{"id":40979,"date":"2024-07-15T08:41:08","date_gmt":"2024-07-15T13:41:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/blog\/?p=40979"},"modified":"2024-06-24T08:41:19","modified_gmt":"2024-06-24T13:41:19","slug":"is-poker-gambling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/blog\/is-poker-gambling\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Poker Gambling? A Professional Poker Player Breaks It Down For Us"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Poker is a huge part of my life \u2014 I write about poker, I authored a book on poker, I took third place in a poker tournament at the World Series of Poker<\/a>. I\u2019ve done extensive work for both the Commerce Casino & Hotel and the World Poker Tour\u2019s online casino, WPT Global. I even met my husband at a casino while playing poker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, poker was never taboo \u2014 definitely not something I associated with \u201cGAMBLING.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But back when I first published my book A Girl\u2019s Guide to Poker<\/a>, people would always ask me if I was a big gambler. My standard response? \u201cI don\u2019t gamble \u2014 I just play poker.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wisecracks aside, it\u2019s important to explain why I don\u2019t categorize poker as typical gambling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Makes Poker Different From Other Casino Games?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Poker is extremely unique because it is the only casino game where you don\u2019t play against \u2018the House.\u2019 This is a huge distinction. In any other selection \u2013 roulette, blackjack, slots, etc. \u2013 you are trying to win money from the casino (aka \u2018the House\u2019). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obviously the natural problem here is that the casino needs to keep the lights on\u2026 you\u2019re playing on their turf. These games are purposely designed for the casino to always<\/em> have an edge<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What makes these games gambling is that the odds are not in your favor. If you win, it\u2019s largely through luck. There is no way you can \u2018beat\u2019 a roulette wheel for example by placing your bets on different colors or numbers. If you win, it\u2019s in spite of the mathematical probabilities, not because of it. Unlike poker, where you can invest money when the math is in your favor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you play poker, you are trying to win money from your opponents. You are not battling against the Bellagio, Caesar\u2019s Palace, the Wynn or whatever establishment you\u2019re playing at. You compete against other players, not the casino. Your goal is to win money from the other people at the table. The casino just hosts the game.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key concept: poker players compete against each other. Not the House.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So How Does The Casino Make Money?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The casino takes a small amount of money from each pot, called the rake. For example, if the pot is $100, the casino might take $5, leaving the winner with $95. This way, the casino makes money<\/a> no matter who wins the hand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This structure means that the casino has no vested interest in the outcome between players.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Certain places will not take a rake and instead charge a flat fee to play at their venue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, everyone at the table might need to pay a certain dollar amount per hour. This also prevents the establishment from being invested in who wins \u2014- the cardroom is simply serving as a host. There is no reason for the hosting venue to want players to win or lose big. They simply want them to keep coming back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, if someone wins huge, it’s not coming from the casino’s pocket. The casino makes its money from the rake or the fees, not from the players’ losses.<\/strong> Already, this is what makes poker different from other casino games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Element Of Chance In Poker<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Yes, poker does involve some luck. That doesn’t mean it’s purely a game of chance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s break down how luck and skill work in poker. Imagine an experienced professional poker player competing against an absolute beginner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What do you think their chances are of winning a hand against one of the top professional poker players in the world?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. 20%<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. 30%<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. 50%<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Surprisingly, the correct answer is close to 50%! How can this be?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A key point of understanding is that the outcome of any INDIVIDUAL hand is largely influenced by luck. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For example, you might be dealt significantly stronger cards than your opponent\u2014it\u2019s essentially a coin toss with a 50\/50 chance. The dealer might give you a powerful pair of aces while your opponent receives weaker cards, or the reverse could happen. The likelihood of winning any single hand does come down to the luck of the draw.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How does this not sway us? Is poker considered gambling \u2014 didn\u2019t I just prove that it is?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Not quite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Think of the lottery. If I buy a lottery ticket and win, am I a skilled lottery player? Or did I just get lucky?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Of course the answer is I just got lucky. But how would we determine this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If I were to play the lottery every day, would I be able to replicate the same result? Would I be able to keep winning? No \u2014 chances are you would see me repeatedly lose. There is no strategy here. This becomes apparent only after a high frequency. You cannot test luck or skill in any one particular event. It\u2019s only over time that advantages can be revealed.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Still not convinced? Let\u2019s try roulette.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We all recognize roulette as a game of chance. How do we know this? While there are mathematical proofs showing that no strategy can beat the casino’s advantage, it’s also clear on a simpler level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you kept betting on the same number \u2014 like, say, 11 \u2014over and over again, you would lose all your money eventually. Winning or losing one time by betting on #11 doesn\u2019t prove anything. What tells us it\u2019s gambling is the inability to skew success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Element Of Skill In Poker<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Let’s go back to our example of the beginner versus the professional poker player. We’ve already established that luck mostly determines who wins any single hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But what if they played 100 hands? How about 1,000 hands? Or even 10,000 hands?<\/em> Almost certainly the pro will win over time. The more hands they play, the greater their advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This shows the importance of skill in poker. While luck is important in each individual hand, skill is what matters in the long run. Experienced players use their joint understanding of math and psychology to win over the course of their careers.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Is poker considered gambling <\/em>is a topic I\u2019ve touched on similarly before, including in my book, A Girl\u2019s Guide to Poker.<\/em> Here are some highlights:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When does luck in poker become eclipsed by skill? At just under 1,500 hands\u20141,471, to be exact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n