Is Gambling to Do with Nature or Nurture?

It's an interesting question. 

I am part of a horse racing Facebook page - Craig's Betting Blog. It's a new page with about 34 members. I help Craig promote his website. 

What I love about horse racing is that you can bump into people from all over the UK if not the world. 

Craig comes from Liverpool, a great fan of his football and two-year-old horse racing. He, like me, can't get enough of two-year-old horse racing. As we know, domestic thoroughbred horse racing has come to a halt but that hasn't stopped Craig's Facebook Page (or website for that matter) from carrying on regardless. 

Anyway, I could ramble on for an eternity about people, horse racing, gambling and all those things that put a smile on your face. 

One of the members of Craig's Betting Blog Facebook page is Seamus Furlong. 

To learn a little bit more about each of the 34 members of the page I asked this question: 

I wonder which part of the world does everyone come from? Hometown and your favourite racecourse you go to regular. I want to put some pins on my new globe.

Only about three of the group replied. However, those who have a good story to tell.
This is what Seamus Furlong said:

I’m southeast of Ireland, a little village called Camolin. It has three petrol stations, three pubs, four shops, and butchers. It's a nice community. Everyone knows each other. The only downside is if you fuck up everyone knows.

Wexford is the nearest racecourse but my fav course is Punchestown.

Mick Fitzgerald, ex-jockey, was two classes behind me in school sound lad. 

Jimmy fortune ex-jockey lived about three miles from me, sound lad, as well. Bobby Beasley ex-jockey rode Captain Christy to win the Gold Cup in 1974. Thomson Beasley’s father in law trained a Grand National winner. I can’t remember his first name or the horse's name bit before my time.

Anyway, Seamus replied about a recent visit to Great Yarmouth Grosvenor Casino. Readers may know I like to visit this Norfolk coast for horse racing, casino nights out and just to have a relaxing holiday. 

Seamus considered whether gambling is a matter of nature or nurture. 

This is a philosophical debate.

I wonder if Charles Darwin was a gambling man? (Yes, I know it was the Theory of Evolution rather than specific to nature vs nurture but they are all found along the same path depending where you stop).

I studied Psychology at the Open University. I manage to achieve a 2:1, so I guess I have a little bit of understanding.  

This will be far from a tutor-marked assignment (just as well).

I will detail my basic thoughts from a personal perspective. So the answer, from what I understand, is this:

Would I have been interested in gambling if it hadn't been for environmental factor/influence? 

Most socialisation comes from your parents or caregivers. My mum has never been that interested in gambling. However, she used to play the lottery for a number of years. Considering this started when I was in my late 20s I very much doubt she steered me down the gambling route. 

So if I have anyone to thank or blame, it is most likely to do with my dad, Colin. My father loved a bet. He loved going to Great Yarmouth racing, and he used to enjoy going to the casino when they had one in March (our home town) called the March Cabaret Club & Casino owned by local businessman Peter Skoulding. If memory serves, all of my family, relatives and Dad's friends loved the place. Uncle Keith used to tell me how he would go broke every Saturday night and work all week returning like something out of Groundhog Day. Even though most must have lost their shirts, it sounds like a lot of fun. 

Have I followed in my father's shoes? 

I know for a fact, my love of horseracing and gambling comes from my father.

Dad wasn't a big gambler. He was like most people too busy earning a living to be able to make his betting pay. He had a few big wins over the years when a yankee or two come in. He never backed short-priced horses so a few bets made biggish money. However, I doubt very much he was in pocket. 

Anyway, that is another story. 

So nurture definitely played its part in my journey of life. 

But what about nature?

Would I have been a gambler if never being in the betting goldfish bowl (so to speak)? 

That's the trouble with psychology and trying to manipulate variables. How can you take the nature out of nurture or nurture out of nature? 

More importantly, would you gamble without experiencing it for yourself? 

Homo sapien evolved to gamble, even before the casino was built up the road. It was probably the characteristic or trait that gave an advantage over the other poor souls who didn't appreciate those two flies crawling up a wall. 

