Doubts about mickeycrimm

[kewlj]

i just don't see how advantage slots remain a thing much longer. the casino doesn't need them for the routine players, which is who they care about, and have created an entire new set of problems for themselves with their proliferation.

Then you don't understand the relationship between AP and casino.

With blackjack and card counting do you know what the 2 best periods for casinos were in the last 65 years?

1) early 60's just after Ed Thorp's book beat the dealer came out.

2) 2006-2008 after several books and the movie "21" came out about the MIT blackjack teams of the 90's.


The best thing that can happen to casinos is the masses knowing that games can be beat. For every person capable of doing so with hard work and discipline there are 1000 that fail. Don't have the knowledge, discipline, or bankroll.

[Tellafriend]

The best thing that can happen to casinos is the masses knowing that games can be beat. For every person capable of doing so with hard work and discipline there are 1000 that fail. Don't have the knowledge, discipline, or bankroll.

sounds like wishful thinking on your part. the ploppies will never care to, much less try, to figure out how to beat these machines and they who the casinos care about.

[mickeycrimm]

Also, Bob Dancer and Richard Munchkin have interviewed advantage slot players, including me, on Gambling With An Edge.

But Mickey still did not realize that edge or no, gamblers are bottom feeding life loser retards. Making him an alcoholic, crippled, country stupid bottom feeding life loser retard, regardless of how many other bottom feeding life loser retards listened to him on podcasts, because while he was sleeping in a dozen mens dried cum at Motel 8, real people were in bed with their loved ones, or kissing their children good night, or almost anything else than what Mickey called a life well spent.

That's your opinion. I'm happy for ya. But your opinion is what losers write. Ask your boss for a 25 cent an hour raise.

[tgull]

Also, Bob Dancer and Richard Munchkin have interviewed advantage slot players, including me, on Gambling With An Edge.

But Mickey still did not realize that edge or no, gamblers are bottom feeding life loser retards. Making him an alcoholic, crippled, country stupid bottom feeding life loser retard, regardless of how many other bottom feeding life loser retards listened to him on podcasts, because while he was sleeping in a dozen mens dried cum at Motel 8, real people were in bed with their loved ones, or kissing their children good night, or almost anything else than what Mickey called a life well spent.

I would not go that far, but the professional gamblers I have been around just are incredibly miserable. It's just the mental grind, because even when you have winning days you have losing days. Even though I did really well stock picking the last several years, I am likely done, going back to index funds. Stock picking is the worse form of gambling because you feel you are not doing anything wrong because after all, its reputable versus going to a casino which is viewed as seedy. But the losses can accelerate much quicker. The down days are just brutal on individual stocks, and I got down $300,000 at one point and just in a mental fog. Now it all came back and then began making money, but even my wife was like is this worth the stress? Actually no. You make a $100,000 you get socked 37% the next year, you lose $100,000 and you get to write off a whopping $3,000 a year for 33 years. Yeah if you are trading millions I guess it makes sense, but for most its a losing proposition, factor in the stress its not worth it. Now if you are in a wheel chair at the buffet line getting comped and able to make it to the Quality Inn, I guess maybe it is, I dunno.

[mickeycrimm]

But Mickey still did not realize that edge or no, gamblers are bottom feeding life loser retards. Making him an alcoholic, crippled, country stupid bottom feeding life loser retard, regardless of how many other bottom feeding life loser retards listened to him on podcasts, because while he was sleeping in a dozen mens dried cum at Motel 8, real people were in bed with their loved ones, or kissing their children good night, or almost anything else than what Mickey called a life well spent.

I would not go that far, but the professional gamblers I have been around just are incredibly miserable. It's just the mental grind, because even when you have winning days you have losing days. Even though I did really well stock picking the last several years, I am likely done, going back to index funds. Stock picking is the worse form of gambling because you feel you are not doing anything wrong because after all, its reputable versus going to a casino which is viewed as seedy. But the losses can accelerate much quicker. The down days are just brutal on individual stocks, and I got down $300,000 at one point and just in a mental fog. Now it all came back and then began making money, but even my wife was like is this worth the stress? Actually no. You make a $100,000 you get socked 37% the next year, you lose $100,000 and you get to write off a whopping $3,000 a year for 33 years. Yeah if you are trading millions I guess it makes sense, but for most its a losing proposition, factor in the stress its not worth it. Now if you are in a wheel chair at the buffet line getting comped and able to make it to the Quality Inn, I guess maybe it is, I dunno.

