Annual hours put into counting

[NotEnoughHeat]

I have been meaning to pose this question for more than a year now but haven't due to not being sure how to post polls (Norm, help me!).

How many hours, preferably hours reflecting actual time played/backcounted, do you folks generally get in a year? I'm very curious as to what's considered a normal volume.

[RS]

I probably play (blackjack) about 75-100 hours a year, but I play significantly more VP/slots/promos.

[ZeeBabar]

I think the gaps are too much. The poll should ask by gaps of 100. A player playing 150 hours could be a part timer and one who plays 300 could be a full time pro. To lump them together does not give a clear picture.

[Ryemo]

I've averaged 400 hrs/yr for the last 3 years, but I'm hoping to hit 500 or more from now on. Even though I'll have more time to play, it'll still be tough since playing locally isn't much of an option anymore.

[Freightman]

, it'll still be tough since playing locally isn't much of an option anymore.

Tell me about it

[Ryemo]

Making some assumptions. 400 hours a year is roughly 40,000 hands. The large bet situations are 15% or 6000 hands. IF you win 51% lose 49% you'd have 3060 wins and 2940 losses for large bets. Your average large bet would have to be $$833 in order to make it to a six figure minimum. This assumes you break even on all the minimum bets placed.

Thanks for breaking that down Moses. But if you want to know, just ask, instead of beating around the bush. My EV last year was $62K and some change. I earned about 4% or 5% above EV, which was right around 65K. I suppose you'd have to play an additional 150 to 250 hrs at those stakes (depends on what kind of game) to reach an EV total of 6 figures or higher. And I played 388 hrs last year, to be exact. But I've averaged 400/yr for the last 3 years. Last year, majority of my play was out of town. First 2 year, most of my play was at home. Much easier to log hrs at home.

[Freightman]

Thanks for breaking that down Moses. But if you want to know, just ask, instead of beating around the bush. My EV last year was $62K and some change. I earned about 4% or 5% above EV, which was right around 65K. I suppose you'd have to play an additional 150 to 250 hrs at those stakes (depends on what kind of game) to reach an EV total of 6 figures or higher. And I played 388 hrs last year, to be exact. But I've averaged 400/yr for the last 3 years. Last year, majority of my play was out of town. First 2 year, most of my play was at home. Much easier to log hrs at home.

Ryemo, what was your travel expense?

[Freightman]

Maybe do a Bruce Jenner, then change from a green chip to a black chip minimum. That would put me in tall cotton for about a year. Wait, but then I'd be a woman. Naw, bad idea.

And if you don't think Bruce Jenner is feminine, then **** his ****.

[Ryemo]

Ryemo, what was your travel expense?

I must shamefully admit that I did not track that as well as I should have, but I know for sure my travel expenses were pretty low (prob 3K or lower).

I had 6 free flights from charter trips (4 to Biloxi, 1 to Laughlin, and 1 to NOLA). 95% of all rooms were comped (I based a lot of my trips around CET props and it's easy to get free rooms with a diamond card). Most of my food was either comped or I used points off various different player's cards. I had 3 flights to Vegas last year that I paid out of pocket, but I flew through Allegiant or Southwest, so my airfare was extremely cheap (I recall one flight was $180 roundtrip). Many of the other places I traveled to were done by car, so gas was my only expense in those cases. I rented a car on 9 of my trips last year. That was the bulk of my travel cost last year.

I'm improving each year and I've started tracking my travel expense much more carefully now.

I even had a couple trips where I made money. I had a few charter flights (no cost out of pocket), but collected a $250 trip reimbursement in a nearby market with a flight that I booked, then canceled shortly afterwards.

[Ryemo]

I'll add one more thing...

