How The Horse became a gambling addict and lost everything
By The Horse
@TheHorse (217891)
Walnut Creek, California
March 24, 2017 11:17pm CST
I was going to entitle this post, "Why I Hate Smiling Asians," but I figured everyone would think I was a racist pig and not read to post. I hate smiling Asians because I often see them on ads for local Casinos. Gambling addiction is big in the local Asian community, and I say a bad word every time I see smiling Asians on billboards advertising local casinos, as I did this morning in Oakland on my way to work in Berkeley. I see the same thing on TV here.
How did I lose everything? Sports betting has became a "thing," On my way home from work, there was a five minute "spot" on my local sports radio radio station about how I could call in to this 800 number and get a "sure winner" for free for tonight's Warriors-Kings game. I was already ticked off about gambling, and exploitation of gambling addicts, so I wrote the number down on my hand as I was driving. I wanted to see what was really on the other end of that number.
What I got was a real person, which surprised me. The ad said it was supposed to be a recording. I asked for the spread on the Warrior game, and what my "you can't lose" tip was. The guy on other other end had a distinct New York accent, and was actually perfectly nice. He told me that for $99, he could get my account "set up." He gave me the "over-under" (214) but never did give me "their pick."
What scared me a bit was that he knew my last name from my phone number. I politely demurred, but said sure, his colleague (the one I'd heard on the radio today) could call me back and set me up tomorrow or Monday.
Just for fun, I bet my entire fortune on the Warriors and Kings beating the over-under. I am now broke, and am moving my guitars and speakers to the local homeless shelter. At least I still have my jobs and my Scotch.
Have you ever known anyone addicted to gambling (I have)? Do you notice the ads in your area designed to entice people into gambling? Do they tick you off? Are Asians and sports fans especially targeted?
Note: All but one paragraph of my post is almost entirely true.
19 people like this
17 responses
@DaddyEvil (137249)
• United States
29 Mar 17
@JudyEv That is EXACTLY what I was thinking, Judy, when I read the comment he wrote for you!
I can translate most of what he said, but would have to take more English for Dummies classes before I could translate the rest of what he said!
2 people like this
@TheHorse (217891)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Mar 17
You know what's funny? The "spread" was 18 points, they said on the radio. I never did get info on what "the boys" thought as to whether the Warriors would "beat the spread." But as I was driving, I said, the Warriors will dominate the third quarter, and take a commanding lead. Then they'll rest their starters and only win by 15 or so. That's exactly what happened. And as for the over-under (which I don't generally think about), the combined score turned out to be 214, which was exactly the over-under point. I guess that bet would have been a "push."
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137249)
• United States
25 Mar 17
pony, I swear, if this is not the paragraph that is fake, I will personally drive out to your house and quietly and quite meekly offer my help in moving you where ever you want to move. Please don't misunderstand me, I would be so angry with/at you that I could chew iron and spit nails, but that isn't what you'd need right now. You'd need a helping hand, a calm and collected friend and a place to go. I live too far from your jobs to let you stay here.... so this better be the right paragraph I've selected!
"Just for fun, I bet my entire fortune on the Warriors and Kings beating the over-under. I am now broke, and am moving my guitars and speakers to the local homeless shelter. At least I still have my jobs and my Scotch."
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137249)
• United States
25 Mar 17
@TheHorse Good! I was sitting on pins and needles waiting for you to tell me I had it right or not, pony! (No, not literally! I was positive I was right! This was another way to tease at you. Although, if I had been wrong, I really would have headed out to help you. Just so you know. 
)
)3 people like this
@TheHorse (217891)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Mar 17
@DaddyEvil But you already know I'm a Mark Twain fan and prone to a bit of exaggeration here and there.
3 people like this
@minx267 (15527)
• Hartford, Connecticut
29 Mar 17
My Uncle just won $20k on a scratch off ticket and then I got into a "discussion" with him today as he said money doesn't seem to fix anything and he is probably going to end up wasting it by gambling and giving all back. to which I replied I will kick his A$$. He needs a car. but instead of trying to find one. he is trying to rent one- and I am like why waste your money renting... well I need a car to go look. - well, kinda, you could ask for help? but instead he asked me to help him rent one because he doesn't have a major credit card and that is what they require.... I throw up my hands in defeat.
1 person likes this
@minx267 (15527)
• Hartford, Connecticut
30 Mar 17
@TheHorse it's in a bank account.. probably not earning interest. I'm just worried about how much money he's probably already blown in a week after the comment he made to me.
He may be my uncle. but he is one year younger than me and we were raised together so he feels more like my brother... BUT.. he is a grown man.. I can't babysit everyone. I feel like I already have to do that with my roommates.
I swear I don't know what this world is coming to. People take responsibilities less and less seriously each generation!
