So early this morning, I walked out.

This is a true story and it's about how I came to a fork in the road and took one path instead of the other.

I had $300 of guaranteed free play at Rincon last night, but when I got there I found out I actually had some bonuses which raised the free play total to $635. Rincon has rearranged its poker machines, removing most of them from the main casino floor and putting them in the "video poker area" and I wrote about this in the California casinos section. I mention this because I wanted to play my favorite machine #3116. Well, it took about fifteen minutes but by going to machine after machine I found it.

I started playing $2 8/5 Aces and Faces and I got lucky and then unlucky, and then lucky again. Lucky was a straight flush for $500, and then lost it all and put in $500 of my own cash and then after some play hit quad aces for $800.

After the quad aces I had about $300 of profit, but a ticket for $800.

I decided to risk $60 at card craps at Rincon since it's a low cost, fun game, and sometimes you do get lucky and hit a fire bet payoff.

No firebet payoff, but I did turn the $60 into $100. So I went over to my usual $5 Aces and Faces machines and decided to risk $300.

With $200 played through, I hit quad aces for $2,000. I now set a win goal of $2,500 and a loss limit of $1,000. A number of hands later and I hit quad 6s for $625. I totaled up the credits plus the cash from the quad aces handpay and I got up and left.

I just as easily could have played some more. I thought the machine was "hot" and I thought it was a lucky night, but I remember how so many times I kept playing only to give it all back.

Even as I was walking in the parking garage to my car I thought about turning back. I didn't.

As I drove down the exit ramp I thought about turning back. I didn't.

As I drove off the property I thought about turning back. I didn't.

Damn't. Why didn't I turn back? I was certain a royal was coming! But I didn't.

Now the crazy part. I imagined Rob telling me "go home, now."

And just before I got home I stopped at the ATM and deposited 25 crisp portraits of Uncle Benny. That was a jackpot.

Sounds like a winner Alan. And while the "AP's" are sitting there claiming how you "can't win on "-EV" machines along with how win & loss goals "make no difference" on whether you will go home a winner or loser, you are the one who continually knows what it's like depositing the profits.

Better than losing it back and learning the same lesson!