Games of Luck or Chance? Probability of Casino Games
The gambling theme is really an opinion divider. When we talk about games involving bets, some immediately think of the possibility of instant wealth, while others face the topic with distrust.
In Canada, for many years there has been a ban on activities such as casinos and bingos, as well as the popular games of animals and slot machines, which continue to exist illegally.
However, with the rise of online gambling, many Canadians continue to gamble without even leaving home, through online platforms based in countries such as Malta, Curaçao and Gibraltar.
The question that remains is whether games of chance depend solely on the chance factor, or if they are actually games of probability, determined by mathematical laws that govern the entire context of betting.
In this article we have compiled essential information on the subject with the aim of finding out if gambling is just random games or if there is a science behind it all.
What Is Gambling? Bets, Losses and Gains
A game of chance or gambling is a game whose prizes involved are determined by the statistical probability of hitting a chosen combination. Thus, the smaller the probability of obtaining the winning combination, the greater the prize.
The relationship between risk and gain is the key to understanding any type of betting, since the prize is proportional to the risk of losing (bad luck) in relation to the probability of winning (luck).
Within this category of games, matching is everything. As the chances are scarce, many lose their bet trying to win something, which is popularly called “bad luck”. The luck of winning or not in this type of game does not depend on the player's skill, but only on several arithmetic factors.
In this sense, it is possible to state that the result depends on a natural contingency, which is based on a reality of mathematical probabilities.
What Are the Most Popular Gambling Games in Canada?
Now that we know what gambling is, let's analyze which are the best known and most practiced games of chance in Canada.
Without a doubt, Canada is home to thousands of gamblers, both in the physical environment and online. Currently, it is estimated that there are more than 8 million active online gamblers in Canada, obviously not counting the popular lotteries or clandestine activities such as the jogo do bicho.
Animal game
Undoubtedly, the jogo do bicho, despite being considered illegal, is the most practiced modality in Canada. Extremely popular, cheap and with constant prizes, this game is widely spread among the middle and lower classes of the population.
In this game, whoever bets on the correct numbers associated with a specific type of animal (eg lion, deer, pig, peacock, etc.) wins.
Lotteries
It is undeniable that Canadinas are passionate about lotteries. Culturally, it is common to refer to an auspicious event as “winning the lottery”.
The most popular of all lottery games is the Mega Sena, which has been active since 1996 and has already made some millionaires overnight. Like other games of this type, the winner is the one who chooses the correct combination of numbers, known as the “luck game”.
Bingo
A real fever among Canadians, bingos are a national unanimity. There are even home bingo kits that people can use to play at home on family occasions.
Unfortunately, today physical bingos are not allowed in Canada. However, it is possible to have fun playing bingo online at trusted international casino platforms.
Casino Games
Despite the fact that casinos were extinguished in Canada in the 1940s, by then president Eurico Gaspar Dutra, the popularity of casino games continues to rise.
In terms of which are the most popular gambling games of this type, it is difficult to determine precisely. Among the most popular are slot machines, poker, baccarat, roulette and dice.
Is There a Real Probability of Someone Winning Randomly Betting?
The probability of games is a key factor in understanding the real chances of someone winning by betting randomly.
There is a popular saying that goes “unlucky in gambling, lucky in love”. Despite this phrase having no logical relationship with reality, gambling has been part of the dynamics of human life since ancient times.
Historians claim that betting involving dice has been going on since ancient Babylonian times. With the creation of playing cards in France in the 15th and 16th centuries, games of chance evolved and became more complex.
The various combinations, possibilities, and calculations involved in games helped mathematicians develop probability theory.
Over the centuries, developments in logic, game theory, probability and statistics have even enabled the creation of codes involved in today's information technology.
Thus, it is impossible to deny that there are mathematical factors involved in gambling. While some claim that it is all about scams and pre-set outcomes, it is possible to realistically state that an individual has a chance to win by randomly betting on a game.
Obviously, one has to be “luck” in the game, that is, to select the right combination of factors that will lead to the winning result.
Playing to Win Are There Strategies to Overcome Gambling Probability?
Before going out searching a search engine for “who is winning the betting game” or “which game of chance is more likely to win?”, keep in mind that, despite the existence of strategies that increase the chances of winning in betting games, the result will depend solely on mathematical factors.
There is the famous case of MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) students who, through card counting associated with the study of combinatorics, won a fortune betting in casinos around the USA.
However, even this strategy was not a guarantee of victory, but only predicted a probability of success in a total of hundreds of different bets. After all, winning is pure probability.
