When we hear the word poker, before our eyes appears Las Vegas, casinos and a group of people throwing chips. But how is it really and what is poker? I encourage you to read. Poker is a very popular card game that can be played at the casino, in the poker room, at home, everywhere. To play, you need (depending on varieties) one full deck of cards, and from 2 to 9 (sometimes 10) players. The game is for money and players have two options to win. The first is bluffing - cheating others that you have the best hand or second or second - having the best combination of cards.
https://www.888poker.com/magazine/poker-world/how-wsop-works
Great! So it's a game where you cheat, you play for money, you don't see what your opponents have - so it's gambling! Nothing could be more wrong! Poker is a zero-sum game. By this statement it should be understood that at the starting point, no one has an advantage over the other player. And yes, that is true only at the beginning after dealing cards. Math says that statistically, every player over a large sample of card distribution will receive the same cards (same like flipping a coin). However, there are possibilities where you can get an advantage over others. How is it possible? There are two ways to gain an advantage over other players. They are the mathematical element and the psychological element.
Taking the first into a magnifying glass, we can learn how to play the game as probability theory. For example, if we play against eight players and we decide first - whether to enter the pot or fold our hand in our head the light bulb should light up. Depending on the number of people sitting at the table, our tactic should be different (raises, belts, alignments etc.) and we should be asking ourselves all the time “are my cards worth entering the game?”. For beginners, it doesn't matter because they just don't understand the game. So you have to take into account your opponents’ cards and be able to quickly estimate their "ranges". In addition, there is also the math of pot-odds - simple mathematics that allows you to estimate whether our cards are worth the sum of money that is already on the table.
In addition, we watch our opponents playing live. In most cases, games last all days (some tournaments even a week) so we have a lot of time to observe others and make the “reads” of them. People behave differently. They get nervous, behave strangely and so on. After the dealer deals the cards, all you need to do is watch your opponent’s behavior. Some of them are starting to behave differently than before. For instance, after such a reaction, we can already conclude that someone got good cards. So poker is also an art of observation.
Poker is like chess. You learn the rules in 5 minutes, but it takes a long time to reach the level of professionalism. If anyone of you would ever like to try to play poker, follow the golden rule well known in the poker environment.
"To succeed in life surround yourself with geniuses, to succeed in poker surround yourself with morons."
https://www.pokernews.com/news/2019/07/hossein-ensan-2019-world-series-of-poker-main-event-34891.htm
In the link I added an interesting article that describes more and in details why poker is a game of skill. Feel free to check ☺
*Please note that this article does not encourage to play a poker!
** Before playing for money, check your country’s law about poker!
** Before playing for money, check your country’s law about poker!
Credits:
Mental Edge (book) – Leszek Badurowicz
- Have you ever played poker? If not, would you like to try?
- In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
Comments
I have played before but not on bet.
2- In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
If you are paying in some form in hopes of winning something then yes it's gambling. The theory it's not because they "know what they're doing" is a very strange one and kind of sounds a bit like an excuse to make for gambling. It's like if I bet on a team and said it's not gambling because I know all the football players, that doesn't mean I'll always win though...
Yes i did, i've even won a tournament once.
In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
I believe that it's considered a gambling by people who doesn't know the rules or never played it but still it's a cash game, You can't play poker without Your own real money or a prize so maybe because of the emotions that are associated with it we can call it a gambling.
2. You have to know rules and have skills to play but you never know what cards will be on the table. So if you play for money, it is a gambling.
Yes, I like it, I play poker cards and train magic trick with poker cards too, poker card is famous in my country, I am sure everyone has it at home in my country, sometimes we played poker cards after classes in my high school, some student even played it during classes when they were boring..ha ha
2.In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
First of all, I usually play it for fun, not for money, but when it comes to play on money, for sure it is gambling, everything about it is just a game of probability, if you get a bad set of cards, you can't win whatever you do, in my country, Macao is famous for gambling, so many people go to play poker for money there, some of them suicided after losing money.
Yes, I have a poker set with everything you need to have in order to play texas hold'em. Though i play rather seldom.
2. In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
Because many people do not understand the math behind this and without thinking play this game while losing the money they spend. Also some may want to go another round in order to actually get something out of it, after a loss.
2. I think everything that we play for money like poker or betting a game is a gambling because we can lose money but when we win a lot of times we get addicted to it. I also think that to play poker you need to understand it, understand math and probability and calculate everthing in this game so this game is not only just luck.
Sure, a lot of times, but never for the money. We had a kind of "bank" of change, from which everyone was given an equal amount at the beginning of the game. At the end of the game, the funds were returned to the bank again, like in a monopoly. Perhaps because of this lost a certain amount of excitement, yet it's not a pity to put real money, but everyone still liked it.
