Gambler Challenge 8

[Rammer2k]

So with the game being out a year now, has there been any tried, and true method to get this without wasting an insane amount of time, or is it still the same RNG luck?  I started a fresh story run recently, and am now up to this dreaded challenge.  I remember back in December, it took me a good 5hrs at least to finally get this one done.  Do things such as betting the max amount make any difference, or number of players at the table?

[CrimsonFolo]

Probably be quicker with less players. Way I did this challenge was set up a youtube video to watch for entertainment and then constantly do the hits again and again until I reached the amount I needed. Took roughly a hour or less for me but i think i got lucky 

[Jimbatron]

3 hours ago, Rammer2k said:

So with the game being out a year now, has there been any tried, and true method to get this without wasting an insane amount of time, or is it still the same RNG luck?  I started a fresh story run recently, and am now up to this dreaded challenge.  I remember back in December, it took me a good 5hrs at least to finally get this one done.  Do things such as betting the max amount make any difference, or number of players at the table?

It is luck but having done it 3 times now, some observations and tips:

1) Each time it took me almost bang on 1.5 hours of solid black jack playing. Get a tablet out and watch a movie or tv series whilst you do it - it will work wonders for your sanity levels.

2) Don’t split low value cards like 2’s, 3’s or 4’s

3) Remember to always hit if it is possible to make 21 in 5 cards, don’t be a sensible player and stick on 20 on your 4th card. It’s obvious for the challenge, but having played black jack for real a few times I found it really off putting having to play like a complete burke. But the reality is twice I hit on 20 and got an ace - it’s 1 in 13 roughly and will happen every now and then.

[Rammer2k]

i got a few podcast shows I listen too so hopefully that'll make the time go by.

[Ironside]

This challenge is ass!!! Why the hell did they make a challenge like this!? A game is supposed to be fun and take away the stress of “normal life”. That does not mean a challenge or even a game needs to be easy, but hours and hours of luck or bad luck just to tick of a box is not fun in the least. 

[Jimbatron]

4 hours ago, Ironside said:

This challenge is ass!!! Why the hell did they make a challenge like this!? A game is supposed to be fun and take away the stress of “normal life”. That does not mean a challenge or even a game needs to be easy, but hours and hours of luck or bad luck just to tick of a box is not fun in the least. 

My biggest gripe about it is actually the challenge is worded wrongly. It says draw three cards and win.

 

If that were the case, you could split every time you got a double, win with 4 cards and get the challenge. Which would also mean there was a degree of intelligence required, realising that’s the way to go.

 

But that doesn’t work. The challenge should actually be worded that you need to win with 5 cards in your hand, which is different.

 

Im hoping they will patch it at some stage so it aligns with the wording and takes less time!

[Xerukal]

I've heard horror stories about the last couple of challenges in this Gambler set, and I'm honestly terrified. I want to go for Legend of the East, but I dunno man. I loved doing the Horseman and Sharpshooter stuff. I'm not looking forward to gambling. 

[Rammer2k]

4 hours ago, Xerukal said:

I've heard horror stories about the last couple of challenges in this Gambler set, and I'm honestly terrified. I want to go for Legend of the East, but I dunno man. I loved doing the Horseman and Sharpshooter stuff. I'm not looking forward to gambling. 

The last 2 are actually a breeze compared to this one.  If I remember right, you can back out of the game if it looks like you're gonna lose, and restart without negating the streak.

[LeonVegaSuarez]

I did it in Rhodes. Make sure you sit on the very right of the table, so the dealer deals you first. If you get cards over 14 or whatever just get up immediately and rejoin the game rigth away. It speeds up the process a lot. Only keep playing if you have a low hand.

[Eshaal]

I completed this challenge today at Van Horn in about 90 mins. 

