Why I don't gamble

I liked watching horse racing since I was a teen, at the track or on tv, but only bet a few times over the years for little money. In my forties, I used to like to go with my husband to catch the early races at Santa Anita and then go over to the big Los Angeles Arboretumand walk around, then leave, beating the race crowd to the freeway to get home. Never bet then, but we would have a kind of picnic on the infield, enjoying watching the horses and the people.

Same with gambling: I've been to Las Vegas a few times, and in those time spent less that five dollars total - more interested in the people and the wild architecture and the casino lighting, etc. Tacky place, in my sardonic view, but with a sort of blowhard sense of go-for-broke about it.

That's funny.

I used to like horse races, but no more. Couldn't justify the abuse.

I play poker. But, if you are good, poker isn't gambling.

A horse died so I shouldn't have done this ... but ... I giggled.

I used to go to the track once in a while with a group of co-workers. $5 for a decent meal and I usually took $20 to bet. Over a year, I came out ahead by $50 or $60. The big bettors always seemed to go home in the hole.

I felt bad about the horse, too. It was wilso's predicament that won the laugh.

same here

Same here.

Glad everyone is experiencing enjoyment at my "expense"

Sorry to hear this, Wilso--about you and the horse.

I've been to the horse races a few times. Won each time. In one case, I won every race. ($2 bets)

I've been to Atlantic City many times. I came home with more than I left with each time--even when I played the slots.

I've played Texas hold 'em in person a few times. Won each time.

I sometimes play Texas hold 'em online (not for money). I started with $1,000 of nonmoney. I now have over $200,000 of nonmoney.

Why does this happen? Dunno.

Philosophically, I'm generally not a fan of racing. Whatever qualities horses may have, race horses have every quality bred out of them except the ability to run fast in a circle. So that people with too much money and too much time can dress up at 2 in the afternoon, stand around a drink champagne and pretend they're better than everyone else.

I can take or leave racing (ok, mostly leave) but gambling leaves me cold. I've never understood it.

"Lotteries are a tax on people who are a bad at mathematics" should be on my family crest.

It (Melbourne Cup) really is a phenomenon of the industry. Usually 24 horses, running a long course, and horses from around the globe are flown in, so attempting to use form to pick anything, is more headache than it's worth.

I backed an outsider (on a whim) for a place, and it came in third. Cost a fiver. Haven't cashed the ticket yet, but something like 18$. The gal friend spent a morning carefully reading the form guide, and for an outlay of 160 shekels, won absolutely nothing.

Toughest race of the calendar to pick, and everyone is on it. Usually nets the gov't in excess of 15 million. For one race. Talk about clever marketing.