I admit to staying in a lot of Quality Inns but there haven’t been any buffets in the casinos for years. And the wheel chair is a very recent thing.

[sonatine]

I would not go that far, but the professional gamblers I have been around just are incredibly miserable. It's just the mental grind, because even when you have winning days you have losing days. Even though I did really well stock picking the last several years, I am likely done, going back to index funds. Stock picking is the worse form of gambling because you feel you are not doing anything wrong because after all, its reputable versus going to a casino which is viewed as seedy. But the losses can accelerate much quicker. The down days are just brutal on individual stocks, and I got down $300,000 at one point and just in a mental fog. Now it all came back and then began making money, but even my wife was like is this worth the stress? Actually no. You make a $100,000 you get socked 37% the next year, you lose $100,000 and you get to write off a whopping $3,000 a year for 33 years. Yeah if you are trading millions I guess it makes sense, but for most its a losing proposition, factor in the stress its not worth it. Now if you are in a wheel chair at the buffet line getting comped and able to make it to the Quality Inn, I guess maybe it is, I dunno.

I admit to staying in a lot of Quality Inns but there haven’t been any buffets in the casinos for years. And the wheel chair is a very recent thing.

there are pictures of you in it from years ago. im starting to think youre dementing.

[tgull]

I admit to staying in a lot of Quality Inns but there haven’t been any buffets in the casinos for years. And the wheel chair is a very recent thing.

there are pictures of you in it from years ago. im starting to think youre dementing.

The bigger scandal is staying at multiple Quality Inns. I stayed at one, once. I was in a snowstorm and just needed a place to bunk and it was fucking disgusting. I am no clean freak but when you see tonenail clippings on the bathroom floor and when the heat comes up is sounds like a 747 landing you don't go back even if you have a free room. But if you are getting a free breakfast and able to stuff packaged muffins and apples in your bag and feel like you are ahead, then whatever.

[sonatine]

there are pictures of you in it from years ago. im starting to think youre dementing.

The bigger scandal is staying at multiple Quality Inns. I stayed at one, once. I was in a snowstorm and just needed a place to bunk and it was fucking disgusting. I am no clean freak but when you see tonenail clippings on the bathroom floor and when the heat comes up is sounds like a 747 landing you don't go back even if you have a free room. But if you are getting a free breakfast and able to stuff packaged muffins and apples in your bag and feel like you are ahead, then whatever.

imagine making a lifestyle choice where this is somehow +EV. imagine being like 'well if god comes down here and finds me squandering his gift of life so i can eek out a fraction of a percent in advantage on these slot machines, so be it'.

i have more respect for the fent addicts in their sidewalk tent cities.

[Dan Druff]

I know some of you have joked about Dan Druff arguing over the phone with some casino flunky over what might amount to a twenty dollar bill. LOL! In doing so Druff exudes all the symptoms of a serious professional gambler that understands the importance of bankroll and will fight for every dime.

On Gambling With An Edge, Richard Munchkin once asked a rhetorical question of professional blackjack players along the lines of "You've fought hard and built up your bankroll. At what point do you stop staying in the flea bag hotels and start staying at the Hampton Inn?" I know for some hard core professional gamblers the answer is "Never!"

Munch also told a story about a professional BJ player he knew whose goal was to build a million dollar bankroll. The guy was at about 800K when Munchkin had to visit his apartment to discuss a blackjack play they were going to put down on a casino. Munch said the guy lived in a cheap apartment on the seedy side of town. The apartment was sparsley furnished. There weren't even curtains on the windows. The guy had been living there for two years.

So here we have a guy with an 800K cash bankroll that won't even buy curtains for the windows.


A friend of mine, Frank Kneeland, the author of The Secret World of Video Poker Progressives told the story of running a video poker team for someone back in the nineties. They were on a play and got stretched out, ran out of money, so he had to go to the boss's house to get some more money. The guy handed him six bundles of hundreds all rubber banded up, each bundle worth 10K. As Frank was walking back to his car the guy yelled "Hey! Save the rubber bands!"

