First time I won $100 or more gambling

[BigJay]

1989 Super Bowl - Bengals-Niners

My dad had a friend going to Vegas for Super Bowl weekend.

I had won my dad’s $5 entry weekly office pool a 2-3 times that year (usually paid out about $60).

He wanted to know if I wanted to bet and who I thought we should bet on. He’s a pretty conservative guy so I was surprised he let me send most of my savings from those office pool winnings and some lawn care me and a buddy did.

I told him I thought Niners might win but I think we should take Bengals and the points (+7)

We each sent $110 to win $100. Man that was a fun game to watch. Thought the Bengals were going to win outright until the Montana-John Taylor score.

Turned out to be pretty easy money. We were going crazy when the Bengals returned that long kickoff for a score to take a touchdown lead. Pretty easy sailing after that.

 

[BigJay]

Before this bet it was just me and my friends betting $5-10 bucks playing video games, etc

Or betting baseball cards worth $5-10

 

[BigJay]

@stormtrooper8 talking about his Bengals and their postseason history in another thread made me remember this bet and the good times it brought

 

[KVB]

First time I won a hudred gambling might have been the harness races at Cal Expo.

Unless you count the overnight session where we figured out the coin operated horse racing machine and started cleaning up when it started repeating races and results.

Anybody ever play this thing?...

 

[KVB]

I had every race and result it ran written down.

When we realized it was repeating, we couldn't put coins in that thing fast enough.

Good times, some of the best.

 

[BigJay]

Unless you count the overnight session where we figured out the coin operated horse racing machine and started cleaning up when it started repeating races and results.

Awesome

 

[BigJay]

It’s funny that $100 meant more to me then I guarantee than the $2,400 I’ll collect if Ohio State wins tomorrow does now

 

[KVB]

It’s funny that $100 meant more to me then I guarantee than the $2,400 I’ll collect if Ohio State wins tomorrow does now

Right?

I thought we were the shit back then for beating that machine. We were just living ghetto fabulous but man it felt right.

 

[djefferis]

First time I won a hudred gambling might have been the harness races at Cal Expo.

Unless you count the overnight session where we figured out the coin operated horse racing machine and started cleaning up when it started repeating races and results.

Anybody ever play this thing?...

Used to have one at the Imperial Palace in LV.

Yes - that thing was amazingly simple to win at if you paid attention to results. Betting exactas and long shots.

 

[KVB]

We spent that night at Harvey's in Lake Tahoe cleaning house.

At about 7 am the next morning they came over, opened the machine, and plugged something into it.

Then they unplugged and walked away.

Races were the same, but results starting varying far more than they had all night long.

Oh they knew we were there alright.

They fukkin' knew.

 

[djefferis]

Making me want to look and see if I can’t find one of those things now.

Probably too big for the house though at this point - need to either wait till we move to a place with a bigger basement or finish more of the basement to have space for one.

Always enjoyed working around coin op stuff. Wish I had a bigger workspace/showroom.

 

[BigJay]

Right?

I thought we were the shit back then for beating that machine. We were just living ghetoo fabulous but man it felt right.

No doubt.

We thought we were living large when our friend who worked the window at McDonald’s or other fast-food places gave us a hookup and filled a couple of bags

Those were the days

We even had a code order at Mickey D’s to let our friends know it was us. I think our order was two chicken sandwiches extra mayo and a medium water with extra ice.

They’d know it was on. $2 total and they’d give us $20 worth of food to feed 4-5 of us in the car

 

[djefferis]

Funny how we remember the big wins and losses early.

2 I’ll never forget.

Tyson vs Lewis - was out in Vegas with the old man on a company sponsored vacay. Old man had mentioned many times how it was always his “dream” to just toss 1k on a hand of blackjack or something - not giving a shit about the result (he was the cheapest gambler I have ever known - seriously would walk away from a table on a hit streak just because he finally went up $3 and got a free buffet coupon or something.

Anyway - had been shooting dice all night and had a hell of a night - won like 6k. Caught up with him the next morning at the buffet and handed him a 1k chip and said here - have fun. He refused to take it.