2. In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
It seems to me that anything in this world could be criticized if abused. This kind of game just makes you more likely to take risks. But it's up to the person to make the decision in any case. And it seems to me that even if you ban poker, people will still find a place to lose all their money in the hope of making an easy profit.
Yes, I tried playing poker with friends. It was a game not for real money, but for fun. Most of my friends play it together. And I decided to keep them company. It was interesting to try and watch the reactions of my friends during the game. The first time I played turned out to be a failure, because I did not know all the card combinations. The further the game progressed, the more confident I felt. The last time it was two years ago, it seems then this was my first game.
In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
I think that the concept of gambling is rather vague. For example, most people perceive this concept as a game for money, which causes addiction and various other harmful consequences. That poker fits this concept. But the classic definition of a gambling is a game, the result of which depends on a random case, but to a small extent on the player’s skills (spied on Wikipedia), then we can say that poker does not quite fit this definition, since the player’s skill is of great importance, and even possibly greater significance.
To be honest, I've never played poker, but I've always wanted to find out what it really is. Every time I meet my friends or I'm away, there are always people who play poker. It never happened, however, that I would join the game and learn its rules. I am always a person who observes but doesn't know very well what is going on around. I think that as you mentioned in the article, the game itself is not difficult, but the skills that will allow you to become the best require a huge amount of time to learn. Poker as a game, I would describe as: easy to play - hard to master.
2. In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
In fact, any game or competitive activity in which money is at stake can be attributed to the name of gambling. It's true that you have correctly pointed out that the game isn't necessarily related to gambling After all, we can find mathematics everywhere, and fate is just a kind of excuse. However, I think it depends on the person and his way of thinking. Some believe in happiness and bad luck, others in destiny, others are realists who believe that certain results are the results of their actions. Personally, it seems to me that poker is a gambling game after all, but I have no strong arguments for it. If someone would explain it to me in detail, I would probably change my mind.
2. As I mentioned, I agree that poker is a game. It combines mathematics, calculus of similarities and prediction skills. I think he is seen as a gamble because he uses cards and the money is at stake. It is ridiculous and pathetic that gambling is limited in Poland. We don't live in any wild country. In my opinion it is a paradox - why are we limited to something when we live in a free country? And what about investing in the stock market - let's also ban it.
2.I think it is gambling because poker is addictive for vulnerable people which want fast money. It also depends on their luck. If they starting with winning some money their want it more and more. They often lose everything they got.
S20108
2. I am not a gambler and have never played poker for money or a prize. A lot of people who is a gamble lose a lot of money. Probably because it seems to them that this time they'll be lucky and they'll win, but in reality they lose again and again.
Yes, I have played poker with my friends but it was not anything serious. And we've never played hold'em, so I don't know if we can even consider it as a real poker :P
In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
Because when played for money it is highly addictive. This is also a game based on luck so it has one of necessary factors to be a gambling.
I think it is considered gambling because you most of a time play for something, for example money and you winning has always something to do with simple luck, of course there is some skill and patience too but luck comes into it for a most part.
Yes, I have played poker but only amateurishly without betting real money
2. In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
Maybe because one of its part is betting and because of this part poker is considered as a gambling game. If you add betting any game is considered as a gambling.
2. People probably think that it is gambling because they don't know that much about the game.
Yes, I do play poker and really like the game.
2) In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
Well, it's a cash game and luck plays a crucial and significant role in each round, thus playing poker is gambling.
Yes. I play a few times a month.
In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
Because there is money involved and an element of uncertainty.
Yes, I used to play poker in the past, but only with friends and for fun, not for money.
2. In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
I think we should consider poker as a game of chance. I once listened to an interview with a professional poker player and talked about how he beat new inexperienced players and treats it (of course, outside the official competition) as the only source of his livelihood.
1. Yes, I've played poker many times with my friends, however, not for money, but just for pure fun.
2. Because it is about money and there is somewhat random factor included, as you can bluff while having nothing on your hand. This way you can lose some serious money and therefore, it is considered gambling.
Hey, I did try playing a similar game to poker with the same table of hierarchy but on different rules and I enjoyed that. Gambling is really tempting, but for now I am not willing to play the real game for money. I just enjoy different board games more.
2. In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
I've heard that winning poker players often don’t see it that way. They say that poker is a game of skill and not luck. Better players will win money from the weaker players in the long term. And in their opinion poker is considered more like a sport than gambling. But in my opinion as a layman it is just a game of luck.
Yes, I’ve played poker. Never played for a real money but I think one day I will try to. It’s awesome game where we are using maths and our skills such as bleff.
In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
In my opinion this game is a gambling because of coincidence and things like bleff. Even if your mathematical chances are very high of winning there is an option when our opponent can win with worse cards. When we add our skills, like talking or doing some gestures or having a poker face, to a gameplay then it is gambling.
