Barkley stiffing Wynn Casino

The last few times I've interviewed Barkley, I've noticed he has more of a blank look in his eyes. His tone of voice is like -- "I'm so sick of trying to come up with something witty to say." He's not the same as he used to be.

I wonder if that's the addiction.

Maybe he's always thinking: 'I'd rather be at the tables.'

 

It would also appear that after 25 years of gambling, Charles sucks at it. He apparently can afford to lose millions, so I wouldn't think he's playing over his financial head. But after 25 years of playing blackjack and losing hundreds of thousands of dollars at a sitting, he's the definition of insane, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

 

There's your definition of a degenerate gambler, to a tee. My old man spent every dime he could get his hands on at the track and while he didn't have Barkley's bankroll, he was no different.

While Barkley thinks the next few hands at the blackjack table will bail him out for the night or whatever, my old man figured the longshot in the next race would be the one to light up the board. In the end they just end up upping the ante playing more hands - or betting more longshots.

 

"Charles should have read my Book Of Virtues."

 

Read this book a couple of weeks ago by a gambling addict who spiraled completely out of control - and managed to bring down a crooked S&L he had tapped into for his bankroll. Reading it sobers you up in a hurry.

http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061341366/Bust/index.aspx

 

Back to the $5 video-poker machines, you pantload.

 

No suicidal is often the end result of an addiction- it make take some longer than others to get to that point but I guarantee you that anyone who suffers with a legitimate gambling addiction as contemplated ending it all at some point.

 

I was thinking of this thread today (yes, I even think of SJ when I'm not online, i'm sure you're all shocked ). We visited my wife's best friend and her family today. They live around Monticello, which is an incredibly poor part of upstate New York and where, you guessed it, a casino and raceway just opened. and there's at least one other casino (a Mohegan Sun operation) within a couple hours drive. Go to their website and you see a bunch of shiny happy handsome people all smiling. Ever been to Monticello? There aren't a whole lot of shiny happy handsome smiling people going to that casino.

This is what I should have been getting at when I was saying far more people stare into the abyss than not...casinos cater to those who can least afford to lose a shirt they can barely afford in the first place. People are lured in by the seductive power of the big bucks, but the house always wins. And let's face it, few people quit while they're ahead. The adrenaline gets pumping and you think you can always win bigger. But who does? I can only imagine the desperation if you're going to the casino to make money instead of planning to lose "X" amount and being content with that.

Of all the things I admire about my dad, his ability to get up from a table after he's won "X" amount, say good night, get in the car, drive home and put that money to the side for the next time he goes to the casino ranks very high on the list.

 

Monticello (the harness raceway/dump) has been there for quite a while.

 

Atlantic City is a cesspool, too.

I just don't get why people think going there and giving their money away is fun.