Okay, it’s time I wind up this series – I suppose I could ramble on forever about this general subject but I think I would start repeating myself.  Plus there are other topics in my file that are begging to be addressed.

First, a short review of some of the “needs” to be a successful video poker player – 30 years ago or today:

A strong desire to be ONLY an advantage player

An adequate, even ample, bankroll

Heavy dependence on extras (promotions, slot club benefits, etc.)

Tremendous self-discipline and patience

Extreme flexibility

Highly-developed organizational skills

The  willingness to continually research and study and practice

Prudence in financial matters

Yes, all these things I’ve discussed are important.  But I have been saving my most important point in answering the title question:  SUCCESSFUL GAMBLING IS HARD WORK.

I hear you say, “But I want to have fun gambling.”   Brad and I do have fun playing video poker, but we would not enjoy it at all if it cost us money over the long term.  So in order for it to be fun for us we have to work hard so this fun doesn’t cost us any money.    If you are a true advantage player you probably understand this puzzling concept.  Others might understand it better if I called ourselves recreational advantage players.  Since we don’t depend on gambling for our living expenses, we can quit – and we will quit – playing video poker when it is no longer fun for us.

Again I must repeat what I have said so often:  Not everyone can be or even wants to be an advantage player.  Many …..no ….. most gamblers are not in a position, for myriad reasons, to pursue the advantage-player life.   And there are many of you reading this blog for which this is true.  (And please, I appreciate all of you who take time to write in the “Comments” here – but it is not helpful for you to put down those who have other goals than you do!)   I write for all my readers, giving ideas that might help every kind of gambler no matter what their goals might be.  The old saw, “knowledge is power,” relates to gambling as well as other aspects of life.  There are choices that don’t take much “work” but will allow you to play longer and thus extend your fun time.

I started this series mainly for the beginning video poker player, but I soon realized that the concepts could be helpful for those experienced players who are wondering if they can continue as they have in the past.  No, we don’t do things today exactly as we did 20 years ago (although as I write this, Brad is playing FPDW at the Palms right now for an hour or two on his way home from some free-play pickups). 

However, we still are able to make enough to pay for our fun.  And we aren’t the only ones!  I know players who are still doing it, on the quarter level, on dollars, and way up to multi-liners that take up to $250 and beyond for one hand.  If a casino takes out our “good machine,” we look for another play.  If a casino 86’s or no-mails us, we look for another play.  If the pickin’ gets slim in one area, we look to driving or flying to another.  We all are having to work harder and adjust, adjust, adjust.  We might have to play a game which is not our favorite.  We might have to pump up our bankroll and go up in denomination.  We might have to go down in denomination to find a decent play.

If you interviewed all these still-successful gamblers, you would probably find they spend more time searching for good plays than complaining about the ones that used-to-be.  And you would find that the overwhelming number of them have the qualities and habits that I have been discussing in this series

You still CAN do it!