We were leaving before the fight and I said I was putting 1k on Lewis. He was something like -300 from memory. Had no idea what prop bets were - and guy at the table started talking about Lewis in the 6th round at 20-1. So told the old man let’s just do that then instead. Went to bet it and clerk said odds changed to 12:1 when I tried to bet it. Said f’it - what about the 8th round - still 20:1 - yep…gimme that then for a dime.

Hit it of course and was on cloud 9 - had a hell of a fun Sunday the next day and then showed up to work Monday morning and got shit canned (boss hated me and I was a high commission earner - so if they fired me and offered my job back resetting commision bank they’d save a ton) - laughed on my way out saying I didn’t give a shit - I was 10k richer and was going to enjoy a 2nd trip to Vegas to collect my winnings. Offered my job back 3 days later and I shocked them saying no - went on to make a career out of a job I never felt would last 3 years. Oh and the old man refused his 10k share - I did gift him a shotgun I won that Sunday though playing a tip board at local club.

Worst loss - would have been around 1990 - I was 15 years old then - old (to me at the time) guy at the baseball card shop was BS’ing with me and said he had just gotten in a cello box of 1980 baseball cards. He said “you should buy one - your luck you’ll pull a Henderson rookie. Was like $5 a pack (a lot of cash back then) - anyway I said no - he said I’m serious - I think this pack has a Henderson rookie in it and pulled one out. I said you open it then - he said I’ll tell you what - I’ll give you even money I’m right for $100. It’s there - I win, it’s not - you win. Shit - absolute no brainer - there’s 800 cards in a set and like 25 in a cello pack - so even money he pulls one no freaking way not to take that.

Last freaking card from bottom (because of course you could see the bottom card on a cello - he freaking hits it !! Learned a very important lesson that day about how the cards were packed and if you had the freaking list you could tell what cards were in a pack. It cost me $100 - but I got an old dot matrix printout of the order of 1980 Topps baseball cards and several others. Anytime I saw loose packs from then on - you knew damn well I consulted that list. Also started making my own list for 1989 Fleet with the Griffey and Ripken cards (hint - if you see one with a Canseco 40/40 special card - buy it - Ripken is in the pack). Some shit you just never forget.

 

[BobbyFK]

Very nice win! You always remember you're first wager

 

[Wagerallsports]

First time I won a hudred gambling might have been the harness races at Cal Expo.

Unless you count the overnight session where we figured out the coin operated horse racing machine and started cleaning up when it started repeating races and results.

Anybody ever play this thing?...

I don’t know a lot about horse racing but I loved these machines!

 

[Wagerallsports]

First time I ever deposited money online was $20 to The Sands Casino

I did it to learn to play craps before I went to Vegas

I took that $20 to over $5,000 as numbers just keep hitting & hitting (sounds far-fetched I know)

I never collected a dime of it

 

[KVB]

I think the biggest loss ever happened with this shot.

I had Spurs to win the series, spurs that game, and all kinds of spurs tied with all kinds of winners. It wasn't just the risk I lost there, but the potential in parlay payouts as well.

Allen ties the game and Miami goes on to win the series.

Fuk...

 

[BigJay]

I think the biggest loss ever happened with this shot.

I had Spurs to win the series, spurs that game, and all kinds of spurs tied with all kinds of winners. It wasn't just the risk I lost there, but the potential in parlay payouts as well.

Allen ties the game and Miami goes on to win the series.

Fuk...

Huge Spurs fan here @KVB

Live about 30 minutes from the stadium and have been to many games, especially during the title run years

Me and the ex went to a lot of the playoff games 2012-2014. If we didn’t go the best local theater in town, one of the first to have the super comfy seats and full menu with waiters, would show the playoff games and we’d go

We were in Ft. Lauderdale on our way to Key West for a week for game 6. We really thought about going. Didn’t pull the trigger. This game made us sick.

Still can’t believe Pop didn’t have Duncan in the game late to grab the rebound