Gambling Does Not Pay! Or Does It?

So I felt like a bit of a plum last night as I came back into the Wynn Hotel, having spent a couple of hours blowing $300 on slot machines at Treasure Island. I foolishly thought the change of scenery to a hotel across the road would change my luck, as I’d blown $200 the night before at The Wynn.

As I enter the hotel and I hear Rand Fishkin and Gillian from SEOMoz calling me from the other side of a yucca plant in the lobby. I told them I’d lost some dough – enough to pay the tiler for some work on my kitchen – and they felt sorry for me and took me for a slap up Italian dinner, which was jolly nice of them.

Fast-forward 22 hours….

I get back from the convention centre where PubCon 2007 is being held, (watch out for coverage later!) and walk through the casino to get to the lift (elevator) to my room.

In amongst the heaving throng of elite gamblers I spot my favourite slot machine, which has a kind of Wheel of Fortune thingy on the top. I hesitate because this one has a minimum stake of $5, and you have to bet $10 per spin to get a chance of spinning the wheel and collecting a fortune.

So like an idiot I get $10 out and stick it in!!!

The wheels spin for what seemed like eternity……………………Bar…………..Triple Bar…………………….FORTUNE SPIN!!!!!!!

I look up and I see I’m going to win AT LEAST $100 – not bad for a $10 stake – so I press the button and wait………..

The wheel stops on $500!!!!!!!!!!

So I “high 5” the nearest attendant (who tells me the biggest win he’s ever seen was $100k!) and cash out 🙂

Now I’m still only half way to the lift and I happen to pass another Wheel of Fortune machine which has a minimum 25c stake, so I think “it’s only ten bucks” and shove it in.

30 seconds later………….$252.25!!!!!!

So I’m now $250 up and never going to gamble again………….ever!!!

Just goes to show although gambling does not pay, persistence obviously does!