is poker gambling?

[justblaze 0]

Gambling is playing the odds, and wagering based on those odds.Gambling does not require you to be an underdog to be a gamble.

wow, original insight. now, explain to me how buying a bond is not gambling. you are wagering the amount of your bond that the return will be positive. This is not a certainty. the currency could collapse before the bond matures. In this case, you would LOSE money on the bond. are you gambling?

[Ron_Mexico 4,219]

More importantly, if a girl takes it in the can, is she still a virgin? Discuss

[Royal_Tour 0]

More importantly, if a girl takes it in the can, is she still a virgin? Discuss

yes

[justblaze 0]

To wager money on an uncertain outcome.Is sky diving gambling? No, the person sky diving takes the risk for reasons other than monetary interests, as the person who eats the sandwich does. In my opinion, gambling must involve money.

so refute the logic that post-secondary education is gambling in the same sense that poker is.

If you go to college only to get a high paying job when you graduate, you can do enough work to make it almost certain that you will have a job when you graduate. If you get a 4.0 every semester, you will get a good job when you graduate.Also, not everyone goes to college solely to make X number of dollars a year. Certainly people go to school wanting to become a doctor, lawyer, stock broker, etc. College is necessary in many professions, but the reasons the people want to be doctors or lawyers aren't always financial reasons. People aren't all thinking, "If I pay $30,000 a year in school, maybe I can get a job that will pay me $75,000 a year when I graduate." And for those that are, they have the ability to work hard and make the outcome certain.

the outcome is far from certain. the demand for employees in many fields can fluctuate wildly within 4 years. As for the argument that some go simply for the knowledge, most of that knowledge can be obtained for free in your local library. Why would they pay so much for it, then? its because the degree has some monetary expectation. An expectation which is far from a certainty.

Knowledge can be obtained at the library, but in order to become a doctor you must go to medical school, in order to become an accountant you must have X number of college credits to sit for the CPA exam.If you are at the top of your class, regardless of fluctuations in fields, you will get a job.

not necessarily at the salary you expect. not even necessarily at a salary that could support you. it is conceivable that sometime in the future, accountants will be obsolete as computers will be able to perform their tasks far more efficiently. It is conceivable that robots could one day be able to perform the duties of a doctor more efficiently, rendering most doctors obsolete.

[justblaze 0]

Gambling does not have to involve money. FACT.

If it's a fact, prove it.By the way, I've looked it up in 3 dictionaries, all of which say in some way or another that it must be played with money or for stakes.

stakes need not be monetary.

did u come to your senses now?i know where you were trying to go with this. But your looking at it in a whole different context.Your trying to say that because there is a skill involved, that it should not be considered gambling. Because the slight chance, (like the candy machine) that your opponent sucks out on you, (candy no come). can be less often than when you win (candy make me happy).Which makes sense, but is not proof that Poker is not gambling.

no, thats not what im saying. All im saying is that everyone is quick to point out why certain things ARENT gambling, and yet no one has been able to provide a definition of gambling which includes poker as well as traditionally accepted gambles like blackjack, but which excludes more acceptable activities like paying for post-secondary education, or buying into a mutual fund. Look - the argument most people come up with is that gambling is wagering (money or stakes) on an event with uncertain outcome. they then say that things with 'almost certain' outcomes like university, or fixed rate bonds, are not gambles because they are close enough to certain outcomes. So, what is the cutoff of certainty? is 90% enough? 80%? 50%?

How about this then99% of everything is a gamble. In everyday life.Yet some activities are defined y law as illegal form of gambling, and can only be legally played within set confinds.

see how difficult this is? if everything is a gamble, then the term is useless. there needs to be a definition. ive yet to see one that encompasses poker but not other activities whcih are not considered gambling.

[JBradburn6 0]

Gambling does not have to involve money. FACT.

If it's a fact, prove it.By the way, I've looked it up in 3 dictionaries, all of which say in some way or another that it must be played with money or for stakes.

your car, house..

Your car and house are goods that can be exchanged for money, and when gambled for are essentially money.

No no.. Your car or house are usually assets, which can be gambled for other forms of assets, or good or services or money..Example . joe his porsche, that cindy cant jump over the moon, but if cindy loses she has give joe her watch. This is a wager, This is gambling

Money is just pieces of paper that can be exchanged for goods. Whether you put up $30,000 to cover a bet or a $30,000 car it is gambling for $30,000. I concede that gambling must not always involve the paper form of money and may be with goods, but it is essentially gambling a value, either in paper form or in the form of goods.

[justblaze 0]

Gambling does not have to involve money. FACT.

If it's a fact, prove it.By the way, I've looked it up in 3 dictionaries, all of which say in some way or another that it must be played with money or for stakes.

your car, house..

Your car and house are goods that can be exchanged for money, and when gambled for are essentially money.

No no.. Your car or house are usually assets, which can be gambled for other forms of assets, or good or services or money..Example . joe his porsche, that cindy cant jump over the moon, but if cindy loses she has give joe her watch. This is a wager, This is gambling

Money is just pieces of paper that can be exchanged for goods. Whether you put up $30,000 to cover a bet or a $30,000 car it is gambling for $30,000. I concede that gambling must not always involve the paper form of money and may be with goods, but it is essentially gambling a value, either in paper form or in the form of goods.

does your life have a monetary value? actuaries, and insurance companies would say that it does, and would even be able to assign a specific dollar value to your life. if you agree with this, skydiving is gambling. you are risking your life for some expectation of enjoyment or pleasure.

