The other day for my 18th birthday, me and my cousins took a trip to the Turning Stone Casino and resort for some poker celebration. The Turning Stone is one of the only casinos that accepts 18 year olds, so thats why we went. I sat down at one of the Texas Holdem tables, and at first I was quite overwhelmed. Bad cards and some extra tight plays led me to lose the 50 dollars I put in. So I bought in again for another 50 and in 3 hours I turned that into 500 dollars in chips (a profit of over 400 dollars). It was one of the most awesome experiences of my life. I found my cousins, got up from the table, and traded in my chips for $499. I kept one chip for myself as a lucky keepsake. I cant wait till I get to go again

RB,

Glad you had fun, and it's great that you ended up a winner. Took courage to sit at a poker table your first time at a casino.

I think people either are drawn to casinos or just not interested. I love casinos. The key is to be preapred to lose and don't lose more than you can afford to lose. Not as easy as it sounds sometimes though.

Hope you continue on your winning streak.

TIS

I ddin't want to read on after that, as I expected you to tell us that you lost it all again.

But you didn't. Congratulations, man! Another Sam Rothstein in the making, perhaps?

Mick

Well said TIS! I just came in from Atlantic City myself. I can live in the casino!

The key to enjoying yourself in a casino is to go there with X amount of dollars and tell yourself that the money you are bringing is "spending" money to enjoy yourself in the casino with. This way if you lose it, you don't feel so bad as you've mentally prepared yourself before hand, and if you win, then that is a bonus! I'll tell you something though, for a first timer at a casino to go to a poker table is quite an accomplishment! I know serious gamblers, who have been going to casinos for many years and they still will not bring themselves to sit in on a poker table! The bad thing though, is now that you tasted the positive side of gambling, your gonna be hooked!

Don Cardi

Happy Birthday man. Welcome to adulthood! I've been here for a few months and it's great!

Nice job RB! Please dont let yourself be fooled into thinking that it's that easy to win all the time. It's very common for first timers who win big to get sucked in and end up having big problems down the road.

Hey thats great man, congrats How about sending some of that money to me, eh?

Speaking of casinos, here's an interesting true story that happened to a friend of mine's neighbor about 4/5 years ago:

Her son, who was not quite 21, went to Vegas with some friends. He went from casino to casino, never got carded or asked his age. Turns out he was playing slots (dollar slots I think) and won an outrageous amount of money, like $148,000 or something. Needless to say he was thrilled to death....that is, until they asked for his I.D. He didn't get the winnings of course, once they found out his age. However, I think he got fined. Can you imagine????? Now what are the odds, that this same kid will, in his lifetime, win that kind of money again???? I'm sure he will never forget that experience. The huge high right down to the lowest of lows.


TIS

One thing about it, was that the time just flew. I sat down just about the same time as the monday night football game started. What seemed like a minute later, I glanced at the tv and saw that the game was over. I can see how addicting it can get too.

Time flies when you're having fun...

Congrats on the winnings, RB!

I'll have to check out that casino when I'm of age...

Those people you see smiling as they leave the casino...those aren't the smiles of happy WINNERS.

If everybody won, it wouldn't be called gambling. It would be called investing.

tony b.

The worst thing that can happen to a new gambler is to win on their first real go. It happened to me and I've since lost hundreds of £££'s.