Loranne Ausley: My First Gambling Experience

So when I learned that my co-author and friend, Jonathan Miller, is heading back to Vegas today to revisit last year’s incredible 8th place finish in the World Series of Poker, it reminded me of my first gambling experience.

My dad, who I have written about several times, is an attorney and banker and still one of the most well respected political advisors in Florida.   Somewhere along the way he learned a thing or two about gambling  – and imparted this knowledge to me in a very memorable way.

I must have been about 12 or 13 years old and we were at our family beach house on Dog Island, Florida just off the coast of Florida’s Panhandle.  It was a rainy day, so we were holed up inside and my dad was teaching me how to play backgammon.   Just as I started getting the hang of it he asked if I wanted to play for money and I readily agreed.

We played game after game and I was really in the money – I was winning 3 out of every 4 games and after several hours of playing I had amassed quite a kitty of about $50 (which was  a LOT in the mid 70s!).

Of course, we weren’t playing with real money because I was 13 years old and I didn’t HAVE $50 – but that didn’t matter because I was WINNING!  Just as I was dreaming of all the records I could buy with that $50, my dad offered one last game – DOUBLE OR NOTHING.

Just like that, I thought, I could have $100 – and it was so EASY!

I know it isn’t hard to guess what ultimately happened – Dad cleaned my clock…AND he made me work off the $100.  Easy lesson for him to teach and hard lesson for me to learn – thanks Dad – I love you!

Good luck Jonathan!!!