Do You Understand Math?

[Davidvictorson]

Who remembers this old line- the lottery is a tax on people who don't understand math. Let's shift from the lottery and talk about gambling. In gambling do you think that your understanding of math would make you better at gambling. Not necessarily by making you hit the jackpot, but in winning moderately, gambling responsibly, and in choosing strategies for games like poker or blackjack, over games of pure chance like slots or roulette? And now, back to the lottery quote, do you agree?

[Porfirii]

Who remembers this old line- the lottery is a tax on people who don't understand math. Let's shift from the lottery and talk about gambling. In gambling do you think that your understanding of math would make you better at gambling. Not necessarily by making you hit the jackpot, but in winning moderately, gambling responsibly, and in choosing strategies for games like poker or blackjack, over games of pure chance like slots or roulette? And now, back to the lottery quote, do you agree?

One year ago I created the topic Lotteries and possibility vs. probability where I was interested in knowing the opinion of our colleagues about a question very similar to the one you now raise.

In a very summary way, my opinion on the topic is that understanding maths makes you a better gambler because this is the only way to make informed decisions. About the quote, although it is very famous, I don't fully agree, because even those who understand math can enjoy playing lottery. I would rephrase it as follows: the lottery is a tax on people who dare to dream regardless of math. From my point of view, ignorance is not taxed, but illusion.

[Charles-Tim]

If you are gambling responsibly, that does not mean you wiill be winning moderately. Recently Stake paid me and I tried some games and lost $18. I withdraw the remaining immediately. I felt like to gamble more, but I know that would be irresponsible gambling. You can gamble responsibly and still be losing.

On casino responsible gambling, you will see gamble for fun and entertainment. I have seen this in many casinos and including Stake. Recently I saw that on Stake.

If you are gambling and chose Blackjack, it is pure luck and you can not win the house if you continue to gamble. I heard you can play poker with other players and not necessary the gambling site, that is better but still consider it as pure luck, especially if you are losing more than winning. But there is a poker that you can play against the house like Texas Hold'em. Be very careful because it would be pure luck also.

In a very summary way, my opinion on the topic is that understanding maths makes you a better gambler because this is the only way to make informed decisions.

You can see someone that does not understand math but understand life and gamble responsibly. You can see a very good math student or some that graduated with good CGPA in math but be addicted to gambling. I think gambling is connected more to discipline and not chasing money with gambling.

[Lida93]

About the lottery quote I don't agree!  Maybe we would have gotten a clear position about this quote if Albert Einstein had given himself to a little gamble
 
If been good at mathematics  makes a a great profitable gambler then probably a lot of mathematicians who are good at mathematics to a fault would have made a fortune from it.  I have heard and read stories of people hitting the jackpot or having huge win without having to know maths but it's that they were just lucky to have made those wins.

Having good skills in games like poker and blackjack is great as it get to reduce your chances of  high loses especially if you gamble responsibly without having abusing your strategy, but building on it as a way to constantly win the table is absurd to my view.

[Yatsan]

Who remembers this old line- the lottery is a tax on people who don't understand math. Let's shift from the lottery and talk about gambling. In gambling do you think that your understanding of math would make you better at gambling. Not necessarily by making you hit the jackpot, but in winning moderately, gambling responsibly, and in choosing strategies for games like poker or blackjack, over games of pure chance like slots or roulette? And now, back to the lottery quote, do you agree?

Well yes one's understanding and application of mathematics could really help an individual to be efficient with his gambling behavior. In such way, a gambler would be aware of how much he is already spending and the amount he could afford losing. Mathematics is also evident with some card game strategies like card counting but won't guarantee winning of course because the only thing that could determine such outcome is one's fate and luck. No matter how aware you are with numbers rolling around a gambling game, you won't be certain of winning.
 Despite of this, having an understanding or knowledge of this subject will be a huge advantage over other gamblers who doesn't. They would most likely just bet 'til they lose everything that they alloted. So at least make changes for yourself as a gambler andbmake use of that knowledge being pertain in this discussion.

[btc_angela]

Who remembers this old line- the lottery is a tax on people who don't understand math. Let's shift from the lottery and talk about gambling. In gambling do you think that your understanding of math would make you better at gambling. Not necessarily by making you hit the jackpot, but in winning moderately, gambling responsibly, and in choosing strategies for games like poker or blackjack, over games of pure chance like slots or roulette? And now, back to the lottery quote, do you agree?

I think gamblers understand math, but still though, they wanted to take that risk in gambling and even go against the basic principle like the odds and the possibilities in winning like in lottery or even in sports betting (going on the underdog).