The guy just handed over 60K like it was nothing but didn't like squandering money on rubber bands.

The moral of these stories is there are professional gamblers out there that don't give a rats ass about anything but their bankroll and how big it is. They won't even buy curtains for their windows. It IS a truism in gambling that the bigger the bankroll the more money you can make. The number one objective in professional gambling is to survive. The bigger the bankroll the easier to survive. The number two objective is to create wealth.

While I wasn't as fanatical as some of the above there were areas in which I would slash expenses to grow bankroll more quickly. Hotel costs was one of them.

I half agree here.

When I lived in Vegas in the 2000s, I had two okayish 2-bedroom apartments in not-so-great-but-not-terrible areas.

Fellow mid-high limit pros were living in Panorama or other nice complexes. Or they bought/rented nice houses in Summerlin. I furnished them with various low-middle end '90s stuff I had lying around from when I was just starting out working in California. If you visited me, without knowing anything further, you'd have believed I was a working class service employee.

People asked me all the time when I was going to buy something, when I was going to upgrade. It made sense. You'd see me at $300/$600 limit online and wonder how I could not be living better. Like Mickey, I just wanted to keep expenses down and try to accumulate money. I was open to buying something better, but only if it would appreciate, and I was fearful of the 2000s real estate bubble I knew was coming.

There was one benefit of all of this, and that involved girls. I despise gold diggers. I would never want to date someone who was primarily with me because they perceived I had money. When I was dating in the late 2000s, there were a lot of younger women in Vegas who legitimately liked older men, and not because of money. There were other young women in Vegas who were after the money. Usually I could tell the difference, but sometimes it could be tough. It was nice to bring them over to my apartment, appear working class, and then be able to tell if they were interested in me because they actually liked me. Once I was confident in this, I would tell them the truth regarding who I was and my status as a then-upper-stakes poker pro. Most young women at the time didn't follow poker closely enough to know who I was.

I also don't typically stay in upper end hotels when I travel. Something like the Hampton is usually fine, though I can also enjoy a very nice place if I'm getting a really good deal on it.

However, what I won't do, unless desperate, is stay at a budget motel. I just can't. The customer service is shitty, the places are gross, and the people staying there are gross. I'm not at all a snob, but there's something to be said about avoiding the bottom of society (and by avoiding patronizing businesses which assume you're at the bottom of society). Whatever money I'm saving at these places just isn't worth it.

If we have 3 hotels:

Budget $70
Midgrade $120
Upper end $300

... the midgrade is by FAR the best value, and it's not even close.

[mickeycrimm]

there are pictures of you in it from years ago. im starting to think youre dementing.

The bigger scandal is staying at multiple Quality Inns. I stayed at one, once. I was in a snowstorm and just needed a place to bunk and it was fucking disgusting. I am no clean freak but when you see tonenail clippings on the bathroom floor and when the heat comes up is sounds like a 747 landing you don't go back even if you have a free room. But if you are getting a free breakfast and able to stuff packaged muffins and apples in your bag and feel like you are ahead, then whatever.

I’ve stayed in many outstanding Quality Inns. Stick your bullshit up your ass. You stay where you want to stay. I’ll stay where I want to stay. And if you don’t like where I stay I don’t give a fuck.

[Dan Druff]

Some brands have changed over the years and now are crap, whereas in the past they were okay (or even good).

Not sure about Quality Inn, but Ramada is a good example of this. Ramada used to be a solid brand, and now most of them are complete dumps.

Even some high end brands are not what they once were. Hilton bought the Waldorf brand, and ruined it. They're not dumps, but they aren't what they used to be.

[mickeycrimm]

I know some of you have joked about Dan Druff arguing over the phone with some casino flunky over what might amount to a twenty dollar bill. LOL! In doing so Druff exudes all the symptoms of a serious professional gambler that understands the importance of bankroll and will fight for every dime.

On Gambling With An Edge, Richard Munchkin once asked a rhetorical question of professional blackjack players along the lines of "You've fought hard and built up your bankroll. At what point do you stop staying in the flea bag hotels and start staying at the Hampton Inn?" I know for some hard core professional gamblers the answer is "Never!"

