They say that if the first bet of your life is a winner, then you'll be a gambler for life. If the first bet of your life is a loser, then you'll always regard gamblers as mugs. And if the first bet of your life is a loser, but you just know it was the value, then you'll be a professional gambler.

Ryan Hancox is a compulsive gambler and, like most compulsive gamblers, a mug.

His vehicle of choice is the slot machine, those evil money-eaters given a fluffy name, such as 'amusement with prizes' machines, by those who rake in the money and the more realistic description 'one-armed bandits' by those whose money is raked in.