5 ms·

I'be had the same experience, though you will start to get the hang of more complicated machines after a couple dozen spins. I wonder if that complexity adds t

I'be had the same experience, though you will start to get the hang of more complicated machines after a couple dozen spins. I wonder if that complexity adds to the allure. "Now that I understand this complicated machine, I better not let that that hard earned knowledge go to waste"

quickthrower2 9y ago
There is definitely a machismo about being able to master the UK pub slot machines with all the features and tests of "skill".
- darrenf 9y ago
  When I used to throw tons of money at the things, what amazed and impressed my friends wasn't that I would regularly win money - I wouldn't, and I was always up front about how much I was pissing away - but just that I understood what the hell was going on. It felt like neither mastery nor machismo.
  - thinkingemote 9y ago
    What did it feel like? Honest fatalism, a happy cynicism? I'm thinking your experience may not be unique, perhaps most gambling addicts are fully aware what they are doing? Maybe it's a common thing with all addicts, or perhaps gambling as it's less, well, chemical allows the brain to see things clearer.
    - darrenf 9y ago
      It changed over the years. From, like, 92-00 I was sinking way more money than I could properly afford into them, and often hated the experience. Losing felt absolutely horrible, but winning felt fantastic. Most of my friends would gamble too, but I took it that much further. I'd put enough money for the drinks I wanted in one pocket, and the other pocket was my gambling funds. It was very fatalistic, I knew that I was virtually guaranteed to go home drunk, skint, and angry with myself. Often I'd swear blind en route that if I emptied my pockets today, then that was it, this shit had to stop - and of course, those would be the days when I'd take out a jackpot or two, buy a big round of celebratory drinks, etc. But I got into pretty significant debt over the whole time, taking out credit cards and maxing each one out (on cash withdrawals!!) within a couple of months. From 00-03 I paid off my debts, was still gambling a lot but could afford it. I don't recall much negative emotion, it was mostly just "this is what I do when I'm in the pub". I'd win some, lose some, it didn't really matter. I liked "knowing" that "hey, it's turned red, that means it's about to pay". If I wasn't playing, I'd watch those who were and enjoy spotting where they were turning down obvious money, not collecting the "good" features, etc, and hope I could jump on after they're done and take their cash. This was the peak of the period I referred to in the previous post, when colleagues would ask how on earth I knew what was going on, and could I help them spend their £1-3 as a bit of fun. My gf at the time wasn't such a fan and, in fact, bet me that I couldn't go a year without playing - which was a stroke of genius. Obviously I took the bet, and won. For the last few weeks leading up to the anniversary I was kinda salivating at the idea of spending a couple of hours posting money into a fruity again, and when I did ... meh. Nothing. I lost, I didn't care, and the hold was basically broken. Since then, it certainly helps that, at least in London, fruit machines have all but disappeared from most pubs, and as jackpots have gone up the fun has gone out of them anyway because they seem to pay out respectable wins much more seldom. I'll still throw £20 or £40 in one if I'm in a pub on me lonesome and waiting for a train, say, and I enjoy playing online but it doesn't consume me and, in fact, I tend to make a profit most months - I find it very easy to limit both my downside and the upside. Back in the day, quite often a win would just mean I could play longer, whereas these days I'm like "cool, I'm £50 up, I'll take that and get on with something else".
      - quickthrower2 9y ago
        Fruity - that's the word! I've been out of the UK long enough to forget. The Australian pubs have entire "VIP Lounge" dedicated to the "Pokies" and brings in a lot of money for them. But the challenge of those machines isn't there - there is something very addictive about the UK fruit machines. A mix of the gambling addiction plus general game-playing addiction trying to upskill and win better. I new many 16 year olds pumping serious coin into them, getting better but still losing. I also heard of people who could make money from them (although $/hour wasn't too hot), although not sure whether to believe that.
        darrenf 9y ago
        Australian pokies hold basically no allure for me. I've been visiting Sydney on a yearly basis for 10+ years, and only on my first trip did I really spend any time gambling. It wasn't much fun even though I won: unfamiliarity, plus the style of games were so different. Though what really put me off the most was the racism from the RSL employee who came to verify my payout!
moduspol 9y ago
I definitely felt that way about three card poker (a common table game) when I first started playing. It ends up, though, that optimal strategy is as simple as just playing Q-6-4 or better. [1] I think these things are all about making it seem complicated up front so that when you start getting the hang of it, it feels like you might understand something other players don't. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_card_poker https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_card_poker

quickthrower2 9y ago

There is definitely a machismo about being able to master the UK pub slot machines with all the features and tests of "skill".

