Gambling, Under Pressure

Usually by the time we reach the age to gamble, legally, we've already learned how to deal with peer pressure. Do it� Do it� Do it! Well, sometimes peer pressure still works on the best of us. Even if we know better. Recently, we fell prey to our fellow gambler's peer pressure.

Last year, Caesars Entertainment introduced a 6-card bonus bet to 3 card poker. Our basic math skills told us that the odds of winning the $1,000,000 grand prize was 1 in 14,000,000. Later, VegasChatter reader Cosmic Jester said the bet was actually 1 in 20 million. Yowza. Mathematically, this bet makes a game with already bad odds even worse. Math doesn't control us. We control the math.

We were at Flamingo one night and in the mood to have a couple of drinks and laughs with a friend when we saw a $5 3 card poker table. Cheap, brainless gambling and drinks? Sure, we'll give it a shot.

We took the only two open seats at the table and placed our bets like normal -- no bonus bet. We were the only one without the bonus bet in play. Our friend just did what everyone else did. After a couple rounds of drinks, some laughs and a few bonus round hits the table felt comfortable enough to ask us why we didn't have the bonus bet up. We told them simply that we just don't like bonus bets. After some good-natured ribbing from our new friends we joined their bonus bet.

Even though the bonus bet is an individual bet, the table was rooting and hollering for one another to hit. Surprise.... playing the bonus bet was fun! As expected, the bet lost in the long run. Of course, it did. Even our incorrect math told us that we'd lose.

Inside we knew we shouldn't join the table in playing the 6-card bonus bet, but we did it. Peer pressure helped egg us into the bet, but we gamble for fun. Between the drinks, the laughter and "pressure" we had a blast. Will we play this bonus bet again? Probably not. However, sometimes having a good time at the casino takes precedent over intelligence and we're ok with that.

Comments (5)

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...how much are you out? Or is it gauche to ask? I like having fun too but all these weird new games and their high house edge aren't worth the price, to me, of a few laughs.

Having drinks and being with friends at a good craps or blackjack table can be just as fun, with a better chance to come out ahead.

only a couple hundred. Like I said, we were there to hang out, drink and BS.

BTW, most people don't like when you ask about gambling losses. I don't mind.

nothing worse than a dealer (who is relying on the players for tips) trying to goad you into a bad bet.

I actually was in Vegas in 2007 during Planet Hollywood's 'soft opening' phase, so they were allowing surrender even at the $10 tables. when I had a 16 against a 10, I surrendered and the dealer (whom already was out of my good graces) said "did you come all the way to Vegas to surrender?!". I told her "in this case, yes" but on the inside I was thinking "I came her to play the RIGHT way".

I agree...If a dealer plays along with the table it's fine. I just see that as them trying to be part of the game.

When they repeatedly ask you to play bonus (once is fine), I'll either leave of just not tip.

The worse the odds, the more fun it is to make the bet.

VegasChatter

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