Munch also told a story about a professional BJ player he knew whose goal was to build a million dollar bankroll. The guy was at about 800K when Munchkin had to visit his apartment to discuss a blackjack play they were going to put down on a casino. Munch said the guy lived in a cheap apartment on the seedy side of town. The apartment was sparsley furnished. There weren't even curtains on the windows. The guy had been living there for two years.

So here we have a guy with an 800K cash bankroll that won't even buy curtains for the windows.


A friend of mine, Frank Kneeland, the author of The Secret World of Video Poker Progressives told the story of running a video poker team for someone back in the nineties. They were on a play and got stretched out, ran out of money, so he had to go to the boss's house to get some more money. The guy handed him six bundles of hundreds all rubber banded up, each bundle worth 10K. As Frank was walking back to his car the guy yelled "Hey! Save the rubber bands!"

The guy just handed over 60K like it was nothing but didn't like squandering money on rubber bands.

The moral of these stories is there are professional gamblers out there that don't give a rats ass about anything but their bankroll and how big it is. They won't even buy curtains for their windows. It IS a truism in gambling that the bigger the bankroll the more money you can make. The number one objective in professional gambling is to survive. The bigger the bankroll the easier to survive. The number two objective is to create wealth.

While I wasn't as fanatical as some of the above there were areas in which I would slash expenses to grow bankroll more quickly. Hotel costs was one of them.

I half agree here.

When I lived in Vegas in the 2000s, I had two okayish 2-bedroom apartments in not-so-great-but-not-terrible areas.

Fellow mid-high limit pros were living in Panorama or other nice complexes. Or they bought/rented nice houses in Summerlin. I furnished them with various low-middle end '90s stuff I had lying around from when I was just starting out working in California. If you visited me, without knowing anything further, you'd have believed I was a working class service employee.

People asked me all the time when I was going to buy something, when I was going to upgrade. It made sense. You'd see me at $300/$600 limit online and wonder how I could not be living better. Like Mickey, I just wanted to keep expenses down and try to accumulate money. I was open to buying something better, but only if it would appreciate, and I was fearful of the 2000s real estate bubble I knew was coming.

There was one benefit of all of this, and that involved girls. I despise gold diggers. I would never want to date someone who was primarily with me because they perceived I had money. When I was dating in the late 2000s, there were a lot of younger women in Vegas who legitimately liked older men, and not because of money. There were other young women in Vegas who were after the money. Usually I could tell the difference, but sometimes it could be tough. It was nice to bring them over to my apartment, appear working class, and then be able to tell if they were interested in me because they actually liked me. Once I was confident in this, I would tell them the truth regarding who I was and my status as a then-upper-stakes poker pro. Most young women at the time didn't follow poker closely enough to know who I was.

I also don't typically stay in upper end hotels when I travel. Something like the Hampton is usually fine, though I can also enjoy a very nice place if I'm getting a really good deal on it.

However, what I won't do, unless desperate, is stay at a budget motel. I just can't. The customer service is shitty, the places are gross, and the people staying there are gross. I'm not at all a snob, but there's something to be said about avoiding the bottom of society (and by avoiding patronizing businesses which assume you're at the bottom of society). Whatever money I'm saving at these places just isn't worth it.

If we have 3 hotels:

Budget $70
Midgrade $120
Upper end $300

... the midgrade is by FAR the best value, and it's not even close.

To each his own. I can see where a 300-600 player thinks 120 is the bargain. But us lowly slot players are on a different budget.

300 nights per year at $70 per night 21K
300 nights per year at $120 36K
300 nights per year at $300 90K

[Dan Druff]

Yes, to each his own.

I'm not a 300-600 player anymore, btw. Too stressful.

I'm just stating that I can't stand "budget" hotels, aside from the few which are surprisingly clean and comfortable. For example, I had no choice but to stay in a budget hotel near Bryce Canyon, UT (to the south of it), and I expected it to be a shithole. It was like $60/night and literally on top of a gas station convenience store. I was shocked when it was clean, had comfortable beds, the clientele was totally fine, and the staff was nice. When I checked in, the guy behind the desk said, "Checkout is 11am, but if you leave later, no problem... we're easy here!"

But usually it's the opposite experience. The day after, again where I had no choice but to stay at a budget motel, it was a shitty place with a broken ice machine, bathroom window stuck shut, and a maid who yelled at me because it was 11:05 and I wasn't out of the room yet, even though checkout was 11 and she could see all my luggage was packed.

