To play or not to play, that is the question. What are the odds that you will become a lucky player or just another miserable gambler? In this article, we list different types of gambling, rules, and some of its history. Join us!
Place your bets, pick a card, roll the dice, spin that wheel, cheer for that lucky horse… Oh, so much to tell in this story.
The Pursuit of Luck and the Adrenaline Rush
A traditional definition of gambling would be an activity where a person (gambler) risks money or some belongings in order to gain more, with the element of randomness or luck involved. For an activity to be considered as gambling, three aspects are essential — risk (chance), consideration, and a prize.
In our opinion, gambling is a far-reaching term. It contains so much complexity from a subjective angle, and yet, it is straightforward at explaining its objective. First of all, we need to list some of the main gambling categories:
- Sports betting
- Scratch cards
- Online gambling
- Lottery
- Gaming machines (such as Pokies, Video poker machines, etc.)
The first casino, as we know them today, was built in Italy in 1638. Since then, through the process of evolution, many other forms of online games, mobile platforms, etc., came to be. Nowadays, playing casino games is easier than ever before. Moreover, we consider gambling as a way to entertain yourself, enjoy the anticipation, embrace the feeling of both winning and losing. Also, ask yourself, would winning make you as happy as it does if you’ve never experienced a loss? It is precisely this rush, high hopes, the slim chance of winning, that makes people come back to gambling time and time again.
Grand Expectations
Now, here is where it can get a bit tricky. If a person becomes obsessed with winning more money and risks more than they can afford, well… Houston, we have a problem. A gambling problem. And it can be a nasty one. Gambling addictions can be an obsession as serious as alcoholism or drug abuse. People with no self-control are especially vulnerable — they can easily turn from responsible to problem gamblers. So how can we recognize a gambling addict? Well, it’s quite simple — if a person starts feeling an urge to participate in an activity they cannot control, even up to the point of it having an adverse effect on their lives, then they have a problem.
We believe that it is precisely these grand expectations of huge winnings that attract people to gambling in the first place. This may appear to be a quick solution to their money problems, or at least would perceive it as that. But as long as you look at gambling this way, you will lose. Why? Because you rely on a stroke of pure luck to resolve your problems. One day, luck may smile on you, but the very next, it may crush your dreams. And the only way to avoid this is to approach gambling in the way you should — as a healthy, fun, and entertaining way to have a great time, either in an online casino or a Vegas-like brick-and-mortar one. So once you embrace this as a guide, you can enjoy all the benefits of this vivid gambling experience and rejoice when you hit that jackpot.
How Does Gambling Work?
All gambling begins with a wager. The casino table games (baccarat or poker) ask for a minimum bet in order to play, with or without betting limits. On the other hand, games like keno or slot machines require a fixed wager. And once all the players place their bets, the game begins. Numbers are called, dices are rolled, cards are dealt, wheels are spun. At this point, there can be no additional bets. However, there are some exceptions with some table card games that feature additional betting rounds. Ultimately, after every game, the players receive their winnings (if they won), which depend on the amount wagered, as well as the game type. There are even games where more than one player can win, such as roulette or baccarat. That is possible because each player makes an individual wager, and they do it on different events.
Not all gambling is tied to casino gambling. There are also games that take place outside the casino, such as Mahjong, Bingo (prevalent in the USA), all kinds of lottery, scratch cards, etc. Moreover, there are so many other things you can bet on — sports events, song contests, and even political elections. Also, a very popular type of betting is, of course, the so-called Parimutuel Betting. It is one of the most widespread forms of betting on horse or greyhound racing. Furthermore, you can also place a bet with someone you disagree with on a specific thing or outcome. In this case, the only two ‘gamblers’ are the two of the bettors, and you are the only ones deciding on the betting amount.
Play as Long as You Are Entertained
As we said above, gambling is giving you the opportunity to taste the adrenalin rush, experience something fresh and new, play skill-based games, and ultimately, enjoy yourself. And the best thing about it is that you can actually earn some serious cash while you’re at it. However, as soon as you start wagering more money than you actually own, you should know that it is time for you to stop. Remember, even though it’s thrilling, it is still just a leisure activity which you should never base your life around. In other words, you have to know when to stop. Other than that, to all of you lucky or less lucky ladies and gentlemen out there, we can only wish this — May the odds ever be in your favour! Enjoy responsibly, and good luck.