Initially, we spent most weekends at the casino (sometimes up to 20 hours at a stretch) – taking short breaks to go home to sleep. I often watch him play as I’m still very new to most of the games including baccarat, roulette, poker, pontoon, blackjack and three knights.

He warned me that gambling can be addictive, but accompanied me to the casino when I picked up my new hobby. We won $9,000 and decided to buy the annual entrance levy ($4,000 for the both of us) that would allow us unlimited entry to the casino for a year. Before we met, my boyfriend used to frequent the casinos on cruise ships and Genting Highlands he stopped playing to spend more time with me. Three days later, I returned to the casino with my boyfriend of one year. Being the biggest winner in the group (I had won over $3,000), I treated my friends to a sumptuous dinner at the hotel’s Chinese restaurant. Later that afternoon, we returned to the casino, determined to make full use of our $100 per person entry pass, valid for 24 hours. At 4am, we went back to the hotel for breakfast and a quick nap. I stood and continued gambling at that table for the next four hours – an unbelievable feat for a person who loathes excessive walking. Taking a cue from my friends at the next table, I placed a $200 bet and in a classic case of beginner’s luck, doubled my money. It was my first time playing at a casino table – not counting the jackpot machines I tried while holidaying in Macau – and I was excited about deciding which numbers to bet on. I squeezed through the crowds of foreign workers, China girls and local aunties, and got myself a place at a sic bo table. At midnight, we decided to visit the casino.

“Over a long weekend last year, my friends and I booked a room at Marina Bay Sands Hotel.

Casino white house costa rica