2.I think it's considered gambling because loosing and winning money is a part of the game. It is also sometimes a game of chances and risk and those are the main characteristics of every gambling game.
2. From French, “le hasard” means chance, risk. And at the first sight, seems that it is associated with emotions we are feeling during the game and with probability. But from another hand, it is closely related with profit, and there where is material value, should exist rules to govern relations: laws and responsibilities. That’s why government called it gambling, to establish such norms, and also to get a share in budget.
I have one attention to your article, you said about mathematical and psychological elements to get an advantage over other players. But what about physical element – sleight of hands, cheating. Maybe you can`t use it in casino, but in general in game with your friends (you deal cards one by one). I mean theoretical aspect – making events not independent. Oh, get an idea, you can try to change the dice in roulette).
1. Of course, I have heard about it. In my opinion it is the most popular card game in the world. I have tried it. I really enjoy playing poker with my friends. It is very exciting when you are in a game. Every time when the bid is higher the emotions are also in increasing.
2. I think the poker is a great example of gambling. It is a chance, you do not have an impact what cards you will get. Moreover there is a chance to win or loose money. There are a lot of emotions and it is easy to become addicted to it. There is a risk to lost all of your money when you are weak and do not know when to quit it.
2. Every game for money is gambling, so it is obvious that poker is gambling.
From time to time I play poker in online applications but not for money. And I've never played in real life, especially for money
In your opinion, why is poker considered as gambling?
Because the game initially positions itself as a game for something. And for the most part, this "something" is money as a universal payment method. Accordingly, people do not like to give away easily what they got by hard work and try to return them as easily as lost, but as the theory of probabilities says, the chance of it is rather small and this desire to return money only increases, turning a person into a dependent on this game. Just psychology. So don't play for money and it will not be gambling.
2. I think poker is considered a gambling game because people perceive this game as easy and fast earnings. Hoping to get rich, people can’t stop and continue to play no matter what. But if you play poker for fun, then I see nothing wrong with it.
I happened to play poker a few times. Contrary to appearances, it is a very exciting game. Several times I even managed to win symbolic money playing with friends but I am not a professional player, so I owe my luck to winning.
2.In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
Unfortunately, I'm not so familiar with the topic to determine if poker is a gamble but I understand people who think so. To my knowledge, playing poker has many unknowns and you can never be sure of winning. Similarly, in gambling you have some chance of winning but you can't be sure of winning and it's usually not up to you.
2. Some people cannot control themselves, because they are addicted to the game. This is the main problem why poker is considered gambling. Actually, card games were always considered as gambling, because those games were not so difficult and people wanted to earn easy money.
2. People consider it as a gambling for a reason. Poker is an adictive game and some people have problems with it. Of course it’s not a problem if we control it, but when it becomes part of our life you should think if it’s healthy for you.
2. I think poker can be considered as a gambling beacuse of some strict rules, for example if you want to play a real game or take part in some poker tournament at first you have to invest your money and very often you end up with nothing, entirely broken. The other reason in my opinion is that the feeling attributable to winning can be really addictive and due to this you never have enough, never feel fully fulfilled, you want more winnings and more money and then it all becomes an obsession, that’s way poker is considered as a gambling.
2. Poker without money doesn’t make any sense. The reason why people play for real is to earn money. What’s the point of wining when the only prize is your satisfaction? That’s why I think poker is pure gamble.
Yes, I have multiple times and I always enjoy it. However I have only played the Texas Holdem type, but I would like to try myself in other types.
2. In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
It is probably because of its addictiveness and the fact that one can lose as well as win enormous amount of money in a very short period of time. Those are the features of gambling.
math skills. Is poker gambling? - I don't think poker is a gamble because
it requires player thinking skills.
2. I think there is a small amount of luck in this game, but around 90% is a player's skill and psychological predispositions.
Yes i love playing poker , it is so much fun!
In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
because it is addicting, you can place any money you want and either loose all of it or gain enormous profit
2. Poker is gambling. You're betting on random outcomes. Yes, there is some skill involved in poker, but there is still an element of luck that can't be ignored.
Yes, I did. Interesting experience and fun game of chances and strategy. Luck is as much important as good approach and ability to read your opponents. My personal choice is variety of poker called Texas Holdem. Each player have only two cards on hand and five cards on a table which are same for all. There are four stages of betting which make game a bit more interesting as players can rise each other few times.
2. In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
You are betting against the hand of other players. In almost every case without the full knowledge about Your chances. Of course You need to have a good strategy as well as know Your opponents but in the luck plays also important part.
Yes, I have and actually I really enjoyed it. I am not very good at it, but I think this might be a good think. Getting better would cause me trying to play with higher stakes. I think this is a very enjoyable game which comes with great emotions and excitment. If not taken to serious and not played when money is short it might be a great pleasure.
2. In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
A reason for that is the fact that money is the key factor and a lot depends on luck. For those who are not really good at it winning is random as in every other gambling game.
