The legacy of The Gambler
Dear Mark,
Were you surprised when the Navajo Indians recently voted
against casino gambling on their reservation? I thought
that every tribe wants casino gaming. Why didn't the Navajos
jump on the wagon train (pardon the pun). Brady M.
If you believe in the Navajo legend, of The Gambler, you
would know that gambling has a deep cultural resonance for
the Navajo. Their oral tradition has many stories warning
against the dangers of overindulging in gambling. Also,
tribal president Albert Hales opposed the measure because
federal law requires the Navajos to negotiate a casino agreement
with the states. Hale believes that such an agreement erodes
the tribe's status as a sovereign nation.
Plus, the tribe voted against casino gambling on their reservation
just three years ago. So, Brady, for the above reasons,
particularly the traditional myth of an out-of-control gambler
who goes out and wins-and then loses-everything, I was not
surprised by the Navajo's rejection of casino gambling.
As legend has it, the tale begins when the Spirit of the
Sun, a gambler himself, wants a large piece of turquoise
held by a Pueblo tribe. The sun sends his son, The Gambler,
to Earth to wager for the invaluable sea-green stone. The
Gambler is unbeatable.
He wins the rain, snow, plants and flowers, and everything
else in sight, leaving the tribe impoverished. Eventually
The Gambler wins the turquoise but wants to gamble against
his father for it. So the Spirit of the Sun teaches his
other offspring how to gamble and win the turquoise back
from his brother. The second son is victorious and ultimately
he shoots The Gambler into the sky with his large bow.
So, Brady, you decide. Was it being at the states' mercy,
a rebuff three years earlier, or folklore that tells its
people to be very cautious when it comes to gambling? Myself,
I believe in ni'hwiilbiihi, "the one that wins the
people."
Dear Mark,
I got into a beef with a pit boss over picking up my pass
line bet after the point was made. Can a pass line bet be
taken off the table once a point has been established? Don
D.
A pass line bet is a contract wager committing your participation until an eventual outcome. Sorry, Don; it lays, it plays.
Dear
Mark,
In past columns, you've stated the benefits of playing slots
that advertise returns of 98.5% versus machines that pay
back 93%. Come on, Mark, we're talking just a few dollars
difference. What's the big deal? Noreen D.
The
"big deal" is that the casino knows the average
Joe and Josephine don't play through their money just once
but keeps playing their tray (credit) return over and over
again during the course of their stay. That's why finding
higher payback machines is so important. Example: On a 93%
return machine if you were to play your entire $100, you
can expect back, "in theory," $93. Of course,
the casino anticipates your playing the $93, so expect a
return of $86.
Put in the $86, and your return will be $80. Play through
the $80, get back, $74. Can you see, Noreen, how the casino
is grinding away at your crispy Ben Franklin?
Now, using the same example on a machine returning 98.5%,
put in $100 and get back $98.50. Play that, and you'll get
$97 back. Put in the $97, expect a return of $95.
Of course this is all based on a pre-programmed computer
chip in the slot, but see how much better it is to play
the higher payback machines? It keeps you in action much
longer, long enough possibly to hit a decent jackpot.
SPORTS BETTING TIPS
Sports betting is a game of skill. Find out how to gather and analyze data, weigh probabilities, and compare your opinion with the oddsmaker... read more »
RACEBOOK TIPS
Professional bookmaking for horseracing emerged in England during the 1800's. During this period, bookmaking was conducted by various individuals. Regulation as we know it did not exist... read more »