“Competition from state lotteries, Indian casinos and riverboat gaming – along with pressure from animal-rights groups – have cut into greyhound profits. And consumer tastes are changing; witness the proliferation of televised poker tournaments on various networks.
Before meeting with the Figueroas on Friday, I asked 30-year-old Bradenton resident Troy Bailey why he prefers the action inside Sarasota’s One-Eyed Jacks Card Room to wagering on canine competitors giving their all on the dirt oval.
“In poker, you can use your own skills and abilities,” Bailey explained. “If you play well, you’re consistently going to win, and if you play poorly, you’re going to lose.
“There is some luck involved, but you are in control of your own fate. And as you learn more about it, you can have a great hand and set a trap for someone who doesn’t have as much experience.”
Bailey also relishes the interaction at the table above the often-solitary pursuit of race handicapping.”
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