How to Make Money by Losing $300,000 a Year on Slot Machines

livemint.com:

Brian Christopher lost $300,000 gambling on slot machines in casinos last year. Hundreds of thousands of people cheered him on, from the comfort of their own homes. Several times a week, Christopher takes a seat at the slots and livestreams his play on YouTube and Facebook.

With a phone pointed at the animated screen in front of him, he pushes buttons to a soundtrack of chimes, bells and cheery tunes. “Line it up, buttercup," he’ll often say as he tests his luck. A new classof niche celebrities have turned the once-solitary experience of gambling at casino slot machines into a spectator sport with millions of viewers and fan camaraderie.

Using monopods or videographers to film the action, the players spend hours talking audiences through the highs and lows of jackpots and losses. “It’s fun to watch somebody else play with their money while you’re sitting on your couch drinking a beer," said Wayne Deck, a 60-year-old in Fairfax, Va., who watches Christopher online and visits casinos in-real-life. Sue Leahy tunes into Christopher’s broadcasts from her home in Latitude Margaritaville, a Jimmy Buffett-themed retirement village in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Leahy said she grew tired of losing during her own play, so she started copying Christopher. She noted the kinds of machines he used, and how much he bet, and has hunted them down during her casino visits. “Ever since then, I’ve been winning," Leahy said, while noting that no one wins all the time.

Some who livestream their play are high-rollers who bet $100 or $300 per spin. Others provide practical tips on how to avoid overspending during gambling and remind viewers that the house always wins. Pat Cudd, a retired English teacher in Gruver, Texas, started playing slots in the