Seamus said he had read somewhere about genes of a past king influencing the likelihood of a future generation of gamblers. 

It could well be the case individuals are more prone to gambling just because of their DNA, biological capacity, or whatever you wish to call it. 

But, without question, gambling, as with all aspects of the human condition is intertwined between nature and nurture. 

Photo: Pixabay free fro commercial use and no attribution but given 

**KNOW THE BEST HORSES IN TRAINING (BEFORE THEY RACE!)**

Do Casinos Track Your Losses?

Image by benzoix on Freepik 

How much do real money casinos know about its players? All modern casinos require their players to use ‘Player Cards’ which is a system designed to get a hold on them. This tells them who is playing their machines, what machine they are playing, how much money they are wagering and how much time are they spending on each of their machines. 

In the slightly older times, casinos had to employ a really intricate system of surveillance cameras, personal and other tracking devices to keep an eye on their players. This came with a lot of tediousness. Not only did they have to alert throughout, they also had to be smart & vigilant enough to track some of the more carefully planned errors. 

Over time, casinos starting pushing the player cards in the garb of loyalty programs. Players were encouraged to buy such cards so that they could avoid buying coins, paper money or tickets. This was originally inspired by the credit card and airline card systems where rewards (food, rooms, gifts, cash, free play etc.) exist but every kind of behaviour is also recorded. 

The membership is always free and each player is issued a card when he or she signs up at the players’ club booth. The machines too were modified later to include card readers so that every member inserts the card to initiate a game. Casinos, at the end of all this, are able to get a definite sense of their customers by using complex programs that sort through data. All of this is then broken into demographic detail, an analysis of behaviour of sorts, which allows them to modify or introduce new offers. See how they compare to https://www.bestusacasinosites.com/ and review the opportunities of US casino sites. 

The player analysis also helps casino draw generics and target players accordingly. For example, retired men and women under 30 have similar proclivities when it comes to gambling. This information is especially gold for casinos who can devise and innovate for these needs. When this cloud of data is enquired, an animated sense of behaviour is realized. 

The data analysis tells them how to approach a gambler individually and also where they fit collectively. Where they’re at that evening, what they are likely to do next and the whole profitability factor. Casinos, to put in simple terms, are not particularly interested in a player’s win/loss record but the design of their game-play and how they can be targeted. 

The whole deal might seem very sketchy and a bit intrusive too. But there are quite a few advantages to using a player card: 

Free Slot Play: Every casino offers free slot play reward when a player signs up newly. This allows players to try out a few slots and get their heads around how things work in a casino. These rewards are usually loaded into the card by default. 

Complimentary Gifts: Casinos offer gifts in many ways to encourage loyalty on the player’s part. These gifts are often interesting and useful that tends to showcase the personality of the place. There’s usually a team dedicated to these aspects of casino that put in good thought. Free drinks to gas cards, the gifts range according to individual tastes. 

Travel: Many casinos offer travelling as a complimentary gift that usually includes visiting a sister casino. The lowest tier players too are offered in many cases where a short trip, usually a bus ride away, is offered along with the stay. 

Tracking of Losses: 

One thing is for sure. If you’re a frequent visitor and enjoy a bit of gambling every now & then, it is imperative to keep a track of your gambling winnings and losses. This helps you to deduct losses because the government mandates to provide tickets, statements, receipts or any other form of proof that acts as acknowledgement. 

Gambling winnings are certainly taxed like regular income. Every time you cash in a slightly large amount in chips, you are asked to show your ID and fill out a tax form. The government however allows you to deduct your losses from the winnings but not more than the winnings.

It is therefore highly important to have clear idea of where the losses have occurred and to ensure a proof of sorts resides with us. Let’s say you get lucky and win really big. To reduce your taxes, you would want to reduce your losses from the gambling winnings. If there is no document around that supports your claim of having lost so much, there’s no way the government is going to believe it. This is where the player’s card comes in very handy. Every casino that gives out this card will require you to swipe or use it all the time. Casinos are then able to track your performance and maintain a record of wins and losses. Thereby, when the taxing time is around, the casino can give a detailed account of losses.