[tgull]

Some brands have changed over the years and now are crap, whereas in the past they were okay (or even good).

Not sure about Quality Inn, but Ramada is a good example of this. Ramada used to be a solid brand, and now most of them are complete dumps.

Even some high end brands are not what they once were. Hilton bought the Waldorf brand, and ruined it. They're not dumps, but they aren't what they used to be.

Hampton is the floor for hotels for me. They are fine for a night, but I prefer the hotels with two room suites, they are about $150 on average. I just don't like sitting two feet from my bed watching TV, and having the living room suite just adds to the comfort factor.

You are correct, Ramada Inn have went down hill. Despite what mickey says Quality Inns are a dump, they almost always have doors that open up to the outside parking lots, they are Red Roof Inn quality. The housekeeping is always quite suspect, but mickey would not care about that.

Ironically the hotels I dislike the most are the downtown ones. I stayed at the Hyatt in downtown Chicago last year and the rooms were $189, which sounds reasonable until you find out parking is $70 a day. Also, I have noticed in downtown hotels many are just flat out old built in the 60s and 70s, and while they have been refurbished you just know you are in a really old building, small rooms, 8 feet ceilings, rickety elevators. That another thing about downtown hotels, they are generally 25 floors or so, if you are near the top plan on five stops every time which is a huge pain. Also, if you have ever been trapped in a elevator before, it enters your mind as well. I got stuck on one for an hour once, it was cramped and the worst experience of my life. I always request a second floor room and generally just take the stairs if I can.

[tgull]

Yes, to each his own.

I'm not a 300-600 player anymore, btw. Too stressful.

I'm just stating that I can't stand "budget" hotels, aside from the few which are surprisingly clean and comfortable. For example, I had no choice but to stay in a budget hotel near Bryce Canyon, UT (to the south of it), and I expected it to be a shithole. It was like $60/night and literally on top of a gas station convenience store. I was shocked when it was clean, had comfortable beds, the clientele was totally fine, and the staff was nice. When I checked in, the guy behind the desk said, "Checkout is 11am, but if you leave later, no problem... we're easy here!"

But usually it's the opposite experience. The day after, again where I had no choice but to stay at a budget motel, it was a shitty place with a broken ice machine, bathroom window stuck shut, and a maid who yelled at me because it was 11:05 and I wasn't out of the room yet, even though checkout was 11 and she could see all my luggage was packed.

This happened to me years ago, a Holiday Inn Express. I was on an important call that ran past 11:00am. The maid banged on my door and I politely said I would be done in a few minutes. About 10 minutes later I got another knock, this time it was the manager and he fucking said, if you don't not leave your room in 5 minutes I have no choice but to charge you another day, My call had just wrapped and I asked him if it was ok if I took a piss before I left. I further said he was more than willing to charge me whatever he wanted, I would simply call up AMEX and reverse the changes the day they posted. I wrote a letter to the franchise owner, he called a profusely apologized and said he would talk to the manager.

[Dan Druff]

Some brands have changed over the years and now are crap, whereas in the past they were okay (or even good).

Not sure about Quality Inn, but Ramada is a good example of this. Ramada used to be a solid brand, and now most of them are complete dumps.

Even some high end brands are not what they once were. Hilton bought the Waldorf brand, and ruined it. They're not dumps, but they aren't what they used to be.

Hampton is the floor for hotels for me. They are fine for a night, but I prefer the hotels with two room suites, they are about $150 on average. I just don't like sitting two feet from my bed watching TV, and having the living room suite just adds to the comfort factor.

You are correct, Ramada Inn have went down hill. Despite what mickey says Quality Inns are a dump, they almost always have doors that open up to the outside parking lots, they are Red Roof Inn quality. The housekeeping is always quite suspect, but mickey would not care about that.

Ironically the hotels I dislike the most are the downtown ones. I stayed at the Hyatt in downtown Chicago last year and the rooms were $189, which sounds reasonable until you find out parking is $70 a day. Also, I have noticed in downtown hotels many are just flat out old built in the 60s and 70s, and while they have been refurbished you just know you are in a really old building, small rooms, 8 feet ceilings, rickety elevators. That another thing about downtown hotels, they are generally 25 floors or so, if you are near the top plan on five stops every time which is a huge pain. Also, if you have ever been trapped in a elevator before, it enters your mind as well. I got stuck on one for an hour once, it was cramped and the worst experience of my life. I always request a second floor room and generally just take the stairs if I can.

