Is it luck or something else?

[BlackLuck]

Thank you all very much for the tips and advices, they're all very appreciated.

I did consider a professional help to see if I have a gambling addiction, and the doctors told me that I don't and I'm very much aware of my habit and in control of it. All they suggested is to quit and find other hobbies.

I will however take a good break from gambling and buy the books you folks suggested to me.

Last question, the casinos owes me $20,000 + time, and I want them back. Is it possible?

[Skull]

Hey BlackLuck!

I am glad you took all the responses in a good way.

Last question, the casinos owes me $20,000 + time, and I want them back. Is it possible?

If you put in the time to study and evolve, I believe you can get your money back and more. Time, however, is not something we can get back, can we? You will have to give them MUCH MORE of your time if you ever intend to get your money back. Hopefully, if you are really grasping what we are saying here, most of this time will be committed at home, digesting books and practicing, practicing and practicing.

BUT (and this is a big BUT) the casinos don't owe you anything! The first thing you got to do to get out of the hole you are into is to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for your actions and the consequences that derive from them. No one made you put those bets out. YOU DID! No one made you stay so many hours in such a polluted environment instead of chasing your health out in the Mountains, for instance. YOU DID! The first thing you need to do is STOP BLAMING OTHERS, because it's all your fault. The dealer is not doing anything other than following his rules and you know all of them before sitting down at the table. You can vary your play in a winning way and beat him. If you are not doing it, it's YOUR fault.

I told you to read books, but believe me my friend, if you don't change your mindset towards the game (and Life), no collection of books or even months of training will ever turn you into a winning player. When you lose (and we lose all the time in this game), you will blame the game, the dealer, the weather, the flow, the "blackluck", and this will negatively affect your game and put you back into your losing mindset.

Seriously my friend, you need to stop playing for now and focus on the development of your mind. You need to understand what drives you to gamble in the first place and, either accept that that's what you like to do and make all the arrangements necessary to do it in a responsible way (separate a small bankroll just for fun, establish adamant limits, etc...) or decide that you don't want to gamble anymore.

Last question, the casinos owes me $20,000 + time, and I want them back. Is it possible?

If you decide that you want to follow the path of Advantage Playing, don't make this your last question.... make this your last WRONG question.
Here in this forum is the best place for you to get answers for the right ones.

But right now, IMHO, you should be directing the questions towards YOURSELF.

I won't wish you luck this time, because you must forget external forces. It's all on YOU my friend.

Best!

[ellenc]

It is possible to get the lost moneys and time back. First, for the time, play BK for entertainment, for the enjoyment of beating the dealer in spid of the built in advantage, and of pradicting the next card, so you get the fun out of playing, it is time well spent. (Obviously you would not do play BK full time or making a living). Second, to get your money back, 1. Accurate counting. 2. Keep your session short, 45 minutes. 3. Rest good between session. 4. If you are winning, set a exit point, say you up $500, exit when you you down $100, keep $400. If you are losing, set a limit, say $500, leave.

[Sonny]

Last question, the casinos owes me $20,000 + time, and I want them back. Is it possible?

You will never be able to get back that time. It is gone. Try to enjoy the time you have left.

It is possible to get the money back, but it will take much, much more time and hard work. Your best course of action is to accept the fact that you gambled away $20,000 and move on. Look for that money somewhere else, not in a casino.

-Sonny-

[MJGolf]

I have to disagree with ZenKing......a little. There IS luck in this game. It's called variance. And it takes quite a bit to get into the "long run" as folks say. Of course OP/Blackluck has probably played LONG enough to get there. It's kinda like sports analogy.........the MORE I practice the LUCKIER I get. (Sure works in golf.) I think this game we play is somewhat like that. But "disadvantage forum" aside, there STILL is a little amount of luck involved in this game...........*wink*

[ZenKinG]

I have to disagree with ZenKing......a little. There IS luck in this game. It's called variance. And it takes quite a bit to get into the "long run" as folks say. Of course OP/Blackluck has probably played LONG enough to get there. It's kinda like sports analogy.........the MORE I practice the LUCKIER I get. (Sure works in golf.) I think this game we play is somewhat like that. But "disadvantage forum" aside, there STILL is a little amount of luck involved in this game...........*wink*

Not in the OPs case. Stay on topic and help the guy

[MJGolf]

Not in the OPs case. Stay on topic and help the guy

I am, man. And trying to be a little humorous, too. It DOES take a lot of practice in this game from my experience. I guaranty that I have spent at least as much time practicing (in golf and at blackjack to learn counting) as I have playing since I became a more serious blackjack player. It's TOO expensive to practice at the tables. I'm hoping Blackluck/OP DOES take a break and learn more before he hits the tables hard again. And takes everyone's well intentioned advice.

I don't think that he should believe that he can rapidly gain back the $20,000 lesson learned/lost over the years as he quipped in his response. But based upon the actual hours he spent losing that amount, I would think most would agree that statistically, he has experienced enough to reach the "long" term. Maybe not the billions of hands in a simulation by Don or Norm but that's still a long time playing. Obviously it/his method wasn't working. By stepping back; regrouping; getting a new attitude (positive, I hope v. negative that he has); relearning the basics and putting into practice the wisdom you guys (and the books) impart, he may be able to 'change the tide' so to speak, and turn this into a positive experience.

I still think variance (or 'luck') do enter the picture. No one's experience is exactly the same. No one wins exactly the same amount of money with the same bets. But if you play correctly; if you have a positive edge in the long run, you should have a definite upward progression to the positive side (with a hell of a lot of peaks and valleys on the way).

[ZenKinG]

I still think variance (or 'luck') do enter the picture. No one's experience is exactly the same. No one wins exactly the same amount of money with the same bets. But if you play correctly; if you have a positive edge in the long run, you should have a definite upward progression to the positive side (with a hell of a lot of peaks and valleys on the way).

Yes you're absolutely correct, but in the OPs case he doesnt have a positive edge or a 'long run' which is what I was trying to get to. The bad luck he's getting is different from the APs bad luck because the AP will eventually win out and in his case he wont. Although one AP might have different results end of the year than the other AP, they will still be both heavy in the green if they grinded enough hours throughout the year(800-1500 hours) whereas in his case he will be in the red most likely. None of us were arguing about an AP to AP winnings at the end of the year but rather the OPs lack of having an edge and being in the red and that his bad luck was different than an APs bad luck.