 

If you try and hit every hand, you will not succeed. I started playing properly after about 30 min, and noticed I was getting more 5 card hands, despite being pushed and losing against the dealer, but main thing was I was getting low cards. Betting wise I was betting the default, 2c, and I did it in one sitting. I do not think the number of players matter. I was sitting in the second chair of the table. 

[t-p-d-a]

i watched a movie. took me 3 hours in Rhodes :-)

 

[Eshaal]

5 hours ago, Xerukal said:

I've heard horror stories about the last couple of challenges in this Gambler set, and I'm honestly terrified. I want to go for Legend of the East, but I dunno man. I loved doing the Horseman and Sharpshooter stuff. I'm not looking forward to gambling. 

Challenges 9 & 10 are a piece of cake compared to challenge 8. With 9 & 10, there is a degree of skill (and you can scum save Challenge 9 even if you wanted to!), and challenge 10, is fairly straightforward. Head over to a table with a low buy-in (Valentine), and raise before the flop, and then all in before the turn card (4th community card).  Will say that Challenge 9 was way more fun! Once I understood the rules, it was very straight forwards. 

 

Challenge 8 though, is pure luck. 

Edited November 11, 2019 by Eshaal

[Jimbatron]

Since Gambler 10 is mentioned, there’s a way you can make this easier.

 

In the Ch4 mission “A Fine Night of Debauchery” you will win two scripted poker hands. So if you go straight to another poker table, go all in and if you win or share the pot you’ll get the challenge:

 

 

Its not as laborious as Gambler 8, but there is still a bit of luck to winning 3 poker hands in a row. This effectively reduces it to doing the mission and then winning the next one.

[Tonesta]

7 hours ago, Xerukal said:

I've heard horror stories about the last couple of challenges in this Gambler set, and I'm honestly terrified. I want to go for Legend of the East, but I dunno man. I loved doing the Horseman and Sharpshooter stuff. I'm not looking forward to gambling. 

So I still haven't completed Gambler 8.

 

I've done everything else for 100% - every collectable, all the missions, compendium items and miscellaneous things - but I just can't/won't sit through this tedious luckfest of a challenge just for the sake of an outfit and a trophy. Life is too short for that!

 

This challenge would genuinely be my #1 complaint about the game. I hate it more than the illogical wanted system!

[Xerukal]

That sucks to hear. I wonder if there's any way to mod or cheat it on PC. Not sure how you'd even go about doing that though. 

[Jimbatron]

29 minutes ago, Xerukal said:

That sucks to hear. I wonder if there's any way to mod or cheat it on PC. Not sure how you'd even go about doing that though. 

It’s boring and unnecessary but not that bad I’d want to cheat through it - IMHO.

 

Multitasking and doing something irl at the same time is the key as the challenge will only take a small part of your concentration. @Rammer2k‘s idea of listening to a podcast or two whilst you grind it is ideal. I watched a movie on my iPad but that probably takes your vision away and reduces your efficient a fraction.

[Cutter De Blanc]

This challenge was not at all as bad as its made out to be.

 

Took me like maybe 45 minutes to an hour. 

 

If I knew I wasn't going to get a winning five card hand I would just play the hand out normally. No sense playing to lose.

[Countryfried]

I also dreaded Gambler 8 but it is not that hard.

Go to Rhodes and hit on every card. Leave the table if you are not dealt a hand that is higher than 10, turn around and re-join immediately (so they do not start up a new game). Took me about half an hour to complete the challenge a year ago (to get the LotE outfit for Mr Morgan in Chapter 4 - good times). When I did it again this weekend (to give the old guy a gambler holster in a save from chapter 2) it took me about 45 minutes.

I would say that Gambler 8 is almost a breeze compared to some of the Herbalist challenges (Herbalist 9, I am especially looking at you and some nights I still wake up screaming about golden currant). Gambler 9 is actually quite fun (play against ONE opponent at Emerald station - a good strategy is to get rid of all doubles first and then the blanks). You can do Gambler 10 quick and dirty - just go all in on every hand in Valentine (I did it again on the first try).

