling shares etc

I also spend a reasonable amount of time in the Casino, tend to play Blackjack, sometimes roulette as its more social.

I dont bet on horses or dogs unless im at the course when I will simply take £100 for the day when its gone its gone, tend to walk out up though.

My Mrs plays poker online a lot, she made around $15000 last year.

I'm not surprised to hear you talking about the more professional side of it Si

Do please explain "financial spread betting" ... I can come up with one example of what it may mean but it'll be way off the mark no doubt!

15grand though ... dang, wish I had someone that could bring in that sort of money for fun!

 

[Scully]

Why not start a poll, see how much interest there is?

My idea would be for all participants to get their money in for the year, then you don't end up chasing it? Otherwise it would turn into a full time job, trying to keep on top of it.

Perhaps an agreement that said no winnings to be touched - unless over a specific ammount - then all winnings get distributed fairly at the end of the year.

Not quite sure how you would go about it from a 'trust' side of things.

I'll leave it to you to start a poll, lets see if there is enough interest before worring about the in's and out's

 

[jonn]

i like to play bingo online now and then

not done it for a fair few months now though

 

[Si]

QUOTE(yoinkster @ 18 Dec 2009, 10:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I'm not surprised to hear you talking about the more professional side of it Si

Do please explain "financial spread betting" ... I can come up with one example of what it may mean but it'll be way off the mark no doubt!

15grand though ... dang, wish I had someone that could bring in that sort of money for fun!

This explains it http://www.igindex.co.uk/spread-betting/ex...daily-ftse.html , though I tend to bet on specific stock

 

[Phil]

Gambling is a mugs game, i draw the line at the horses, cards, footy, cricket, the boat race and the lottery, oh and if tiger woods will be the next celebrity male porn star.

 

[Daz07]

I figure if you play enough you will always lose, except at the more skilled games such as poker. It's still nice to have a little flutter now and then, I'm signed up to an online casino sometimes go on and stick a few quid on the roulette just for the sake of it, win some lose some, probably down slightly overall but don't keep track of it. I am up on lottery scratchcards though, I spend about £2-£3 a week on them just if and when I'm passing a kiosk, had a nice run a couple of months ago I won 2 figure sums a few times in a row probably made up for all the little losses. Poked my head in a proper casino a couple of times but wont be going back, it's far too friendly and I tend to get wound up and would probably throw away more cash than I can afford to!

If gambling becomes about the money then you have a problem, for me it's just a bit of occasional fun.

 

[LawwaST]

I like Blackjack but don't go to casinos regularly. Put a bet on the Grand National if I remember and don't mind a night out at the Dogs every now and again.

 

[Storm]

I do the Grand National, National Lottery and the Melbourne Cup in Australia. Never bother with football to be honest.

Have won pretty big on the horses whilst out in Oz

 

[yoinkster]

you'll be pleased to hear that the 50quid i stuck on hull to kick off has magically turned itself into £97.50

 

[Les]

I play the odd fruity lol. Never really one a lot so to speak, most i ahve one was $1.200 jackpot on a fruity in vegas. hopefully have the same luck in august when i go back out with the m issus.

Les

 

[Sus]

I wouldnt have a clue were to start so i dont bother and anyway i dont like spending money