Ever think about the people you win money from?
 

I'm wondering what kind of people lose at online poker. Mathematically, the average player must lose, because of the rake. So who are they and what are they thinking? Demographically, am I mainly taking college kids' beer money? Investment bankers' bonuses? Middle managers' retirement funds?

There are people who play blackjack and roulette at online casinos, for some reason. Evidently they just like to gamble, and deep down expect to lose. Maybe poker is just another casino game for them?

I don't really feel guilty about this. I figure they're trying to take other people's money, and I'm just doing it better than them. But I am curious about what ChudBucket348 does in real life.

Obviously, no one can relate their personal experiences, since all 2+2ers are winning players [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img], but does anyone have any ideas?

Re: Ever think about the people you win money from?
 

Mathematically, the average player believes himself to be a winner.

Re: Ever think about the people you win money from?
 

Which means that mathematically, the average "winning" poker player thinks that online is rigged?

Re: Ever think about the people you win money from?
 

What is the question really? What kind of people am I winning moeny from? Or where this money is coming from?

The answer doesnt matter ot me, the questions I really concern with myself is

Where will they get more money? and when will they come back?

Re: Ever think about the people you win money from?
 

[ QUOTE ]
The answer doesnt matter ot me, the questions I really concern with myself is

Where will they get more money? and when will they come back?

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto plus . . . and will there be more fish to replace those who don't come back?

If this is a morality question as to taking losers' money, then as long as you are not hustling gambling addicted players to keep playing, nor cheating, then there is no moral question here. If this is just wondering why a stream of losers keep playing when they know they are losers, even if they are not addicted in the sense of losing money they need to live on, then why do people keep playing slots, keep buying stuff they don't need, spend their money on entertainment in general, etc.?

Two words: who cares? Does a vulture eating roadkill wonder why roadkill appears everyday or is he just thankful and keep coming back for more?

Re: Ever think about the people you win money from?
 

... and thinking of ourselves as vultures is going to somehow make us feel better?

Re: Ever think about the people you win money from?
 

[ QUOTE ]
... and thinking of ourselves as vultures is going to somehow make us feel better?

[/ QUOTE ]

I prefer 'pirahna'

Re: Ever think about the people you win money from?
 

Yeah, that sounds better to me, too.

Other better ideas:

Wolf, fox, mongoose, even scorpion-eating meerkat.

Re: Ever think about the people you win money from?
 

They're going to give their money away to someone, might as well be me.

Re: Ever think about the people you win money from?
 

[ QUOTE ]
If this is a morality question as to taking losers' money, then as long as you are not hustling gambling addicted players to keep playing, nor cheating, then there is no moral question here.

[/ QUOTE ]
How would you know if they were addicted or not? Anyway, like I said, I'm not feeling too guilty about it.

I guess I'm just wondering about the future of poker, and online poker in general. I mean, I would hypothesize that there are 2 big classes of losing players. A) People who think of poker like blackjack, and just want to gambool, and B) players who are trying to win money but are failing. Class A's might see losses as the cost of entertainment, and Class B's might see them as investments toward their poker education (or bad beats, or evidence that online poker is rigged).

How long will each of these groups keep playing? A's don't care too much if they lose, so they'll keep playing poker as long as they have money and are having fun. I have to think B's will quit after it becomes evident that they suck/that online poker is rigged.

[ QUOTE ]
Does a vulture eating roadkill wonder why roadkill appears everyday or is he just thankful and keep coming back for more?

[/ QUOTE ]
I like to think of myself as a probability arbitrageur. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]