Edited November 13, 2019 by Bakamomo

[The Jungz]

Gambler 8 is horrendous but it's still better than Gambler 9 in my opinion.

 

At least for gambler 8, you can just watch a movie and get away from this mindlessness. For gambler 9, you actually have to f*cking try.

[Eshaal]

3 hours ago, Bakamomo said:

I also dreaded Gambler 8 but it is not that hard.

Go to Rhodes and hit on every card. Leave the table if you are not dealt a hand that is higher than 10, turn around and re-join immediately (so they do not start up a new game). Took me about half an hour to complete the challenge a year ago (to get the LotE outfit for Mr Morgan in Chapter 4 - good times). When I did it again this weekend (to give the old guy a gambler holster in a save from chapter 2) it took me about 45 minutes.

I would say that Gambler 8 is almost a breeze compared to some of the Herbalist challenges (Herbalist 9, I am especially looking at you and I still wake up screaming about golden currant). Gambler 9 is actually quite fun (play against ONE opponent at Emerald station - a good strategy is to get rid of all doubles first and then the blanks). You can do Gambler 10 quick and dirty - just go all in on every hand in Valentine (I did it again on the first try).

Disagree here.

 

In Challenge 9, you score when the ends are multiple of 3s. So any domino with 6, 3, and 0, are super useful. Even the other values come in handy. You got to make the ends add up to a multiple of 3. While the aim of dominos is to get rid of your pieces, for this challenge, the primary objective is to score 90 points to win the game (not round).  

Edited November 12, 2019 by Eshaal

[Jimbatron]

1 hour ago, ThroatSlasher2 said:

Gambler 8 is horrendous but it's still better than Gambler 9 in my opinion.

 

At least for gambler 8, you can just watch a movie and get away from this mindlessness. For gambler 9, you actually have to f*cking try.

Gambler 9 isn’t much fun either but should be quicker than 8. I favour going to Emerald Ranch and riding away and back until there is only one player. If it looks like you are going to lose then you can quit and that doesn’t break your win three in a row.

 

Other than that, try to maintain numeric diversity, so if you have a lot of 4s get rid of them first, then get rid of your high numbers. If you opponent can’t go remember the end numbers as it means they don’t have any of that type, try to leave them with the same end numbers again.

[Countryfried]

6 hours ago, Eshaal said:

Disagree here.

 

In Challenge 9, you score when the ends are multiple of 3s. So any domino with 6, 3, and 0, are super useful. Even the other values come in handy. You got to make the ends add up to a multiple of 3. While the aim of dominos is to get rid of your pieces, for this challenge, the primary objective is to score 90 points to win the game (not round).  

Yup, we disagree here. Actually, I have not lost a whole game at Emerald Ranch yet with this strategy and I have played a few. If you focus less on scoring and more on getting rid of your tiles, you reduce the chances of losing the round and ending up with a lot of tiles. Let the AI do the mistakes, which it will (stick to one opponent).

Edited November 12, 2019 by Bakamomo

[The Jungz]

7 hours ago, Jimbatron said:

Gambler 9 isn’t much fun either but should be quicker than 8. I favour going to Emerald Ranch and riding away and back until there is only one player. If it looks like you are going to lose then you can quit and that doesn’t break your win three in a row.

 

Other than that, try to maintain numeric diversity, so if you have a lot of 4s get rid of them first, then get rid of your high numbers. If you opponent can’t go remember the end numbers as it means they don’t have any of that type, try to leave them with the same end numbers again.

Ever since a recent update, you can't save and reload while doing Gambler 9. It'll reset your streak.

 

Making the challenge that much more frustrating.

[Jimbatron]

32 minutes ago, ThroatSlasher2 said:

Ever since a recent update, you can't save and reload while doing Gambler 9. It'll reset your streak.

 

Making the challenge that much more frustrating.

