The first time I ventured into a casino was out of sheer curiosity. In the beginning, despite my best efforts and strategies, luck seemed to elude me. Every spin of the wheel, every roll of the dice, every card dealt felt like it was conspiring against me. I was shown around by a friend who had played close to every single casino game.

Eventually him and I parted and I sat down at a blackjack table with my last $300. At first, my cards were terrible, and I lost hand after hand on the minimum bet ($40). But then, during a flip of luck, I was dealt an ace and a face card – a blackjack. This roll kept going until I was even and even up slightly! That thrill of winning big hooked me instantly. It made me see why so many get lost in the game.