The gambling scam

Gambling is such a ripoff! Don't people realize the odds are stacked heavily, almost totally, in favor of the casinos! Gamblers are almost guaranteed to loose.

And don't get me started on online gambling. I'm not even talking about those "accredited" online establishments that are regulated in some countries, like William Hill, etc. The odds are still stacked against you there. No, what I'm referring to, is the various gambling websites operating anonymously from offshore havens, and the like. Any sane person would tell you that there is no way to be sure they don't just outright cheat or, at the very least, have the odds even more piled in their own favor. (And I'm sure you realize you have no redress against them whatsoever, and it's totally illegal - in the States, anyway.)

Which leads me to believe most gamblers are totally insane, or simply have too much money, so they can just throw it away!

OK, I will give you this - there are some gambling games of skill (notably, poker), but even there, only the very best will win, sometimes. And only the cream of the crop can make a decent living off it. For the rest of us, there's almost no chance of ever taking the casinos to the cleaners, or even just breaking even.

And hey, don't get me started on those tall tales and stories of the "big win"! You almost never hear how much people have lost before winning something ... If you tally it up, most loose much more than they ever win, or could win.

I guess, the only upside to gambling and casinos is to stave off boredom. I mean, if you're, like, 70 and bored out of your mind at the retirement home, by all means, go ahead and play the slots all day long at your local casino. It will keep you busy, help your hand-eye coordination, reduce your estate for tax purposes and so the kids won't inherit everything and have it too easy, and, maybe even fight the onset of Alzheimer's or dementia ...

But should you decide to gamble, do me a favor will you, and PLEASE don't ever use money you cannot afford to loose; money you need - that simply is a recipe for disaster! OK? Please always gamble responsibly, ALWAYS!