Desperate times call for desperate measures, right? Or do they? I mean, the economy’s really struggling right now, Las Vegas hotels and casinos are hurting even worse, home foreclosures are at an all time high, “bailout” is becoming more fashionable than bankruptcy, “layoff” has become the most commonly used four-letter word, and business in general isn’t what it used to be. So what gives?

Well, for one thing, BS becomes much more commonplace during times like these than it usually is, and no one does it better than business owners and those who market and sell for them. And if you want to see the most creative of the bunch, check out any gaming business and you’ll have witnessed the cream of the crop. You see, desperate times really DO call for desperate measures in that business. Only difference is, it’s easier to separate factual truth from assertive fiction when it comes to the world of gambling.

That’s where I come in – just as I always have. Part of my mission in all this is to keep applying the pressure so that fewer gamblers - and especially those new to the industry – have the best opportunity to keep from getting lied to and/or hurt. I’ve always been the rest of the story, the words between the lines, and ultimately, the common sense side that gamblers are always looking for. Much of my focus, of course, has been and will continue to be on the game of video poker, those who “sell” it, and the reasons WHY they sell it.

First, always remember this: People claiming to have been professional gamblers who go into the gaming business do so for one reason and one reason only -- They could not make it as a gambler. Make sense? Of course it does. And you will always see a self-profile of that gambler identifying how the casinos feared them, couldn’t sleep when they thought about them, and eventually had to ban them so the casinos’ doors could remain open.

Yes, incredible stories certainly do form the basis of new gaming businesses. That’s why several years ago I wrote a published article on how I went up and down the Strip and through most of the local casinos in Las Vegas verifying the truth about these stories, and found absolutely none of them to be valid. Still, for those who DO know what they’re doing, nothing beats the life of a professional player who takes money from the casinos almost at will. And although a bit of work needs to go into it in order to be CONSISTENTLY successful, it sure beats answering to someone and/or sweating out sales day-in and day-out. Certainly, if you can gamble successfully then there’s no one alive who would choose to work a normal job. Ask me about it sometime.

Nowhere do we see more fairy tales than in the video poker business. Commercialized a number of years ago by self-proclaimed “gurus” of the game who needed to in order to make some sort of an income from the game, the clowning around continues to this day. Last week I wrote about how a time-limited promotion at the new Eastside Cannery was in the minds of a few, juggled around into being some type of massive casino “error” that put hundreds of thousands of phantom bucks into the pockets of a few local habitual players. But when I told you all the punch line to that tale, the truth was indeed simple to decipher.

This week we’ve been treated to the commercialized take on what one person says it takes to play video poker for a living. Well, since I’m the only person I’ve ever met or known who truly does that directly from the machines without any of the BS thrown in about slot clubs, sports betting on the side, live poker play, etc. etc. etc., it was easy to laugh my way through this particular article.

This guy really had all the “gambling yuppie” buzz words going: “caveats”, “math geek”, financial & emotional roller coaster”, winning big to get you through those awful losing streaks”, on and on and on. It was like reading something from every book that’s ever been written by those who dream of becoming professional gamblers!

But what’s this? Yup – the article was a simple set-up for YET ANOTHER upcoming video poker book to be sold by the site! More commercialization; more cliché’s; more profits being generated by other-than-professional gambling; and more of the same old dressing. But what the article did in my opinion that was borderline nasty, was fabricate theory about how to make it as a professional video poker player! I mean, right there in front of your eyes you’re seeing a sales pitch from people who should be making it as professional gamblers if they believe their own words! Do they think readers are all STOOPID!?

To clean up that fantasy about professional video poker playing, I can tell you that it really is not such a near-intolerable grind, you don’t have to be superhuman to play it properly, you only need have a basic understanding of math at best, you do need to keep your body in reasonable shape and your mind in top shape, and you must start out by being bankrolled properly. This notion that you can just move to town with a few thousand dollars, live on it, and be guaranteed to build your bankroll WITHOUT WORKING CONSTANTLY AT REAL JOBS is simply for the birds. It doesn’t happen.

More realistic and useful advice should state that you should not attempt to become a professional player unless and until you’ve responsibly set up your retirement years first. Who wants to take the chance at no social security, no pension, no 401k, no investments – and suddenly go broke after age 60? And if you have a family with children and maybe even grandchildren, is it fair to them?

Most people who do a lot of gambling couldn’t care less about their families. That’s common – although most will never admit it and indeed, most have already talked their way into believing that’s not true even though it very likely is. And many gamblers have broken marriages, no children, or children who can’t stand their parents because these gambling parents radiate more of a concern for their habit than they do for their families. This is all WRONG folks. One of the main reasons I’ve been so successful over the years is because I play with a very clear mind. I’ve already prepared for my future, I play only with a specified gambling-only bankroll, and I’ve received total support from my loved ones.

You wanna know if someone can make a living playing video poker without it costing one their life? You’re reading about one now and no, I’m not trying to sell you a thing. Notice the difference?