Dave Knows: Elko

I like to think I’m an intelligent person, but I like to gamble anyway.  I played the lottery when we lived in Portland, even though I’m fully aware that lotteries are a tax on stupid people who are bad at math.  I guess there’s always just that little sliver of hope that we’ll hit the “big one” and not have to work anymore.  That right there is enough to get me to buy a ticket when the jackpot gets decently high.

When we first moved to Elko we would hit up the Red Lion Casino every now and then, usually just playing the slot machines, but sometimes the blackjack tables too.  Now that we’ve lived here for awhile, we don’t go nearly as much. When we do, it’s usually to the Gold Dust West  since it’s newer and cleaner, and generally less smoky.  Plus they have coffee and fountain drinks that you can fill yourself, so you don’t have to sit and wait for the drink girl to bring you one and guilt you into a tip.  Once when I was at the Nugget in Reno a drink girl brought me a drink and I thanked her.  She thanked me back (which I thought was odd) and just stood there.  I went back to playing my game and I never got another drink that night.  Lesson learned.

I used to keep my eye on the craps table when I was playing slots or blackjack and it *always* seemed like the Craps players were having the most fun.  Yelling, high-fives all around, that sort of thing. I wondered what it was all about.  I’ve read up on strategy and I’ve played the video games but it’s really hard to understand the game without actually playing it.  A few months back a friend of mine convinced me to try it for the first time.  I found that Craps can be VERY fun, and you can make money quickly.  But you can lose it all just as fast.  But I always go to the casino with money I’m prepared to lose, and I never *never* hit the ATM while I’m there.  Playing Craps I’ve gone in there with $100 and left with $450 4 hours later, and also had nights where I’ve lost the entire $100 in 15 minutes.  But I usually have fun.

They also have a sports book at the Gold Dust.  I think I just might put some money down on the Blazers to win the championship this year. Long odds (40-1!) but what a sweet payout if it happens!