http://my.highschooljournalism.org http://my.highschooljournalism.org en-us Copyright 2008 - All Rights Reserved. Thu, 23 May 2013 19:47:27 GMT 15 By Andrew Vottero
Students will do anything to fill their Friday nights. They go to the movies, they hang out at the mall. They hang out at each other’s houses and complain about not having anything to do. And on an ever-increasing basis, some students grab a deck of cards, a handful of cash, and deal out a game of Poker or Blackjack. Gambling, often reserved for Las Vegas or Atlantic City, has become common among high school students in small towns nationwide. Students are following the national trend, and gambling has arrived at Minnechaug. This current rising trend in gambling among students is thought to be influenced by the sudden and increasing popularity of TV shows entitled “The World Series Of Poker,” and other similarly-focused shows. “Watching professional card players makes me want to gamble,” said junior Peter Fatse. “We watch it together before we play,” said junior Mike Jolicoeur. “It motivates us,” he said. The gambling that goes on ranges from card games to professional sports games, video games and trivial knowledge. “I bet on basically anything else that’s possible to gamble on,” said senior Brock Slattery. “The other night, I won ten bucks because I bet on who sang a song, and I won,” he said. While students often bet on many contests, most gambling occurs over cards. “I usually play cards – no-limit Texas Hold ‘Em, other poker games, and high-low,” said Slattery. While Texas Hold ‘Em seemed to be the most popular game by far, many other card games are played. “Sometimes we play Omaha, Seven-Card Stud, or Five-Card Draw,” said senior Kevin Trites. Gambling on card games often takes the shape of tournaments. “I’ve played in Poker tournaments with up to thirty people,” said Piel. “Sometimes there’s a five dollar buy-in, sometimes as much as an 80 dollar pot,” he said. “It’s all-night, you start with five tables and as people go out, you combine until there’s a winners’ table.” Another senior, Stephen Campfield, also has played in tournaments. “I usually play 20 dollar tourneys, or sometimes ten dollars,” he said. Though gambling is the common thread, everything else is a variable. “I play with anywhere from four to twelve people,” said Campfield. Senior Jeff Grassetti is also part of the growing gambling phenomenon. “I’ve played with around ten people before – usually Texas Hold ‘Em – with a five or ten dollar buy in, everyone gets the same number of chips,” said Grassetti. “I usually make stupid bets though.” Many may wonder why potentially losing money is fun for students, but students agree that gambling, especially on card games, is a lot of fun. “I like the thrill of gambling money – plus I usually win,” said Campfield. “It was something to do with my friends and sort of a ‘winter job,’” said senior Andrew Mackin. “I don’t play as much anymore, but I played a lot last year – it was a fun thing to do on ‘guys’ night.’ The best part about it was just being able to hang out, play cards, and talk,” said Mackin. “It adds pressure and competition to everything,” said Slattery. Piel agrees with the entertainment aspect of the games, but also sees other benefits as well. “I like it a lot, [gambling with money] is a fun way to make games more interesting, and unsure no on will get bored and stop part way through,” said Piel. “It’s a fun thing to do with friends, and if you play cards for two hours, it’s already cheaper than a movie – even if you lose all that you bet,” he said. Gambling certainly has its draws – even to a younger crowd. “I know a lot of underclassman play, and my brother still plays every weekend just because they like to try and win some money because they can’t get jobs, and it’s just something to do,” said Mackin. While gambling is certainly fun for students, Piel cautions that it still requires some ‘self-restraint.’ “As long as you set limits for yourself – sometimes I’ll say I’ll only put down five bucks, and if I play over two hours and go out, I can buy back in for five more – once,” he said. ]]> Tue, 14 Dec 2004 19:49:00 GMT