When You Hit The Jackpot in the USA: What Happens Next?

So, you've hot the JACKPOT! 

Wow! It's every gambler's dream. But you may be surprised to learn that you can't collect your money and walk off into the sunset. Well, not just yet.

8 Things You Will Have Think About

1) Resident or not of the US you have to complete a tax form.

That's right. No escaping the RSA as they want a slice of the money pie. Get ready for the W - 2G form. It's a special document for ''certain gambling winnings''. If you have lost money gambling before you may be able to deduct the money owed. Well, if you kept a record of your winning and losing. Unlikely, hey. 

2) You're Being Watched

Big Brother is watching you. So your name isn't Winston Smith but as soon as you hit the jackpot a casino worker will be hurrying towards you as a signal has been sent to a monitoring room. They will need to verify your win. Sometimes machine malfunction and they don't want any jiggery pokery. Basically, you will need to have ID else you won't be getting a cent. Non residents will have to use their ID and pay a different amount of tax. Casinos have been known to keep winnings for years until all the boxes have been ticked. 

3) Over $5,000 - Wait A ''Minute''

OK, so you win big. Up to $5,000 you are likely to be handed a bundle of cash but if its millions you won't see someone careering down the isle with a wheelbarrow filled with $100 dollar bills. The thought. Yes, please. Unsurprisingly, you are likely to be paid with a BIG cheque (or check as they say in the US). Casinos do like paying you cash. The reason, you might carry on playing and give some or all of it back! Also, you will be checked to see if you are legal in their state. If for whatever you have been excluded. Bang. You won't get a shiny farthing. This exclusion is usually placed on gambling addicts and if they casino allows such players they can be fined. Imagine losing all your money and then strike the jackpot and not given a cent! 

4) You May Not Get All of Your Win

How come? Well, when you win it has to be verified. Hold your breath. The dreaded malfunction could stop a rhino in its tracks. As you may have read with a big ''winner'' from New York winning $43 Million doesn't mean you are a WINNER. 

5) Win More Than A Million - You Get Part Of Your Money 

So you get the bulk of the cash. Rightly so. However, the casino may offer you an annual fixed sum. It might be the smarter choice. We all remember what happened to Michael Carroll when he won the National Lottery. It may help you look after your money and reduce the hefty tax bill. Not all bad then. You have 90 days to make your decision so I'd do it was some 5 star hotel in Hollywood. Helps you think better. The casino will be on your back and trying to promote the hell out of your win so make sure you do what is good for you. Just think of all those hangers on who will remember you from school days. 

6) From Now On When You Bet - You Will Be Under Suspicion

Right or wrong - a big winner could mean you got lucky or an incredible thief. The majority are the former. However, the casino will be taking note of your every move, just in case lightning strikes twice. 

7) You Might have To Wait For Your Cash 

If you win BIG BIG MONEY you will have to wait a while for your wonga. Money doesn't grow on trees even in Las Vegas.  After all the checks have been made they will usually get you the cash in a few hours. However, some slots are paid out by the manufactures and that can take several weeks. OK, don't go buying the Lamborghini just yet. 

8) You Don't Realise How Lucky You Are

Just think how many people lost for you to get that big win! For instance, a slot machine with 64 stops on each real pays out 1 in almost 300,000. Blimey. And most machines have a lot more stops than 64. In general, slot machines take 25% of the money so if you win $4 million the casino has probably made $1 million overt hat period of time. It is virtually impossible to cheat slot machine although it has been done. 

Related story: Brilliant Russian Slot Machine Cheat

Photo: Pixabay free for commercial use and no attribution but given  

Gambling and Horoscope are Co-dependent—Myth or Truth!!

