I used to go to my friend's C of E church to Whist Drives, as being a Methodist they were banned at our Church, as gambling was seen as the Devil's work!
Children had to play Beetle Drives, which ran on the same principle, were you changed tables after every game. The game incidentally consisted of drawing a beetles body, after throwing a die. A one rolled equalled a leg for example, two an eye etc.
At the time, in the early seventies, there was a toy advertised on television called a Squirble. It was a bright green furry pet with googly eyes, that ran up and down your arm, and looked to all intents and puposes alive, and would be your friend forever and ever. They were relatively expensive, £3.99 I seem to remember, and my parents wouldn't let me have one, no matter how much I whined and sulked.
At my very first Beetle Drive, as first prize, displayed on the table amongst bottles of homemade wine, was a Squirble!
I shook the dice with my fingers crossed, and hoped luck would be on my side that evening.
Some how I managed to roll enough numbers on every table to make sure my beetles had the required number of legs, heads, and feelers etc.
I was so thrilled to claim first prize, my new pet....and was so disappointed later to find it wouldn't really crawl up your arm, or snake around your shoulder as if alive. It was just a bit of lime green fluff, and a mean bit of fishing wire.
Gambling never held much allure after that first disappointment.