It's a few minutes past 7:30 AM on a hazy Friday morning, and Sandra Joy Becker settles in front of her favorite 25-cent video poker machine at Casino Magic in Biloxi, MS. One of the hosts brings her a fresh cup of coffee in her favorite mug within minutes of her arrival.

Now, she’s ready to gamble.

Although Sandra visits the casino six days a week to play "her" machine, today is a little different. A television camera crew zooms in on her as she plays video poker and talks with A&E’s host Harry Smith for an upcoming Biography Close-up entitled, "You Wanna Bet."

Like many seasoned players, Sandra focuses on the overall casino experience rather than hoping to line up three Wheel of Fortune symbols. While she’s been an avid player for more than 30 years, she’s hit her share of royal flushes and rolled her way to big cash payoffs at the craps tables. Sandra’s never won a six-figure Megabucks or Quartermania jackpot, but she says that’s just fine with her.

A Royal Start
Sandra wasn’t always a video poker buff. Throughout her many years as a casino tour operator, she’d accompany groups on adventures to Las Vegas, tropical islands, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. She’d join the players in the casinos and spend hours at the blackjack and craps tables.

"I’ve always been a big player," she says. "I’d travel to Las Vegas and other gaming jurisdictions because the casinos invited me. That’s how I know that I’m a good player. I still play tables, but it’s only on rare occasions. Now I’m a die-hard video poker fan."

Sandra’s love for video poker happened by surprise one day after she had finished playing craps at Treasure Bay Casino in Biloxi. She complained to her gambling buddy about how quickly her bankroll had vanished. Her friend suggested she try playing video poker, and gave her a quick lesson on the nickel machines.

"The first few times I played video poker, I didn’t win anything," she recalls. "Once I made the jump from nickels to quarters, I hit a royal for a grand. I just sat back in my chair and said to myself, ‘Oh, this is very nice.’ From that moment on I was hooked."

Sandra, along with her business partner and companion of 18 years, Harold, continued to operate their casino tour company until the winter of 1998. "I just woke up one morning and thought about the fact that I had been working for 50 years," she says. "I had traveled the world with gambling and I was tired of working. At that time, we decided to sell the business. But my retirement hasn’t taken me away from the wonderful world of casino entertainment."

Feeling the Magic
Sandra’s passion for video poker at Casino Magic keeps her busy in the mornings while Harold is at home reading the newspaper or sleeping late. She notes that she likes to get to the casino early because her favorite machine is always available at that time.

"If I go at night, my machine is occupied and that burns me up," she says. "The casino is really an escape for me. Some people go to the gym to unwind; I choose to go to the casino instead. The funny thing is that if people call looking for me in the morning when I’m at the casino, Harold will tell them I’m at work. It’s a little gag we have."

According to Sandra, her daily visits to the casino vary from two to five hours, depending on how quickly her bankroll disappears. Even though the couple lives near several casinos along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, she only plays at Casino Magic.

"I never thought I’d live so close to the casinos," she says. "It’s terrific. I chose to play at one place because I feel as though I get a better return on my money. Also, the employees all know me and we’re like family."

While Sandra enjoys the personalized service, she stresses that she’s not there looking for new pals. "I’m at the casino to play," she says. "It’s a lot like laying in the sun with a good book. I’m not there to chat with everyone. I’ll say ‘hi’ to some of the regular players I see there, but that’s where the conversation ends.

"I’ll be 70 in October," she continues. "I don’t need to make friends, because the ones I made in my 20s are now my friends forever. And most of them don’t gamble. Can you believe that one?"

Since her friends don’t share her passion for video poker, her early morning casino jaunts are usually solo. "When my sister comes from Florida to visit, she goes to the casino with me every morning. She’s not as lucky as me, but we have a lot of fun," she says. "My mother thinks we’re both nuts; she won’t put a nickel in a slot anywhere."

Sandra always had a hunch that her life would involve gaming, even though her mother has never been fond of casinos. Many years ago, a visit to a psychic revealed her destiny. "It was really strange because the psychic didn’t know me at all," she recalls. "I sat in the chair and she told me that I would be surrounded by ‘gambling’ and I’d met a companion with the initial ‘h.’ Shortly after that visit I met Harold in a casino."

Always a Winner
Sandra says many players, including her sister, don’t share her good luck at the casino. Like any video poker enthusiast, she has dry spells, but nails quite a few royal flushes every year. She attributes her jackpot winnings to skill and "knowing" her machine.

"This sounds crazy to some people, but over the years, I’ve gotten to know my machine pretty well. I’m almost at the point where I can second guess it," she says. "When I hit a jackpot, half of the money gets buried and I play the rest. I always have a reserve that’s my play money, so I don’t have to limit myself."

With that in mind, Sandra also has a formula for spending her players club cashback. "I save my cashback coupons all year long and cash them in before the holidays." she says. "It’s like my holiday fund and I’ve learned that Casino Magic has one of the best cashback programs along the Coast. I also keep a special reserve for my grandkids. You never know when they might need something."

Sandra spends nearly $400 a day on gambling, yet she never drops a coin into a progressive slot. "I’m not interested in those types of games. I don’t play to hit the big one. I play for entertainment purposes, because I really enjoy it," she says. "I’d never say ‘I have to hit today.’ I’m just happy if my money lasts for a long time. It’s really all about entertainment value. Sure, I consider myself an addict, but I have control."

Biography Close-up, "You Wanna Bet," is scheduled to air on the

A&E network this summer. The special takes an in-depth look at casinos through the eyes of several players.