Would you encourage a young adult to gamble?

**Illusion** · 09-23-05, 12:07 PM

I help my friend out all of the time. As far as younger people, I'm teaching my 16 and 17 year old cousins the trick of the trade right now. They know I do this stuff for a living and came to me about it. I would never force any of this on them if they hadn't come to me first.

**Mudcat** · 09-23-05, 12:08 PM

If it was someone I cared about, I would have no hesitation to share my proven angles with them and teach them how to research.

But I would want to keep an eye on them as they went through all the undisciplined crap that everyone - including myself - has to go through.

AND I WOULD DEFINITELY WARN THEM ABOUT POSTING FORUM BIG-TALKERS!!!!

:an_shake:

**SBR_John** · 09-23-05, 12:17 PM

I certainly would not. Every perspective gambler should read this document twice. http://www.azpolicy.org/html/legalizedgambling.html

**natrass** · 09-23-05, 12:18 PM

Originally posted by Mudcat

AND I WOULD DEFINITELY WARN THEM ABOUT POSTING FORUM BIG-TALKERS!!!!

:an_shake:

I laughed out loud at that!!

Im not sure I would help myself. the main reason being that at a young age there is so much positive stuff they can channel their energies and focus on that ... well, pinny don't have a pension plan if you know what I mean.

The big danger I think for young people is, as you say, their lack of experience ... both in life and in gambling.

**Brick Tamland** · 09-23-05, 12:24 PM

Originally posted by natrass

Off topic a little but would you ever give support, help, etc?

Imagine (depending on your age) your son, a nephew, a friend, etc ... begins to take an interest in what you do.

Well. I would encourage your son, nephew and friends to bet!

I might even give them reduced juice!

**natrass** · 09-23-05, 12:30 PM

Originally posted by Brick Tamland

Well. I would encourage your son, nephew and friends to bet!

I might even give them reduced juice!

Yeah, but i wasn't talking about youngsters taking money from an old sucker

**raiders72001** · 09-23-05, 02:06 PM

I'm not sure. As much as you can try and teach someone and warn them, most of the time they will have to learn lessons the hard way.

**pags11** · 09-23-05, 02:25 PM

being that I have gambled since I was eight, I can't in good conscious recommend introducing someone to gambling...now if they are persistent and approach me, I'd definitely show them how to handicap, vs. blindly throwing money at games in large ammounts...

**jjgold** · 09-23-05, 04:32 PM

If you encurage a young adult to gamble you must have problems. I would encourage no one to gamble and go play golf or any other constructive hobby instead. Gambling is bad as most cannot control it.

**why** · 09-23-05, 04:34 PM

No, I would not encourage gambling but I would not condemn it either, every man must in the end make his own choices.

**Mudcat** · 09-23-05, 08:42 PM

Well you guys are making some reasonable points against it. Here's my thinking why I would do it (we may need violin music for this):

:marsububu

I spent 20 years working in jobs I hated. Warehouses, offices. I mean I HATED my life. Some days I wasn't sure if I wanted to go to work or find a tall building to jump off. I'd be brushing my teeth in the evening and picture myself living the exact same routine every day for the rest of my life and want to drive my toothbrush through my eyeball into my brain.

Not happy.

Now life is 100X better. I have freedom, happiness - more money.

And if there was someone I cared about, I would want them to have that same opportunity (if they wanted it).

But I'm fortunate in that I am not afflicted with gambling addiction so I can have absolute discipline and professionalism - which is essential. It's something that would have to be watched very closely in an "apprentice."

**Senator7** · 09-23-05, 08:44 PM

In the case of a son or younger brother, he would have to show interest in it before I would discuss anything with him about it. I wouldn't introduce him to it, but if he discovers it and enjoys it, I would help him be the best he could at it.

Senator 7

**clonecat** · 09-23-05, 09:48 PM

My father taught me to gamble at a very young age. He was having a good day at the pool hall playing cards when I was about 8 years old. My mother sent me in to get my father and everyone at the table was upset he was leaving when he was ahead. He told them he would play one more game as my partner. We won and I was introduced to gambling.

I enjoy gambling immensely as does my father. My father never let gambling affect the family in a negative way. My father doesn't know that I gamble on sports, with the exception of my trips to Vegas.

I will not introduce gambling to my children. If they get older and I find they are interested in gambling, I of course would have no problem gambling with them.

I am by no means a professional gambler. I gamble for the entertainment and the hope.

**raiders72001** · 09-23-05, 10:01 PM

But I'm fortunate in that I am not afflicted with gambling addiction so I can have absolute discipline and professionalism

You must have just thrown your arm out patting yourself on the back.

Too many negatives that I wouldn't want to be responsible for encouraging someone to gamble. After some thought I think that I would try and deter someone from betting unless I was 99% sure that they could handle it. Math skills would be a prequisite.

**Mudcat** · 09-23-05, 10:59 PM

Originally posted by raiders72001

You must have just thrown your arm out patting yourself on the back. .

Not at all. Understanding addictions as I do, that wouldn't make any sense.

**raiders72001** · 09-23-05, 11:06 PM

Understanding addictions as I do

I guess that arm did have a couple of more pats in it. Do you at least have to ice that arm down after pats?

Is there anyhting that you don't understand or are you omniscient?

**Senator7** · 09-23-05, 11:13 PM

Originally posted by raiders72001

Is there anything that you don't understand or are you omniscient?

The guy qualified for Jeopardy. So I would guess there aren't many things he doesn't understand. I didn't take anything Mudcat said as arrogant or self righteous. For all you know, he could have a friend or family member who has a serious addiction. From what I've seen on this forum lately, Mudcat is one of the least arrogant posters at SBR.

Senator 7

**stump** · 09-23-05, 11:27 PM

i wish i had someone to help me when i was younger, unfortunately i had to learn some lessons the hard way.

the most important things you can teach a new gambler are patience (there is always another game tomorrow - and somedays you have to take your medicine) and money management!!

**stump** · 09-23-05, 11:28 PM

SBR John..... Great Article

**Bill Dozer** · 09-24-05, 02:19 AM

I wish someone showed me the probabilities of beating the house when I was betting with my high school summer job money. I really think a lot of people wouldn't gamble if they knew the math, especially of casino games. If you are spinning the roulette wheel or playing BJ, it will always be a negative expectation. Imagine if casino games listed the house edge at each table??

Sports bettors usually need to play for a while before they realize hitting 70% is not a reasonable goal and they usually aren't happy with what 53-57% will net them.

I've heard from players who have stopped to figure out what % they would have to win at in order for the time and effort to be worth it and they are usually very disappointed. I know the first thought I had once I came to terms with what a realistic result was, was "Shit, I'm going to need a bigger bank roll!"

To answer the actual question… No. I would agree that most gamblers would be happier if they never went for it.

**OldeTymePlaya** · 09-24-05, 08:56 AM

Encourage? No.