What gambling games are +EV??

[lwspoker69]

Hi, I've been playing poker for about a year now, and I absolutely love it. However, sometimes I feel like gambling, but just don't feel like playing poker. I've heard that chess and backgammon are +EV if mastered. Any other games that are +EV and have players willing to play for money? Thanks in advance.

[deacsoft]

You can make any game +EV with a correct wager.

[KingDan]

Chess is a great game, but if you are playing it to make decent $$... HA.

[henrikrh]

Chess isn't gambling, there is no luck factor at all.

If you feel like gambling play $1 roulette or craps while getting free drinks, this is +ev overall becuase you and your buddies can quickly drink for more than you have bet, and some of you may even finish up due to variance.

[AKQJ10]

[ QUOTE ]
Chess isn't gambling, there is no luck factor at all.

[/ QUOTE ]

There's luck, but it comes in more subtle ways. When picking an arbitrary hustler to play for money in Harvard Square, do you pick someone who's better than you or not? Do you know the traps he's going to try to spring or not? Certainly once they've learned that you're good enough to beat them, they're not going to play you much longer.

But no, not many people would call chess a gambling game.

[SheridanCat]

Most casino games are not +EV games, period. Some are worse than others, of course. Keno and roulette come to mind as pretty horrible.

If you find the proper blackjack game, play basic strategy and count cards properly you can make it +EV. Some video poker (9/6 Jacks or Better, I think) can be +EV if played perfectly. I think some sports betting can be +EV, but I know less than nothing about that.

When played normally and unbiased, no other casino game will be +EV over the long run. That said, I do find 3-Card Poker to be fun to play sometimes.

Regards,

T

[SheridanCat]

[ QUOTE ]
You can make any game +EV with a correct wager.

[/ QUOTE ]

You're kidding, right, deac?

Regards,

T

[deacsoft]

[ QUOTE ]
You're kidding, right, deac?

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow. I guess that was a little vague. No more posting for me at 5:00am.

/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[bholdr]

Wether or not a game is +EV depends on the player- but there are some games that are 'beatable' and some that are not. Most gambling games, especially those found in casinos, are not beatable- the house has an insurmountable edge. Some are beatable, however:

-Under the right conditions, Slots can be profitable- mostly due to progressive jackpots (and comp programs) that get big enough to overcome the HA (house edge).
-Blackjack is another beatable game, through card counting a skiled player can profit at blackjack.
-Video poker, combined with a good comp program, can likewise be +EV if played perfectly. some rare deuces wild machines, when played perfectly, actually give the player a small advantage (like 00.02%).
-Sportsbetting and betting horse racing is also beatable- a skilled handicapper can overcome the vig by making correct picks more that 55-60% of the time.
-Of course, poker is a beatable game, as are other card and skill games that one gambles on- backgammon, chess, gin, etc.

'beatable' games all share one common trait: The descisions you make when playing the game affect future outcomes- in BJ, for example, counting cards allows a player to know when the shoe is in their favor, and thus to bet more/ win more. For progressive slots, the EV of the game changes over time, and the player trying to profit can do so by carefully deciding when to play.

Games like roulette, where any descision you make will not have any affect on any future outcomes, cannot be 'beaten'- the HA stays the same no matter how/ when/ where one plays. The same goes for craps, most slots, baccarat, pai gow, sic bo, three caard poker, and so on and so forth.

on the online side of things, it's actually a little easier. there are a ton of online casinos that offer bonus money- for signing up, for making a deposit, for playing a certian ammount, etc. These bonuses are often large enough to turn even massivly -EV games like slots and three card poker into +EV games, if you know how to play perfectly and efficiently choose the site and bonus. it's called 'casinowhoring' and it can be very +EV, though it's nowhere near as good as it used to be.