There are many ways that people try to win money and there are many reasons why we do it. One of the most successful forms of enticement to make people part with their money is the Casino. Casinos are located in many towns up and down the U.K. and in many of these towns there are often more than one Casino. The Midlands has many Casinos, but London probably has the most per square mile.
They are members only clubs and in recent times you no longer have a cooling off period if you wish to join. You can turn up with some identification, fill out a simple form and go straight in. The Casino offers games such as Roulette, Black Jack, Wheel of Fortune and more recently there has been a big increase in casinos offering Poker nights. Texas Hold’em is played widely across the country, not just in casinos but in pubs, clubs and extensively on the internet.
What is it that makes people gamble? Most likely it is the need and hope of winning money. Enough money to make a difference to their lives. So why do rich people gamble? Is it the excitement, the entertainment, the feeling of being somewhere a little naughty? Does it become a part of their lives - a routine place to visit? Did they have a big win when they first went in and are looking always for a repeat of that luck?
The Casino makes it as comfortable for you as possible. They bring you drinks at the table and often sandwiches. So you can play for hours without realising what time has passed. There are very few clocks to be seen and once inside there are no windows without blinds, so you have no idea of the time and don’t notice when it gets dark outside. They will send you promotional literature through the post and by e-mail to draw you in. Often they will have a restaurant and bring in live entertainment in more recent years to make it even more appealing. They are trying hard to change the standard perception of the casino being somewhere for the hardened gambler to visit, but instead be a place that everyone over the age of 18 can go along to for a good night out and a “harmless” flutter on the gaming tables.
If you only take the amount of money in with you that you are willing to lose, then you should not get into financial trouble. Those people that come back time and time again are usually chasing what they have lost – perhaps couldn’t afford to lose.
When we buy a lottery ticket do we really expect to win? Do we realise that we are gambling?
The casino games have minimum bets, to play one hand of Black Jack you will have to put down a stake of say £2. That hand can be over in seconds, your money lost and the croupier ready and waiting for the next £2 you place on the table. The Roulette dealer will change your cash for chips and spin the ball. Within minutes your £10 worth of chips can be swept away. If you are really lucky there will be a chip left on the table. This means you have won and the dealer will push across yet more chips. You start to place your chips again, picking out your favourite numbers – your birthday, your anniversary. Is there a system? Some people say there is and some will win on a regular basis.
For most people however, a night out at the Casino is purely for entertainment. Something they might do just once a year, perhaps to round off the evening after a staff party or Christmas event. They enjoy the surroundings and the atmosphere and being waited on. They are astounded at the amount of money they see other people lose. They chat and complain about their luck to the other players. Most go home losers, but richer for the experience and wiser for it too.
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