I’m in Boston this week for a Coldwell Banker Leadership event. The event is being held at the beautiful Encore Boston Harbor. It’s a convention center just across the harbor from downtown Boston and about 4 miles from iconic Harvard University. The Encore features a large casino and numerous shops, bars, restaurants, and a spa.
My flight got in early so I had some time to explore the property and wander through the casino. I wanted to get a feel for the “energy” of the place. Like any casino, it wasn’t short on neon lights, loud slot machines, and rowdy cheers from the craps tables.
After circling to see if I saw any of my Coldwell Banker friends that I might know, I was sucked in by the allure of the blinking lights and the chance of “hitting it big.”
I sat down, inserted $20 into a slot machine, and started trying to stretch out my time in the casino, one lucky spin at a time.
If I said it was 8 minutes later when I walked out of the casino, that might be generous. My $20 donation to Steve Wynn and his casino coffers were gone before the second tequila shots at a bachelorette party.
Okay. I’ll admit it. I’m just not a gambler.
I have never enjoyed the pull of “gaming.” I don’t gamble on sports and don’t “play the ponies.” I’ve enjoyed some Blackjack experiences, but that’s only when I was sitting at a table of friends and we had a good dealer, a better waitress, and the stories were off the record.
I’ve had people tell me craps is the best game, while a few buddies swear that roulette is where it’s at. Of course, poker is another option but it’s a much harder game when you don’t get to see the other players’ cards like you do when watching on TV.
I left the casino and explored more of the property. I ran into some good friends from San Antonio and shared some memories and laughs. I walked a little more and found a local brewpub where I could watch the game, listen to some classic rock, and enjoy a few cold beers.
Cara and Greg behind the bar were super hospitable and the people watching was outstanding. I was able to catch a game, grab a bite to eat, and knock out this blog post. I even connected with some good friends later in the evening and enjoyed catching up.
Maybe I’m just not a gambler. It’s not about hitting a button that says “deal”, waiting for the right sides of two six-sided dies to show the right dots, or a marble spinning one way to drop into the right slot on a spinning wheel going the other way.
I just feel better about doing the things that I know work almost every time to help me win.
You can have your slot machines, dice, and cards. I’ll be over here building relationships, solving problems, and having fun.
I feel pretty good about my odds.
“You’ve got to know when to hold ’em
Know when to fold ’em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run
You never count your money
When you’re sittin’ at the table
There’ll be time enough for countin’
When the dealin’s done.”
“The Gambler” – Kenny Rogers