Published: February 24, 2010
Why People Lose Their Minds and Their Money in Vegas
The Unvarnished Truth about Vegas: Seven Reasons Why It's Easy to Lose It All
According to the Wall Street Journal, Terrance Watanabe, who built a fortune running an import business, lost $127 million in Las Vegas.
Why didn't he stop himself?
The answer, says Jay Rankin, is more complex than you might guess, and it reveals as much about Vegas as it does about Watanabe.
"We're tempted to blame Watanabe's loss on bad judgment," explains Rankin, author of the new non-fiction book *Under the Neon Sky: A Las Vegas Doorman's Story (Jay Rankin Publishing, 2009, ISBN: 0984210911). "And it's true: He chose to stay in an environment that was destroying him. But Las Vegas is constructed to lure in people susceptible to impulsive behavior and to prey on them. *Especially*if those people are high rollers."
Rankin's the expert. A former probation officer, family and addiction counselor, and television host with an advanced degree in psychology, he worked the graveyard shift as a doorman at the 5,000-room MGM Grand hotel for six years. His book tells the true story of this turbulent period in his life.
Rankin has an insider's view of two worlds: the flashy, electric exterior of the Las Vegas strip, and its gritty, secret infrastructure. Surrounded by hordes of ferocious revelers whose singular goal was to push the line, Rankin battled nightly for his sanity and his safety.
"Watanabe's case seems sensational because of the money lost," says Rankin. "But it happens all the time. Step back. Look at the marketing. It's brilliant: the lights, the shows, the food, the entertainment, the rooms, and the views...the temptation of winning big, getting laid, and doing drugs.
"The whole atmosphere is carefully constructed to address *all* groups and ages and cultures," he adds. "You don't have to be as rich as Mr. Watanabe to get in over your head."
Read on as Rankin explains the strategy behind Sin City's allure.
*The sheer excitement draws you in. If you've been to Vegas, you know its intensity. The colors are vivid. Sounds bombard you. You're surrounded by crowds of diverse people. You might be sitting near a group of beautiful women having a "ladies' night" out on the town, or you might be mingling with a celebrity at a bar. It's impossible to be bored in the midst of all of the spectacle and pageantry. The Best is at your fingertips: the best restaurants, the best shows, the best parties.
"Las Vegas throbs with action and anticipation," Rankin says. "The atmosphere makes visitors long to be part of the 'in crowd.' They'll do whatever they believe will land them in the VIP room or the winner's circle."
Forget about boundaries. Think about it: In your hometown, you act in a certain way, and you abide by specific rules. Your place in society is defined by obligations-to your family, your employer, and your friends. Not so in Las Vegas. It's a city where the impossible is within reach.
"The allure of Vegas is that there are no boundaries," Rankin says. "No clock, no last call, no line in the sand. You can do what you want, when you want, with anyone you want. You're free to stay out all night and bet your last dollar. You can indulge in your fantasies without repercussions, and it's almost impossible to resist. Vegas is designed that way for a reason, and it's true-what happens in Vegas really does stay there. Unfortunately, the consequences of indulging in your wildest desires haunt you long after the thrill is gone. Mr. Watanabe is a prime example."
The city is alive, 24/7. Las Vegas doesn't sleep. You'll find as much to do and see at 4 a.m. as at 10 p.m. The neon night shines on. Casinos and clubs jack up the glitz. Beautiful people and big betters make dazzling appearances and place outrageous bets.
"The spectacle alone makes you want to stay up and take it all in," Rankin says. "If you're enjoying yourself, if you're flirting with a beautiful woman, if you're convinced that the next hand is yours, then why stop? No one makes you leave. No bartender puts out a last call. You can party until you drop from exhaustion or blow every last cent you have."
Vegas builds the hype that anyone can win. It's true; anyone can win at roulette, poker, slots, and any number of games. The possibility is the impetus to keep you betting, no matter how badly the game is going. Vegas hypes the "almost" factor. "You almost won that time! So close! Play just one more hand." Often this prodding comes from fellow guests, not the casino employees. Everyone is eager for the next big win.