So yeah, we as gamblers love the unknown, that future, we really don't know what will be the result and even if it is stack up against us, we are going to take it. So despite what we have learn about math, it will not matter to us, just saying.

[Rruchi man]

In gambling do you think that your understanding of math would make you better at gambling. Not necessarily by making you hit the jackpot, but in winning moderately, gambling responsibly, and in choosing strategies for games like poker or blackjack, over games of pure chance like slots or roulette? And now, back to the lottery quote, do you agree?

If you are able to apply your knowledge of mathematics, then maybe you could have some sort of edge over other gamblers with no mathematical knowledge or an edge against the house, but not everyone who understands mathematics is able to apply it, especially to gambling.

Who remembers this old line- the lottery is a tax on people who don't understand math.

I'd say that Ambrose Bierce, who was a journalist, writer, and poet, was only trying to sound poetic.

[Japinat]

I understand math, so I know that the chances of winning in gambling, especially in games based on luck, are slim. Why do I play? Because I don't focus on winning but on entertaining myself. It's just like paying to be entertained, and this type of gambling is better since, when you pay, you have a chance of winning, unlike other forms of entertainment where you have no possible return of money.

It definitely depends on your purpose. If you aim to make a living from gambling, then don't play these games. Instead, choose a game that does not have a house edge and just focus on it. I also read a quote that betting on the lottery is just like flushing money down the toilet. That seems true.

[alegotardo]

Who remembers this old line- the lottery is a tax on people who don't understand math. Let's shift from the lottery and talk about gambling. In gambling do you think that your understanding of math would make you better at gambling. Not necessarily by making you hit the jackpot, but in winning moderately, gambling responsibly, and in choosing strategies for games like poker or blackjack, over games of pure chance like slots or roulette? And now, back to the lottery quote, do you agree?

Regarding this statement about lotteries, I disagree! The only mathematics that exists for the lottery is probabilities, and even if you are a "genius" in mathematics, you cannot do anything with this knowledge to improve your chances of winning in this type of game.

However, when we talk about gambling, the lottery can certainly help you, especially in card games. If you know the game well, are excellent at memorizing and know mathematics well, this can certainly give you a great advantage over other competitors, as it is possible to "predict" which cards will turn over and which will not.

However, we must remember that many casinos prohibit you from "counting cards", so you need to be very discreet with this gift and also have a quick mind.

[passwordnow]

No, not really at all. Although I've read an article[1] about a person that had beaten the lottery for several times and won jackpot because of his math and being a math teacher is obvious on how he's able to do that.

[1] This Retired Mathematician Won $26 Million From State Lotteries ... Legally

It's legal but then, it's a rare case and we don't even know how to start with it because we all knew that lotteries are certainly based from one's luck. The funny thing is when you'll read the article, he's said this "it's basic arithmetic" now my head is circling already.  
And with those games that are requiring critical thinking and some sort of analysis, the effect of math to someone can help because it exercises our minds to be more critical. But you know what, even in sportsbetting that do analysis, if you're a fan of a team and all you wanna do is just support and bet on them without having critical thinking.

[HelliumZ]

Who remembers this old line- the lottery is a tax on people who don't understand math. Let's shift from the lottery and talk about gambling. In gambling do you think that your understanding of math would make you better at gambling. Not necessarily by making you hit the jackpot, but in winning moderately, gambling responsibly, and in choosing strategies for games like poker or blackjack, over games of pure chance like slots or roulette? And now, back to the lottery quote, do you agree?

I have come to know that gambling is a game of luck but today through this topic I came to know that gambling is a game of mathematics. If it's a math game then I must say I'm very bad at math so there's no way I'll be good at gambling. But while Poker, Dice, Slots, etc. depend on mathematical formula, I think Sportsbetting will not depend on mathematical. Basically sportsbetting depends on a number of factors especially a team's fixtures. The win loss of sportsbetting basically depends on the venue and team performance.

[Darker45]

If you give weight to math in gambling, you might not gamble at all. Math takes away the fun.

Generally, gambling is about luck. There's fun in trying your luck. But luck isn't always there. It's hard to find. And the joy in gambling is precisely the attempt to find it. And then there's also the reward money that comes along with finding one's luck.

I think it isn't just my statistics class that computed the chances in a lottery. And it's one in a hundred million. But it doesn't mean we won't bet on it anymore.

[Kemarit]

Or in the other hand, you could beat the casino itself, like this family using Math playing roulette



It take them sometime to figure it out though as they need to have data to plot into their software.