Yeah I know, that was a pain. But, as of 1.13 you could back out of a game (quit) and it wouldn’t reset your streak. So if you are possibly at risk of losing a match, then you can simply get up from the dominos table and start again, and retain your streak.

 

I haven’t downloaded 1.14 yet though.

[The Jungz]

1 hour ago, Jimbatron said:

Yeah I know, that was a pain. But, as of 1.13 you could back out of a game (quit) and it wouldn’t reset your streak. So if you are possibly at risk of losing a match, then you can simply get up from the dominos table and start again, and retain your streak.

 

I haven’t downloaded 1.14 yet though.

Weird, I remember doing exactly this in 1.11 or 1.12 and it reset my streak anyway.

 

Not really bothered by that anymore since I've gone back to 1.00

[Rammer2k]

Went to get this done this past Sunday while listening to the nfl games.  Surprisingly took less than an hr this time.  Even with the dealer screwing me over a couple times.  

 

Not sure if it was random luck or Rockstar tweaking this in one of the updates, but I did notice I seemed to get a lot of low hands delt than normal.  Of course I busted on a lot of them with the 5th card.   Ironically all 3 of my hands I won was hitting on 18, or 19 and getting a lucky 21.

[BoulderFaceplant]

For all my complaining, I actually went back to give 100% completion a chance. It was this exact challenge that stopped me dead, after more than 2 hours of trying. The other challenges range from mediocre to genuinely fun, but this one is just terrible.

 

So many planets have to line up. You need your first cards to be a 3 and a 5, minimum. Then hope to get another 3-or-lower card, and then another, AND THEN ANOTHER, AND THEN the dealer has to have an inferior hand. You have to do this THREE TIMES. It’s utter insanity. After wasting nearly 3 hours I could’ve spent doing something fun, I couldn’t even get ONE. No joke. NOT ONE. At this rate, it would’ve taken 9 hours AT BEST to complete this challenge. Think about that. So if you’re going after 100%, my advice is, don’t. Do everything else maybe, but quit at Gambler 8. You have better things to do than sit on your ass flipping cards for a whole day. 

 

God, this f*cking game sometimes. 

Edited November 22, 2019 by BoulderFaceplant

[Agent Edward]

This challenge summarizes everything bad about this game, everything gotta be based on RNG bs.

 

The only reason I'm finishing this game 100% again is because I changed my platform from Xbox to PlayStation, so I have to earn its trophies all over again, otherwise I wouldn't bother completing it 100% ever again.

 

I would rather finish GTA5 100% 5 times over finishing RDR2 100% a single time.

[Jimbatron]

On 5/18/2025 at 11:35 PM, Agent Edward said:

This challenge summarizes everything bad about this game, everything gotta be based on RNG bs.

 

The only reason I'm finishing this game 100% again is because I changed my platform from Xbox to PlayStation, so I have to earn its trophies all over again, otherwise I wouldn't bother completing it 100% ever again.

 

I would rather finish GTA5 100% 5 times over finishing RDR2 100% a single time.

I actually enjoy 100% RDR 2 the most. I guess I did write a big guide for it and know the tricks to make the painful bits pass smoothly. I find it really satisfying to combine challenges with missions etc.

 

I would agree Gambler 8 is a steaming turd though. Really bad design and poorly thought out.

[Agent Edward]

On 5/23/2025 at 6:18 AM, Jimbatron said:

I actually enjoy 100% RDR 2 the most. I guess I did write a big guide for it and know the tricks to make the painful bits pass smoothly. I find it really satisfying to combine challenges with missions etc.

 

I would agree Gambler 8 is a steaming turd though. Really bad design and poorly thought out.

I'll take a look at your guide one of these days my friend, I really admire your passion for the games published by Rockstar.

 

While I never followed them for my 100% playthroughs until now, now that I'm older and I don't have as much free time as I used to I'll definitely take a look at a possible 100% guide made by you for VI next year!