"Go to a table that's hot and look into people's eyes," Rankin suggests. "Most of the players won't be coolly calculating whether they should stay or walk away. They'll rush into the next hand, mesmerized by what they could win. After all, when will they feel this tantalized again? Study the people playing slot machines. They'll sit for hours. If they win a jackpot, many will give it all back. The hotels know all this and are continually updating their casinos to make them more exciting and consumer-captivating-a place where you can *see *yourself making it big."
The comps are spectacular. Vegas, says Rankin, invented the comp. Harrah's offered Terrance Watanabe V.I.P. perks, such as a three-bedroom suite at Caesars, seven-course meals while he gambled, and tickets to see the Rolling Stones.
"If a player of this caliber is not happy, he will walk across the street and play at another casino," Rankin points out. "So it's well worth a hotel's investment to make him feel like a king. Hotels answer to shareholders, and they actively compete for high rollers. It's well worth the comp of a $1,000 bottle of champagne to keep someone who's betting thousands more in his chair."
Everyone could be a V.I.P. Everyone in Vegas is wooed by the possibility of V.I.P. treatment. Sure, all guests are treated well, but if they bet enough or win enough, they'll be waited on hand and foot. Think about it: You see an average joe win the jackpot. Suddenly, he's treated like royalty. And you think to yourself, That could be me. Your compulsion to win grows, and you'll keep playing.
"It's all about putting the forbidden within the customer's grasp," explains Rankin. "Hotels go to great lengths to make visitors call their casinos home, and they'll do anything so players will return and bring their money with them. If that means offering a free drink or a personal handler, so be it. Everyone wants to feel important.
"As a hotel employee, I saw how pervasive this please-the-guest culture is," he adds. "When I was a doorman working the 2 a.m. cab line, I was ordered to keep my mouth shut, even when threatened with verbal abuse and physical violence. In Vegas, both of those behaviors are commonplace. No matter what, though, my position was always on the line-the guests would not be thrown out for anything but the very worst behavior."
The booze is always flowing. Alcohol is available just about everywhere in Vegas. No matter where you go, a cocktail waitress might be at your elbow, offering or refilling a drink. And it's not just booze. Drugs are for the taking. Scoring them might not be legal, but in most cases, all you need to do is ask the right people.
"The effects of drugs and alcohol on decision making are devastating," Rankin points out, "but casinos will keep serving you as long as you're coherent, as long as you seem to know what you're doing. It's up to you to know when to stop, and most people have difficulty tapping into self-discipline in the midst of the strip's addictive environment. Unless you're out of control, hotels and casinos are not responsible for your bad decisions."
"Las Vegas is not about being smart," says Rankin. "It's not about making good decisions or knowing when to stop. And it's not meant to be. Most of Vegas's attractions-gambling, having sex, drinking, getting high-are slippery slopes. One step over the line leads to another and then another. Pretty soon the only thing that can offset the guilt and panic is seeking out those thrills again. It happened to Mr. Watanabe, and to a lesser but no less devastating extent, it happens to hundreds of everyday people all the time."
About the Author: Jay Rankin didn't research Las Vegas; he lived it. His six years as an MGM Grand doorman gave him the insider's view of real Vegas life, the grit behind the glitz. Jay reveals a Vegas few people know exists. Jay hosted a weekly television show, Las Vegas Business Week. That media experience and his connections won him the ambassador's job out of 1,500 applicants.
Jay holds an advanced degree in psychology. He began writing in 1993 and is currently working on his second book, about his life after escaping Vegas. He resides in Los Angeles, California.
For more information or to read Chapter 1 of Under the Neon Sky, visit www.jayslasvegas.com.
About the Book:
Under the Neon Sky: A Las Vegas Doorman's Story (Jay Rankin Publishing, 2009, ISBN: 0984210911) is available at bookstores nationwide and from major online booksellers.
* For a review copy of Under the Neon Sky or an interview with Jay Rankin, please contact Dottie DeHart, DeHart & Company Public Relations, at (828) 325-4966. .
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