Gambling is considered one of the oldest professions of the mankind. Though, gambling that is prevalent in the present day is entirely different from what existed in the previous centuries. But one thing was common in previous centuries as well as in the present century in gambling is the stroke of luck. Every gambler in the world attributed their success to luck. There are certain gambling games at https://www.gambling360.com/ which involve some technique and skills like poker, but there are many games which are entirely luck-oriented. After big wins many gamblers claimed that they made it because their stars were aligned in their favour; whether there is any scientific evidence to that claim is beyond our knowledge. Many professional gamblers have gone too far with this superstition. They have used horoscope as a tool to calculate their odds of success in the game. Horoscope uses a person’s birth date and astrological chart to determine what is in store for that person. Our logic says, to win in gambling you need skills, but who can argue with a gambler and his believes. It may be hard to believe that by using the date of birth and alignment of stars, it can provide useful information about gambling. There are many casinos around the world which uses horoscope, and this has created a subculture in the gambling community. In this article, we will try to prove whether there is any truth in this claim.

Horoscope finds its origin dated as back as 2000 years. People have been using birth date and stars position to know about the future. In Latin, it is known as “view of the hour”. Many websites and news outlets use this information to educate people about their future. 

Now many best payout casinos have started using horoscope to know the future about their luck. Especially in this UK based gambling website, you can find a separate space in the page which tells about our future. Before the advent of the internet, gambling was more restricted among the high society people. But the online gambling opened a new door for gamblers where everyone can do gambling in the comfort of their bedroom. In the U.S.A, online gambling is prohibited due to several laws which resulted in the growth of online gambling sites outside of States; this resulted in the growth of many websites like this one. Now lets study few of the zodiac signs and how lucky they can be in winning big as far as gambling is concerned.

1. Aries: They are considered to be very competitive, aggressive type who loves to compete against others. Skill-based games can be the best option for an Aries. They are also believed to be adventurous which means they will not step back when specific risk needs to be taken during a game. 

2. Taurus: They are the conservative breed who avoids taking risks. Maybe a Taurus is not very well suited to gambling. But games like Baccarat and Craps can be the perfect game for this crowd since these games have a more predictable output. 

3. Gemini: These groups of people can be considered to be more active and fun loving type. They are very adaptive and can fit into any crowd. Crap is the best-suited game for this crowd since it is a dice based game. They love to be the centre of attention. 

4. Cancer: These people have a slow and more laid back approach towards life. Online gambling is the perfect fit for this crowd. In the present day, one can find all games in any gambling websites. They love to interact with people who make live casino the best bet for them. 

5. Leo: This group of people is the perfect fit for gambling. They are very flamboyant in nature and do not step back from taking risks in life. They should try their hands on casino tournaments where the prize money, as well as the stakes, is really high. 

6. Virgo: Unlike Leo, they are more responsible and sensible type when it comes to decision making. They consider several factors before making any decision. This makes them not a good fit for gambling. But they can try sports betting and poker cash games which require skills and thorough study to make any profit. 

7. Libra: Librans are more intellectual and artistic in nature. To feed their intellectual side skill-based games can be a good fit for them. They can also try slot machine games which are designed with artistic flair which will be well appreciated by a Libra. 

8. Scorpio: They are perfect for lottery, keno and slot machine games as they love to take risks in life. They are very confident and trust their instinct while making any decision in life. They love to involve in games with the higher chance factor. 

9. Sagittarius: This group of people loves to travel and try new things new in life. They are not a good fit for online casinos. A Sagittarius can be found in Las Vegas or Atlantic City pulling the lever of a slot machine. They are fearless and love experimenting in life. 

10. Capricorn: If you find someone who exhibits a perfect balance between being practical and ambitious chances are he is a Capricornia. These people will find success in skill-based games like blackjack, pokers, and sports betting. 

11. Aquarius: This group of people is both logical and unpredictable. They should try their hands on Blackjack, Progressive jackpots, and Caribbean stud pokers. They are capable of enjoying a casino game with a lot of volatility. 

12. Pisces: A Pisces is well known for being moody and emotional. Skill-based is not at all a good fit for them. They should try their hands on nonskilled games where taking emotional decision will not have any catastrophic effect on their finance. As we can see each zodiac signs are suited for certain type of gambling, it will not hurt much to consider horoscope before a big hand.

Photo: Pixabay free fro commercial use and no attribution but given 

Which Casino Games Offer the Best Deal?

So you find yourself at the casino. 