I'm aware that most of these type of offers will dry up soon (or already have). Example; my M-Life card is dirty and I know it for a fact. But before it went dirty, I got multiple offers to Biloxi all around the same time. I had 4 charter offers hit me all at once, but I was BO from BJ play at the Beau. So I just booked all 4 trips and played surrounding casinos or surrounding areas, and stiffed the Beau completely. I normally wouldn't visit one region 4 times within 2.5 months, but I knew that I'll never get these offers again, so I took full advantage of everything they could give me. So I got real familiar with the South in a very short amount of time. Lol

[Ryemo]

Impressive. 9 trips. Average of about $7k profit per trip. Are there enough places within driving distance to sustain you?

No, I had A LOT more than 9 trips. The 9 I listed were trips that required flight, due to how far they are from home. But I took many trips to destinations that were within a 3 to 7hr radius by car. There are still plenty of places within a 5 to 9hr radius that I haven't even explored yet (or just passed through). As my BR grows, I'll be able to start "paying my own way" for these trips. But in the mean time, I'll take advantage of every single freebie, while it's still available.

[Freightman]

I must shamefully admit that I did not track that as well as I should have, but I know for sure my travel expenses were pretty low (prob 3K or lower).

I had 6 free flights from charter trips (4 to Biloxi, 1 to Laughlin, and 1 to NOLA). 95% of all rooms were comped (I based a lot of my trips around CET props and it's easy to get free rooms with a diamond card). Most of my food was either comped or I used points off various different player's cards. I had 3 flights to Vegas last year that I paid out of pocket, but I flew through Allegiant or Southwest, so my airfare was extremely cheap (I recall one flight was $180 roundtrip). Many of the other places I traveled to were done by car, so gas was my only expense in those cases. I rented a car on 9 of my trips last year. That was the bulk of my travel cost last year.

I'm improving each year and I've started tracking my travel expense much more carefully now.

I even had a couple trips where I made money. I had a few charter flights (no cost out of pocket), but collected a $250 trip reimbursement in a nearby market with a flight that I booked, then canceled shortly afterwards.

My flight expenses are high, but that's the penalty I pay to live where I live. I prefer to fly only to those places where I can get to direct. I only take comped rooms in Vegas - anywhere else is generally not enough store selection, and I would need to give away more info than I care to. I always use a car, wheather I rent one or drive my own. I kinda sorta think that my expenses per trip, or per day, however figured, are higher than the norm.

I don't mind older places, provided they meet my criteria, and I refuse to stay in dumps. Food expenses are generally low, as comps, without cards or ID are easy to come across.


Im planning a trip shortly to another Canadian destination in the next few weeks. My air expense will be remarkably low, considering the cost of Canadian airfares - around d 260 CAD. Car rental 4 days will be high at about CAD 220. Hotel for 3 nights haven't booked yet, but will be around 300. I usually figure about 1k fir expense on flying trips, and around 250- 350 fir 2 or 3 driving trips. I can get around some if it, but I think I'm better off simply living with the expense.

[Ryemo]

My flight expenses are high, but that's the penalty I pay to live where I live. I prefer to fly only to those places where I can get to direct. I only take comped rooms in Vegas - anywhere else is generally not enough store selection, and I would need to give away more info than I care to. I always use a car, wheather I rent one or drive my own. I kinda sorta think that my expenses per trip, or per day, however figured, are higher than the norm.

I don't mind older places, provided they meet my criteria, and I refuse to stay in dumps. Food expenses are generally low, as comps, without cards or ID are easy to come across.


Im planning a trip shortly to another Canadian destination in the next few weeks. My air expense will be remarkably low, considering the cost of Canadian airfares - around d 260 CAD. Car rental 4 days will be high at about CAD 220. Hotel for 3 nights haven't booked yet, but will be around 300. I usually figure about 1k fir expense on flying trips, and around 250- 350 fir 2 or 3 driving trips. I can get around some if it, but I think I'm better off simply living with the expense.

Don't worry Freightman, I'll be joining you soon enough. Eventually, these comped flights and rooms will die off for good and I'll have to "pay my own way" too. I admit that I like freebies, because you can't beat the price! But it can also become a pain in the ass too, because there are certain restrictions at times. But when you're in the process of BR building, these low-expense options are definitely a must!