[milwaukee mike]

since it's now august (i gave up on july potm) i can share some wisdom that i have learned through 20+ years of gambling, bad decisions, etc.

1) take all the online bonuses you can. these turn -ev into +ev over the long run
2) disable online casinos. trust me, there will be at least one time when you have been drinking, losing, whatever and you go online and lose $2000 in the damn casino. we are gamblers
3) don't get married and have kids. i know i will take some backlash for this one, and kids are wonderful. but 1/2 of all marriages end in divorce, and of the ones that don't at least 80% aren't happy with their spouse. those are bad odds. almost every single person i know is happier than the happiest married person i know, and i know a lot of people. as a gambler, you probably have about a 1% chance of having a happy, successful marriage
4) don't bring large amounts of money to a casino and don't have a CC/DC with a password with you. it's way to easy to lose what you have with you, especially if you've been drinking
5) don't deal with bookies or loan sharks. when you are losing and paying they are your friends, but when you're winning or not paying they will not be friendly. much easier to deal with nameless, faceless people at online books that don't call you all the time asking where their money is. also see #1, no local is going to give you bonuses

i know i'm missing a million things but this is a good start. gambling is fun and should be fun. yes it's painful to lose but every once in a while you hit a big game and run around the house drunk in your underwear screaming and whooping it up (at least i do this, much to the chagrin of my family and neighbors)

[milwaukee mike]

feel free to add to this list guys, a lot of people here with old wounds like me, learn from our mistakes.

just thought of another one - AVOID THE STOCK MARKET. gamblers like us never do as well as we should, if you have savings then put it in a 401(k) and get the match, let someone else manage it and stay hands off. for regular, non-retirement stuff just stick it in 10-year cds and take the 2.8% or stick it in gold and silver and don't worry about it.
you might not beat the market but at least you'll sleep well at night.

[baskets]

how about banging your married daughter, milwok?


want me to take over for your son-in-law?

[Sam Odom]

and... if you lose 5 in-a-row get it all back + 1unit on the sixth bet

[ebbearsfb1]

Great list number 5 is extremely.. always see guys getting stiffef by locals.. if you play at a good book 5 dimes bmaker etc.. you never have that issue.. just look at sportsguys thread... another one for me would be... don't forget to withdrawal when your hot.. what good is turning 500 to 10 k.. if you keep the ten k in your account... for me personally I have no need to have more than a few thousand in the account.. its not mine till its in my hand

[milwaukee mike]

how about banging your married daughter, milwok?


want me to take over for your son-in-law?

no married daughter
no son-in-law

you might be referring to a post i made that fathers at weddings shouldn't be happy because they are thinking of their daughters getting humped later that night. that wasn't referring to me though, not for a long time.

[Emily_Haines]

When playing blackjack for $500 a hand the key is to get off to a fast start.

[Regul8er]

Avoid betting International Sports, unless you are extremely knowledgeable in those areas, but even then be careful.

Most international events such as rugby, golf, etc juice the crap out of their lines. -120 on both sides is common place......requiring you to hit in the 55% range to turn profit......unlikely.

[baskets]

I got the wrong poster.

pump your nemesis poster's wife in the anus. relieves the stress from losses

[baskets]

sing it, Emily! SING IT!!!

[tb1984]

4) don't bring large amounts of money to a casino and don't have a CC/DC with a password with you. it's way to easy to lose what you have with you, especially if you've been drinking

I agree

[CanuckG]

Don't go all in on parlays unless you like lighting money on fire

[Chi_archie]

great thread MIKE!!!

[wtt0315]

dont tail brock or any locks here

[milwaukee mike]

thought of another one

if there's something you, or a member of your family want, and you win some money BUY IT OR DO IT IMMEDIATELY.
nothing more frustrating than losing the winnings and regretting not taking your family to disney world or buying some new golf clubs with the money...

again these are all from my own personal shortcomings as a human being

[lesterdymond]

#2 is very important for the young ins. Its easy to go from 20 to a G and lose it back in the same night on that rigged bullcrap. With sportsbetting you at least stand a chance. May I add 1 thing.. There is alot of big shot talk on here but there is nothing wrong with a small bet. Trust me, the big shots didn't get rich overnight. They nickel dicked the books and hit a big 1 here and there.

Good work Mike!