For sure some of you might have seen this story.

Or even those card counters, it's Math isn't it? So there are pros/cons of understanding Math when we gamble. But I do believed that we shouldn't complicate things. If we understand it and we know that we are going to lose then why gamble in the first place?

[Baofeng]

Who remembers this old line- the lottery is a tax on people who don't understand math. Let's shift from the lottery and talk about gambling. In gambling do you think that your understanding of math would make you better at gambling.

Not necessarily, even if you have the understanding of math, your decision will still be clouded most of the time because you might think illogical and just base everything on what you see or what is your current situation and you won't based your decision on math itself.

Not necessarily by making you hit the jackpot, but in winning moderately, gambling responsibly, and in choosing strategies for games like poker or blackjack, over games of pure chance like slots or roulette? And now, back to the lottery quote, do you agree?

But there is still the house edge though, and the randomness of numbers that makes it unpredictable even though we have the math down to the tee like in blackjack as you will never know what will be the next card that is going to be dealt with.

[michellee]

I am not sure my understanding of math will makes me better when playing gambling. I don't use math when gambling because I only wants to have fun. I just need to playing gambling moderately to prevents the lose not becomes big.

When buying lottery, I don't use calculation or something like that like others. I knows that lottery is a gambling games based on luck although some people trying to use calculation. They thinks that will helps them wins the lottery but we have different methods when playing on every gambling games.

If you want to playing gambling, you don't need to makes you busy with anything. Just play the gambling games you wants, enjoy your free time and accept the results. If you can playing gambling moderately, you will not have a problem with anything in gambling.

[Poker Player]

90% of this section or more do not understand mathematics. Or they have a vague idea of concepts such as RTP but do not fully understand its meaning. That is why this section is so active and helps casinos to be profitable. You won't see statistics professors playing regularly in casinos.

[Hirose UK]

Who remembers this old line- the lottery is a tax on people who don't understand math. Let's shift from the lottery and talk about gambling. In gambling do you think that your understanding of math would make you better at gambling. Not necessarily by making you hit the jackpot, but in winning moderately, gambling responsibly, and in choosing strategies for games like poker or blackjack, over games of pure chance like slots or roulette? And now, back to the lottery quote, do you agree?

Some people may believe that Mathematics can help them win at gambling, there are many calculations and several analytical strategies to create betting opportunities or predictions, especially in the lottery.
But in my opinion everything will be the same because in gambling most of the games are luck based and without luck then any effort or strategy will just be in vain because the way gambling works is to give very low edge to the gambler.
But there are indeed some games that might be able to utilize Mathematics to increase opportunities which can actually result in lots of wins, but not all gamblers are able to do all this because the average gambler knowledge of Mathematics is not truly perfect.

I don't want to believe it, but some experts can indeed win by using Mathematics, but if want to believe it, there are doubts, like myself, I always fail when I try to do it, maybe it still depends on how skilled each person is in using Mathematics in gambling.

[Hewlet]

Who remembers this old line- the lottery is a tax on people who don't understand math. Let's shift from the lottery and talk about gambling. In gambling do you think that your understanding of math would make you better at gambling. Not necessarily by making you hit the jackpot, but in winning moderately, gambling responsibly, and in choosing strategies for games like poker or blackjack, over games of pure chance like slots or roulette? And now, back to the lottery quote, do you agree?

Basically, such statement would mostly mean that the knowledge of maths would enable you to calculate your gains and looses in gambling and understand that if your loss outnumber your gains, then you should start considering opting out of Gambling and that the reason why most people continue gambling is that they don't know maths to even ascertain tye difference between there losses and wins. If the analogy is with regard to this thought process, then it's a bit understandable but outside of this, general knowledge of maths plays little role in determining the kind of bet you stake iether on a casino or in a sports betting match. Being knowledgeable at Maths generally helps one to be more smart at the things you're doing and and people that aren't maths wise tend to struggle with technical stuff but outside of this, I've not really seen any serious application of maths in gambling.

[arjunmujay]

I myself have played the lottery for quite a long time. Until now, we still haven't found the exact mathematical formula for making a profit from this game.
At best, when you find a mathematical formula that is quite effective, there will be times when you will definitely face defeat too.

[Don Pedro Dinero]

I myself have played the lottery for quite a long time. Until now, we still haven't found the exact mathematical formula for making a profit from this game.

You are looking for something that does not exist. If you want to make money with the lottery what you have to do is to set up a lottery to be the one who produces and sells the tickets, not buy them.