darrenf 9y ago
When I used to throw tons of money at the things, what amazed and impressed my friends wasn't that I would regularly win money - I wouldn't, and I was always up front about how much I was pissing away - but just that I understood what the hell was going on. It felt like neither mastery nor machismo.
- thinkingemote 9y ago
  What did it feel like? Honest fatalism, a happy cynicism? I'm thinking your experience may not be unique, perhaps most gambling addicts are fully aware what they are doing? Maybe it's a common thing with all addicts, or perhaps gambling as it's less, well, chemical allows the brain to see things clearer.
  - darrenf 9y ago
    It changed over the years. From, like, 92-00 I was sinking way more money than I could properly afford into them, and often hated the experience. Losing felt absolutely horrible, but winning felt fantastic. Most of my friends would gamble too, but I took it that much further. I'd put enough money for the drinks I wanted in one pocket, and the other pocket was my gambling funds. It was very fatalistic, I knew that I was virtually guaranteed to go home drunk, skint, and angry with myself. Often I'd swear blind en route that if I emptied my pockets today, then that was it, this shit had to stop - and of course, those would be the days when I'd take out a jackpot or two, buy a big round of celebratory drinks, etc. But I got into pretty significant debt over the whole time, taking out credit cards and maxing each one out (on cash withdrawals!!) within a couple of months. From 00-03 I paid off my debts, was still gambling a lot but could afford it. I don't recall much negative emotion, it was mostly just "this is what I do when I'm in the pub". I'd win some, lose some, it didn't really matter. I liked "knowing" that "hey, it's turned red, that means it's about to pay". If I wasn't playing, I'd watch those who were and enjoy spotting where they were turning down obvious money, not collecting the "good" features, etc, and hope I could jump on after they're done and take their cash. This was the peak of the period I referred to in the previous post, when colleagues would ask how on earth I knew what was going on, and could I help them spend their £1-3 as a bit of fun. My gf at the time wasn't such a fan and, in fact, bet me that I couldn't go a year without playing - which was a stroke of genius. Obviously I took the bet, and won. For the last few weeks leading up to the anniversary I was kinda salivating at the idea of spending a couple of hours posting money into a fruity again, and when I did ... meh. Nothing. I lost, I didn't care, and the hold was basically broken. Since then, it certainly helps that, at least in London, fruit machines have all but disappeared from most pubs, and as jackpots have gone up the fun has gone out of them anyway because they seem to pay out respectable wins much more seldom. I'll still throw £20 or £40 in one if I'm in a pub on me lonesome and waiting for a train, say, and I enjoy playing online but it doesn't consume me and, in fact, I tend to make a profit most months - I find it very easy to limit both my downside and the upside. Back in the day, quite often a win would just mean I could play longer, whereas these days I'm like "cool, I'm £50 up, I'll take that and get on with something else".
    - quickthrower2 9y ago
      Fruity - that's the word! I've been out of the UK long enough to forget. The Australian pubs have entire "VIP Lounge" dedicated to the "Pokies" and brings in a lot of money for them. But the challenge of those machines isn't there - there is something very addictive about the UK fruit machines. A mix of the gambling addiction plus general game-playing addiction trying to upskill and win better. I new many 16 year olds pumping serious coin into them, getting better but still losing. I also heard of people who could make money from them (although $/hour wasn't too hot), although not sure whether to believe that.
      - darrenf 9y ago
        Australian pokies hold basically no allure for me. I've been visiting Sydney on a yearly basis for 10+ years, and only on my first trip did I really spend any time gambling. It wasn't much fun even though I won: unfamiliarity, plus the style of games were so different. Though what really put me off the most was the racism from the RSL employee who came to verify my payout!

moduspol 9y ago

I definitely felt that way about three card poker (a common table game) when I first started playing. It ends up, though, that optimal strategy is as simple as just playing Q-6-4 or better. [1] I think these things are all about making it seem complicated up front so that when you start getting the hang of it, it feels like you might understand something other players don't. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_card_poker https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_card_poker