[milwaukee mike]

Great point lester

Even a $10, $20, $100, whatever bet can be fun to win and less pressure

[ebbearsfb1]

another thing i would add for me personally,

is i collect alot of sports memoriblia autographs and what not.


just like in anything else, its all about buying low and selling high.


need to know who the next big gun in the majors will be .. or an unknown who you think will be a start.



example, buying trout in march, selling now..


or buying mike oht now... selling when he hits the bigs

[milwaukee mike]

Yeah ebbears contrarian thinking is almost always the right way to go

I still remember selling princess diana beanie babies for $100 that i was buying for $8

[jjgold]

Mike is on tilt

Spot in post though

Marriage is for suckers

[borednaz]

Marriage is for suckers if you do it wrong. I'm in the 10% or less whose damned happy with his marriage. Mike most valuable piece of information you put here "if there's something you, or a member of your family want, and you win some money BUY IT OR DO IT IMMEDIATELY." Can't tell you how many times I've put off buying something fun because I'm on a heater thinking there will be time, only to go below what I'd need money wise & cash out.

[Inkwell77]

[ebbearsfb1]

Yeah with collecting its still a gambling of knowing when the hype will die down and to unload before then.. or to buy before the hype machine kicks in..

Yeah ebbears contrarian thinking is almost always the right way to go

I still remember selling princess diana beanie babies for $100 that i was buying for $8

[baskets]

pump her anally while watching Sunday Night Football... try to come right at the end of the 2 minute warning


dare you to try to produce more excitement. not possible

[chilidog]

I think that marriage is rough for so many people because people settle for what they think is the best they can get. See, I actually like my wife, we get along great, and I have a happy marriage. I didn't settle for the 1st piece of ass to come my way. Perhaps if men quit putting pussy on a pedestal, this issue wouldn't happen as much.

[GunShard]

I don't believe on marriage because of the financial split. I rather have a mock wedding than a real wedding.

I don't want to end up like Paul McCartney and Tiger Woods where their divorce made them lose millions of dollars, there are women out there that will marry for the money only.

[bobby heenan]

I think that marriage is rough for so many people because people settle for what they think is the best they can get. See, I actually like my wife, we get along great, and I have a happy marriage. I didn't settle for the 1st piece of ass to come my way. Perhaps if men quit putting pussy on a pedestal, this issue wouldn't happen as much.

Its just that most Guys are average looking....u can go to a bar and see an average looking girl who will not settle for going home with anything less than one of the most attractive guys in the place...most average guys will hit anything that isn't totally disgusting( and some guys will **** anything)...it's just easy for an average looking girl to get laid than an average looking dude...most guys will settle for the first girl that will want to live/move in with them and share their life...


I have a friend like this...pretty decent looking dude...very intelligent....masters degree/good job....he's dated average to below average girls his whole life cuz he's kinda dorky....dude dated an average girl for 5 years and she ended it...dude was so desperate....ended getting with his new gf ( who is actually cool) but probably even less attractive ...before I met her I said "so who's this new girl"...."oh she's like the typical girl I date but not a oyster"....the guy could do better....he will marry her I have no doubts...she is actually pretty nice and good to him

Luckily I'm above average looking

[King Mayan]

Milwaukee hates his wife.

[milwaukee mike]

glad that amuses you mayan

most girls have a cuteness at age 15-25 and then sometimes you wake up and theyre 40 and nasty.
and dont get me wrong, im no great prize
myself always drinking and gambling.

i dont think men and women are supposed to live together for 60 years.

[jjgold]

Anyone living together more than like a year or so is not a normal act

Be free

Free sex

[Inkwell77]

You gotta marry a girl with a mom who has a good ass! Last girl I was dating/with was cool and attractive, but then I met her mom and she was like 200 lbs and you got to play the percentages and those percentages, boys, are low! That would not have lasted when we were like 40 and I can't imagine having a kid with someone and then divorcing em! (even though it will probably happen)

[vyomguy]

QUIT WHILE YOU ARE AHEAD.

Thats the single most important advice I will give to all gamblers.

[Sam Odom]

Americans (white americans) are hung-up on sex & marriage - Too Puritan

[King Mayan]

It doesn't amuse me milwaukee...

But I don't understand how you can hate your wife.. After all you did have 2 kids with her right??

Just watching my kids play makes me love my wife MORE...

[The Giant]

Having multiple outs and always betting into the best line is critical.

Mike, have you ever suggested an open relationship with your wife? Swinging might be what you need to rekindle the passion. And if that doesn't work, at least you'll get to sample other products guilt-free.