Agree about the downtown hotels.

When I see the cool looking picture of it lit up among the nighttime skyline, I think, "Wow this is cool, I would love to stay here", and then reality sets in. I read Tripadvisor reviews featuring exactly the complaints you listed above -- old, beaten up, small, bad elevators, etc. I end up opting for a low-rise hotel a few miles from downtown.

I do want to stay someday at the Hampton in downtown Cincinnati, but only because that's where WKRP in Cincinnati took place:

[tigerpiper]

Yes, to each his own.



But usually it's the opposite experience. The day after, again where I had no choice but to stay at a budget motel, it was a shitty place with a broken ice machine, bathroom window stuck shut, and a maid who yelled at me because it was 11:05 and I wasn't out of the room yet, even though checkout was 11 and she could see all my luggage was packed.

I just finished a family trip to London and the UK. We stayed at three types of places, with very little advance booking except for the first couple of days.

Ranked 1) Premier Inn. This is a budget chain in the UK but were always clean, nice mattresses, great showers. I was impressed. 2) Various Hilton properties. We are friends and family and usually get great rates, but these were just ok. Usually Doubletrees. 3) VRBO- nut low. Dirty, bad beds, pictures did not match reality.

So check out the Premier Inns if you are in England.

[mickeycrimm]

I had a hotel manager banging hard on my door at 11 AM and screaming for me to leave which I was about to do. I had already packed up and moved my stuff to the vehicle. The dude had me pissed so I climbed out the window and left him screaming and banging on the door. I could see him as I drove away. He was still screaming and banging.

[mickeycrimm]

All hotels no matter their grade can have problems. The Wynn Las Vegas has bed bug dogs.

[mickeycrimm]

Some brands have changed over the years and now are crap, whereas in the past they were okay (or even good).

Not sure about Quality Inn, but Ramada is a good example of this. Ramada used to be a solid brand, and now most of them are complete dumps.

Even some high end brands are not what they once were. Hilton bought the Waldorf brand, and ruined it. They're not dumps, but they aren't what they used to be.

Hampton is the floor for hotels for me. They are fine for a night, but I prefer the hotels with two room suites, they are about $150 on average. I just don't like sitting two feet from my bed watching TV, and having the living room suite just adds to the comfort factor.

You are correct, Ramada Inn have went down hill. Despite what mickey says Quality Inns are a dump, they almost always have doors that open up to the outside parking lots, they are Red Roof Inn quality. The housekeeping is always quite suspect, but mickey would not care about that.

Ironically the hotels I dislike the most are the downtown ones. I stayed at the Hyatt in downtown Chicago last year and the rooms were $189, which sounds reasonable until you find out parking is $70 a day. Also, I have noticed in downtown hotels many are just flat out old built in the 60s and 70s, and while they have been refurbished you just know you are in a really old building, small rooms, 8 feet ceilings, rickety elevators. That another thing about downtown hotels, they are generally 25 floors or so, if you are near the top plan on five stops every time which is a huge pain. Also, if you have ever been trapped in a elevator before, it enters your mind as well. I got stuck on one for an hour once, it was cramped and the worst experience of my life. I always request a second floor room and generally just take the stairs if I can.

T, I've stayed in many Quality Inns. I don't think I ever stayed in one that had outside entrances. They are all inside entrances.

I don't begrudge anyone wanting to stay in a nice motel. But there is a difference between most people and me. I was essentially a small business. I had a business expense of staying at least 300 nights a year in hotels. I had a mix of fully paid nights, discounted nights and fully comped rooms from both the casinos and the hotel chains. My hotel bill for the year could have been 25K, 30K or higher. But it was actually only about 10K a year. I put the savings in my bankroll. You may not be willing to make that sacrifice but I WAS.

Right now, Choice Privileges Hotels has a promotion where you get 8000 reward points for a 2-night stay. It takes about 12000 points to get a decent free room. You can do it 3 times by Jan 5 which means paying for 6 nights and getting 2 nights free. This is the type of stuff I worked.