PT Watto & Qui-Gon - The Gambler's Code

Perhaps the biggest question posed to me by new viewers of TPM concerns the wagers between Jinn and Watto.

"Why did Watto adhere to the bets? Both guys knew Jinn was 'playing dirty'"

"Why would a regular Pod Race gambler who seems to have some clout (sitting good seats for Boonta Eve, knowing the odds on Sebulba, etc - a regular 'sharpie' - why would he think Mr.Outlander would get support of the Hutts in a gambling dispute?"

My answers usually include that Watto was actually somewhat of an honorable gent and did not want to make waves, perhaps he had been 'standing tall before the Hutts' before on some gambling dispute.

But the answer seems weak - concerning a real schiester (Lucas' Jewish stereotype) character like Watto to lose his butt in such a classy way.

The verbal only bets, the nefarious criminal reputation of Tatooine, the dirty pool played by Jinn, etc.

How does it jive with what happened?

 

The only time Qui-Gon 'played dirty' was in the dice toss - and according to the novelisation, the dice was weighted anyway, so Watto cheated first. Lying about Anakin's podracer was incidental (no more dirty than bluffing in poker). Other than that, Qui-Gon played by the rules. Watto claiming "somehow you knew" was him just being a bad loser, although he knew something was out of the ordinary. Being able to see the future isn't cheating, it's just something you wouldn't want to mention - same as if you know a horse has a minor injury when no-one else does.

As far as everything else is concerned, it's in your thread title. If you want to gamble in such circles, reneging on bets is the first thing to do if you want to be shunned, regardless of your status. Watto would have to prove Qui-Gon actually cheated (which he didn't), & he had zero proof, hence why he gave in. As they say, a bet's a bet.

 

I would venture to say Jinn used the Force to influence the race in his benefit - at a critical stage on the third lap - I believe that's in the novel.

I agree Nub that the gambler's code is important - but this ain't Monte Carlo or the Executive Clubhouse at the fancy golf course - I think the clientele and morays are real sketchy in this situation.

 

Doesn't matter where it happened - there's still a code, because if Watto was to gain a reputation for not paying up on bets he wouldn't be able to find anyone willing to gamble with him.

I don't think Qui-Gon influencing the race itself is evident or even suggested in the film at all, but then again, neither's Watto's crooked dice.

Watto still had zero proof of anything, regardless. He might have considered himself to have been swindled (which I suppose he was), but he didn't know how. He should have figured out the Jedi thing pretty quick, but even if he had he might have been even less inclined to argue.

 

I've never read the novel and I knew the dice was crooked before he even rolled it. Obviously there is something with Watto's body language in the movie that does suggest he is cheating.

 

I don't think Qui-Gon influencing the race itself is evident or even suggested in the film at all, but then again, neither's Watto's crooked dice.


Strange. I got the impression from the film that Watto's dice was crooked.

 

Like D-Rush and others see - it was just Qui-Gon cheating on the dice roll.
Worse yet the schiester Watto had them loaded from jump street which some would infer (book verifies).

And what do people assume when Qui-Gon is closing his eyes and tilting his head upward - while Shimi, Portman and Binks are watching the dramatic third lap on the IPad?

We see the man do some insane stuff with the Force - some weird speed burst, toss droids around like ragdolls, knock Binks unconscience, etc. This is assuming we never saw the OT and the full power of the Force.

So what was Jinn doing in that pivotal third lap of the B.E. Classic -- trying to squeeze out a fart?

Bottom line is these two characters few scruples between them when it comes to an honest bet - and I'm frankly surprised Watto does not say "Let's see you try to collect your winnings, Outlander ..."

It would have flowed much better from what we know of these vying con artists.

 

True, I suppose, I probably got the same impression. Then again, just about everything Watto does suggests he's up to something dodgy.

 

According to the novel it's something like remote viewing via the Force, but I don't think there was an implication that he influenced the race itself. For one thing, we know that he wouldn't have needed to, because of Anakin's abilities.

 

That's funny, because in watching the movie, Watto didn't seem all that surprised that he'd lost the dice toss. Surely, he would have accused Qui-Gon of cheating then if the dice were weighted? Not that I'd put such a trick as weighted dice past Watto. He didn't actually accuse Qui-Gon of cheating until after the pod race, though I don't know how he could have though Qui-Gon cheated there. Still, he did want to back out of the bet, but held up his end of the bargain because Qui-Gon threatened to go to the Hutts. Granted, it seems to me that it would be his word against Qui-Gon's, but maybe he has a bad reputation among the Hutts, or perhaps they have some other reason to dislike him and judge against him.

 

Seriously? I thought his reaction clearly indicated surprise (& by implication, that he was cheating). He seemed a lot angrier than if he'd lost a fair, simple bet.

As for accusing Qui-Gon of cheating the dice toss, he's hardly going to bring up a loaded dice as proof of his own honesty.

 

i really liked the exchanges between Qui-Gon and Watto. They were forcing themselves to be respectful to each other, though you could see in their eyes that they were pissed. Especially Qui-gon's fake smile after the failed mind tricks.

 

Yes, seriously. He did not look that shocked to me. Certainly not as surprised as he should look if the die was loaded. He didn't say "you cheated" either. He just said something like "you win that, but you'll still lose the race". Are you sure you're not confusing this with the scene right after Anakin wins the pod race, where he does in fact accuse Qui-Gon of cheating?

 

No, my immediate impression from that scene was that Watto didn't want to gamble Anakin, so he decided to pull a quick swifty on Qui-Gon, rather than mess around. He figured he could settle this minor issue with some very simple trickery, hence his cocky attitude when he suggests the dice toss.

His reaction to the dice rolling otherwise was along the lines of someone whose trick didn't turn out as he fully expected. If it was something as simple & honest as a coin toss, he would have shrugged his shoulders. And if it wasn't so important to him to risk a cheated bet, he wouldn't have suggested the dice toss in the first place. Anakin & Shmi were his property, after all.

 

Nub, You have convinced me about Watto using loaded dice.

The conjecture is all there -

Watto calls the roll (against gambler's code of "my dice, your call" or vice versa)
Watto's baleful tone when saying "red, his mother" (does not sound like someone chancing a 50/50 bet)

But the reaction - after Jinn cheats on the roll - I think he knew loaded dice (THE FREAKIN' DIE HAD 5 SPOTS RED) give him an edge, but certainly not 100% success. Thus he storms off but does not drop his jaw and accuse Jinn of outright cheating.

So it's a mixed bag on these two crooks - yet I still maintain no way an Outlander would have won a dispute with Watto, standing before the Hutts, based on a verbal bet no one witnessed.

(unless of course someone can show that the slave freedom/podracer machine bet was formalized in the betting community prior to the Boonta Eve.)