I tried to play poker for the first time when I was about 10 years old. It is a very interesting game. This article remembered me about poker, I think I should start play it again.
In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
We should start with the definition. Gambling is the wagering of money or something of value (referred to as "the stakes") on an event with an uncertain outcome, with the primary intent of winning money or material goods. Gambling thus requires three elements to be present: consideration (an amount wagered), risk (chance), and a prize. The outcome of the wager is often immediate, such as a single roll of dice, a spin of a roulette wheel, or a horse crossing the finish line, but longer time frames are also common, allowing wagers on the outcome of a future sports contest or even an entire sports season. So poker has all those characteristics. Also even if somebody always plays logically, there could be a moment then he/she loose mind and plays randomly without any analyzing. That is why poker is considered as a gambling.
1. I have, however, I have never played for money. When I was a kid, I remember that we used to play over cheerios as they looked a little bit like gold coins. I wouldn't play for high stakes, although, I wouldn't mind a little friendly match.
2. People tend to considere poker a random game, which it is not. However, I would say every game that includes gaining and loosing a lot of money within short period of time should be considered gambling.
Yeah, I've played poker a lot of times with my friends. Some may be gambling. :)
In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
I think everything played with money is gambling. Even a simple coin game
I'm not a fan of card games.
2. I don't really remember the poker rules and I'm not interested in that, but as far as i know playing poker require some skills and experience. Maybe poker is considered gambling because people think: "hmm it's easy to loose money - IT MUST BE GAMBLING". But as I wrote before - I don't know anything about it.
No, I've never tried to play poker. To be honest, I want to try to play poker. But, without the part where I need to bet my money.
2) In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
Probably because you can win a lot of money in this game. This is how people become addicted. They are playing poker more and more in the hope of winning a prize.
If you bet on a game like hide-and-seek, people might get addicted too and this game will be considered as gambling.
Yes, I have played poker. Mostly Texas Hold’em Poker, but I also used to play a 5 Card Draw Saloon Poker, when at the beginning of the round you are dealt five cards instead of two. Although I didn't play for real money, I still consider it a fun game to play.
2. In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
I think poker is considered gambling because most people think that playing it always involves money. I played poker without any money, so it's possible. On the other hand, I believe that poker is the most popular card game you play for money, so it's no wonder people consider it to be gambling.
2. In most cases when you play, you want to „earn” some money , not to lose them. The definition says that you have to have lucky and it’s a cash game, so probably that’s why.
2. Because to be good in poker you have to understand statistics. And statistics is about percentages. And percentages means gambling.
1. I played poker some time ago. I love this game. I always play online but never for real money. Why? I'm not so good at psychology and body language readings to play it at a professional level.
2. I think poker can be considered as gambling only for people that don't know how to play good but blindly hope to get a profit. For professional players it considered more as a tournament with money prizes (and can be easily compared to e-sport tournaments). You need to know the difference. Newbies trying their luck to get some profit and, of course, losing everything (like every gambling) but professionals use their skill, not luck, so it's don't fit gambling definition in any sense. So it depends on player skill and knowledge.
I have played plenty of pokers and I really enjoy it but unforcedly I'm not a good player.
2.In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
Everything that is a game and there is money in it people always will call it gambling.
2. It's a money game, so it's probably consistent with the definition of gambling.
2. In my opinion, because you can play for real money and lose it. Also, most players don't know when to stop and losе everything, often even get into debt.
2. I think it's considered as a gambling because poker has strong bond with money. It's really hard to play poker without money, it lose sense.
If you talk about the game of probability then you can probably calculate odds versus your opponents. So is this fact not exclude concept of gambling?
In my opinion, poker is considered gambling because most people consider it that way. I mean sure there are some people who are brilliant at math and can count cards so playing poker for them isn’t gambling. Some people are just so good at it that they also don’t treat it as a gambling. But for most normal people it is gambling because they do it with no experience and they count on luck instead on their skills.
I tried playing poker via a mobile app, but I don't consider it as real poker. I want to try to play it in real life. I think it is interesting and there are many aspects of this game.
2. In your opinion, why is poker considered gambling?
I think because of excitement, which you get playing this game. People can lose huge amounts of money playing this game and sometimes they cannot stop themself.
I personally am pretty obsessed with poker, though I've never been a gambler. Played slots once, found it boring. Played blackjack, found it monotonous. Never played the lottery, I would prefer to invest my money (that gets dopamine running in my brain)
In your opinion, why is poker considered as a gambling?
Poker is a game of chance. I do believe that popularity can be linked to addictive. So it's a lifestyle for very few people. When people are using up all their spare money and constantly losing it, when people start using rent/grocery money to fund this Gam"e"bling, when people start neglecting other aspects of their lifes, That's actually pretty sad situation.