You see some characters at Great Yarmouth's Grosvenor Casino. 

The staff is exceptional. 

If you want a cheap meal, free bets and drinks then it's the place to go. You just need to know how to play the game!

Gambling is all about discipline. If you have no discipline, then you really shouldn't gamble because you will have no stop button. And if you have no answer to a question...there is, literally, no answer. 

Never ever...

That's not good news and why you see too many punters being controlled by gambling than controlling this big, bad bear. 

You can turn the beast into Nookie the Bear, by playing the role of Roger De Courcy, with your hand stuffed in the innards of psychopathology. 

I really enjoy a night at the casino because it is fun and I bet so little that a free bet here and there and free alcoholic drink means you have the odds in your favour. 

That's the point about gambling. 

The odds.

Is there any value in your bet? And what percentage is the rake on your given game of play? 

I really don't understand most gamblers. They are a strange bunch of ''hoodlums''. I say that tongue in cheek because most people in life are respectable (to a point) and not involved in criminal activities. Although saying that, I'm sure much of the money at casinos is laundered. Strange how you see some players betting thousands and their shoes are held together with blood, sweat and tears. I'm pretty sure there is someone waiting outside to take the ''winnings'' from the ''losings''. 

Anyway, it is surprising how few gamblers have any idea of what gambling is all about and have little idea about the basics. 

This is a big problem because they may be betting and have no idea (interest) in the overround. 

This is brainless. 

In theory, a gambler could be betting at such a ridiculous overround that they are guaranteed to lose. You are almost guaranteed to lose on any fixed odds betting and reason you should bet on skill-based sports as it is the only variable you can try to control. If you bet you can beat Garry Kasparov at chess don't be surprised if you lose. It's the same with many bets and the reason why you need to know your onions.

So which games at the casino are, in theory, the best to play because the house takes less of your hard-earned money? 

Take a look at the house edge for these popular games.

Roulette (single zero) 2.5%

Slots 2 - 10%

Three Card Poker 1.5% 

If you don't know the odds, don't bet. 

Photo: Pixabay free for commercial use and no attribution but given 

The Best Diamond Queen Slot Review

Diamond Queen is a popular online slot machine that is developed by IGT (International Game Technology). This 5-reel, 20-payline slot machine offers players the chance to experience the thrill of the hunt for diamonds and riches.

One of the standout features of Diamond Queen is its high-quality graphics and sound effects. The game features bright, colourful graphics that are sure to keep you engaged, and the sound effects are well-done, with a catchy and upbeat soundtrack that adds to the overall experience.

Another great feature of Diamond Queen is its generous payout structure. The game offers a maximum payout of 10,000x your original bet, making it a great choice for players looking for a high-paying slot machine. Additionally, the game features a range of exciting bonus features that can help you increase your winnings, including wild symbols, scatters, and a free spins bonus round.

The free spins bonus round is one of the most exciting parts of Diamond Queen, and it can be triggered by hitting three or more scatter symbols anywhere on the reels. When triggered, you'll be awarded a number of free spins, during which all of your winnings are multiplied by three. This bonus round is a great way to boost your winnings and can be triggered relatively frequently, making it an exciting and enjoyable part of the game. In addition to its exciting bonus features, Diamond Queen also offers a range of betting options that make the game accessible to players of all budgets. The game features a range of coin sizes, from as little as $0.01 up to $10, making it a great choice for both casual players and high rollers.

Another great aspect of Diamond Queen is its user-friendly interface. The game features a simple and intuitive design that makes it easy to understand and play, even for those who are new to online slots. Additionally, the game is fully optimized for mobile play, so you can enjoy it on the go, whether you're using an iOS or Android device.

In conclusion, Diamond Queen is a top-notch online slot machine that offers players a fun and exciting gaming experience. With its high-quality graphics, generous payout structure, and exciting bonus features, Diamond Queen is a great choice for players looking for a fun and engaging online slot machine. So if you're looking for a new online slot machine to play, give Diamond Queen a try and see for yourself why this game has become so popular among players.

Photo: Pixabay (free)