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
27 Mar 17
I don't think I see much of that around here, the billboards I mean. I don't mind it, gambling that is, but I do see many have problems with it. My addictions are more of the caffeine and chocolate varieties
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
29 Mar 17
@TheHorse don't we all? I think caffeine is prob the #1 addiction of choice -she says while drinking her water with the fruity caffeine powder in it-
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
25 Mar 17
I like to play slots in casino, but I am not addicted to it.
The moment I start playing, I will start to count the number of spins.
If there is no small win in 3 spins, I will take out the money and try on other machines.
If there are small wins, I will count till 12 spins, and if there is no free spin bonus, I will switch machines too.
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
26 Mar 17
@TheHorse I never will go into the casinos in my country.
The government imposes a levy of $100 per entry, and that $100 allows just 24 hours in a casino.
When I take cruise or go on holiday, I will visit casinos if possible.
I probably spend just a few minutes if I do not get free spins or whatever. The most I lost on a cruise of a week long is $100.
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (49344)
• Mojave, California
25 Mar 17
Love this, I recently learned Asians are not as smart as everyone thinks, unless you count scams. Then they are the best. Sure technology wise, some of the smartest people in the world, but after that drops off like the rest of our countries, then they just smart business people who fake sell crap. They do it better because they keep their ego in check for the most part. Love Asians as friends but damn will I ever go into business with one. lol Way political and all about the money. They just keep it on the down low and so smart they can ruin lives.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (217891)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Mar 17
Well, in this case, Asians are the victims. I'm not sure who runs the Casinos. But they target Asians here in the Bay Area. Smiling Asians on billboards everywhere. Cache Creek Casino. Et al. As for the sports guys, they didn't sound Asian. And my old softball buddy who was addicted to bidding on sports (and lost everything) was a white dude. In general, I don't like people who take advantage of others' addictions. It's not a noble way to make money.
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (49344)
• Mojave, California
25 Mar 17
@TheHorse Indeed, but just pointing out everyone does it and the common Asian is like the common man. Makes sense to me. The difference is always where you go and the perception. I know north Cali has all the smart geniuses but socal has the fame and the prettiness. My point I met them both where I am at or once did and have been did dirty with good intentions and what America taught me, how to capitalize in shady ways. Once I knew the business aspect was not what I was looking for or needed , I tried to be human about it and the Asian wife hated me because I was making her man weak because he saw what I saw.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (217891)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Mar 17
@crossbones27 Where were you originally from?
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
25 Mar 17
Those billboards make it seem like it is exciting and fun. I have only been inside a casino once. For 15 minutes. Not for the usual reasons.
It took my daughter and I 15 minutes to walk from the parking lot, through the casino to get to the exit. It took us an hour to find a way back into the parking lot without needing to walk through the casino a second time. There's a story here. Hmm next post?
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (217891)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Mar 17
@Morleyhunt I'm such a bleeding heart. I wanted to take her out to dinner, no...um...BJ required...but I got scared and just wished her the best.
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
25 Mar 17
@TheHorse I actually did not look around a lot. There is no smoking in the casinos in Ontario. The people I did see seemed very focused on what the were doing. Not very observant of what was happening around them.....yes I feel a discussion forming, but need to do a lot more commenting first.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
25 Mar 17
I have a friend that is addicted to gambling, and he isn't smart about it, either. Loses all the time.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
25 Mar 17
@TheHorse - He doesn't like sports, so he doesn't bet them. He just goes to one of the mountain casinos or bets on dogs and horses. We watched him lose $900 on horses one night, including $250 he'd won on the first race.
@diosabella (4789)
•
30 Mar 17
Don't be like that! I'm always smiling when I comment on your post. Like that. My grandfather used to gamble. But he set a limit on how far he would go and that was the important trait that he didn't passed on to my uncle. My Uncle just gamble away and no control.
Like that. My grandfather used to gamble. But he set a limit on how far he would go and that was the important trait that he didn't passed on to my uncle. My Uncle just gamble away and no control.1 person likes this
@aktivnyj100 (86)
•
28 Mar 17
If you are a gambler, it is better not to go to a casino, you can lose everything. Moreover, it has already been proved that it is impossible to win at the casino even in the Martingale system.
@TheHorse (217891)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Mar 17
@aktivnyj100 In what sense? One can also just have fun and play for paperclips.
@maximax8 (31046)
• United Kingdom
19 May 18
I think that there are many gambling adverts on the website that I will often go on to. I know someone that did matched betting when he was a student. That didn't seem too bad because he voted for one thing on website a and against on website b. The problem was the gambling companies didn't like him because he seemed to get money off them. He would get around £30 a time. I thought it looked quite difficult to do.
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (100127)
• India
25 Mar 17
Tell me about it. My father's sister, her husband, her second son, her son in law, her grand son....it kinda runs in the family. My father's brother also gambles, and his sons also. To an extent, I am a gambler, in the sense, I am fine with taking some risks.
1 person likes this
@ourlot (982)
•
30 Nov 17
Is that for real? I hope you did not go broke, although I'm afraid some perfectly normal people would indeed do that.
Seriously, if the story is 50% true: Are you getting treatment?