[kindofblu 0]

Education, business, and investments possess a social need. You really can't make the same argument for poker.

[JBradburn6 0]

So by finding one definition that supports your claim you state it as fact? To many people, if not most (including most definitions), gambling must involve money. You said it is a fact that it does not have to. Please offer more proof than one definition, if it is a "fact."

he just did. you made an exclusionary statement. "gambling must involve money" indicates that any activity not involving legal tender is not gambling. He provided one example of an activity which falls under the dictionary definition of gambling, but does not involve legal tender. Your statement is proved to be false.

I read the definition he provided, and disagree with it. I do not take everything I read as a fact. He offered no other argument other than that definition.Specifically, smoking is a risk someone takes, knowing the consequences. I do not believe that smoking is gambling.I think the gambling definition can be found along a spectrum, with betting on one side and risk taking on another. On the betting side, gambling must involve betting money (or something of equal value). On the risk taking side, getting out of bed every morning would be considered gambling.Based on my definition of gambling, I disagree that you can say that it's a fact that gambling doesn't have to involve money.

[Smasharoo 0]

ive yet to see one that encompasses poker but not other activities whcih are not considered gambling.Of course you have. Changing the defintions of words is one of the most common and stupidest fallacies of any debate that uses langauge. This is why people came up with symbolic logic, because pointless anooying people would argue definitions of simple terms. Like "gambling".Poker is gambling by any definition. That other things may be gambling by some ludicrous re-definition of the word by you is utterlly irrelevant to that fact.Game over.

[krup24 0]

So by finding one definition that supports your claim you state it as fact? To many people, if not most (including most definitions), gambling must involve money. You said it is a fact that it does not have to. Please offer more proof than one definition, if it is a "fact."

YES........AZZCLOWN

[JBradburn6 0]

ive yet to see one that encompasses poker but not other activities whcih are not considered gambling.Of course you have. Changing the defintions of words is one of the most common and stupidest fallacies of any debate that uses langauge. This is why people came up with symbolic logic, because pointless anooying people would argue definitions of simple terms. Like "gambling".Poker is gambling by any definition. That other things may be gambling by some ludicrous re-definition of the word by you is utterlly irrelevant to that fact.Game over.

Well said Smash.I retire from this thread.

[Royal_Tour 0]

Gambling does not have to involve money. FACT.

If it's a fact, prove it.By the way, I've looked it up in 3 dictionaries, all of which say in some way or another that it must be played with money or for stakes.

stakes need not be monetary.

did u come to your senses now?i know where you were trying to go with this. But your looking at it in a whole different context.Your trying to say that because there is a skill involved, that it should not be considered gambling. Because the slight chance, (like the candy machine) that your opponent sucks out on you, (candy no come). can be less often than when you win (candy make me happy).Which makes sense, but is not proof that Poker is not gambling.

no, thats not what im saying. All im saying is that everyone is quick to point out why certain things ARENT gambling, and yet no one has been able to provide a definition of gambling which includes poker as well as traditionally accepted gambles like blackjack, but which excludes more acceptable activities like paying for post-secondary education, or buying into a mutual fund. Look - the argument most people come up with is that gambling is wagering (money or stakes) on an event with uncertain outcome. they then say that things with 'almost certain' outcomes like university, or fixed rate bonds, are not gambles because they are close enough to certain outcomes. So, what is the cutoff of certainty? is 90% enough? 80%? 50%?

How about this then99% of everything is a gamble. In everyday life.Yet some activities are defined y law as illegal form of gambling, and can only be legally played within set confinds.

see how difficult this is? if everything is a gamble, then the term is useless. there needs to be a definition. ive yet to see one that encompasses poker but not other activities whcih are not considered gambling.

Everythning in life can be considered a risk or in other words a gamble, yet it is not physically Gambling.and Yes, there is a difference. Because proper steps and actions can be taken to reduce the chance of losing your money for your candy bar, or losing your life while sky diving.In poker, you cannot take steps before sitting down to play the game that would eliminate the way the cards are dealt, or the cards you recieve.You can test, and re-test your parachute, you can have two other guides beside you as you fall, you can wear a big fat pillow, (which would do nothing). but these are all steps which can be taken to help reduce the risk of dying.In Poker., no matter what steps you take, which seat you sit at, or how you watch the dealer shuffle the deck, will not help your chances, or your luck of cards.And that is why it is gambling. And sky-diving and other activities are simply risks.

[Governator 54]

This is one of the dumbest questions I've ever heard... There is no doubt poker is gambling - you are putting money on something when you don't know the outcome.

[greatwhite 0]

How could anyone think it is not?

[shpaget 0]

Gambling is playing the odds, and wagering based on those odds.Gambling does not require you to be an underdog to be a gamble.

wow, original insight. now, explain to me how buying a bond is not gambling. you are wagering the amount of your bond that the return will be positive. This is not a certainty. the currency could collapse before the bond matures. In this case, you would LOSE money on the bond. are you gambling?

UM...yes...now, explain to me where I said that buying a bond was NOT gambling.ANY investment is gambling.

[justblaze 0]

and Yes, there is a difference. Because proper steps and actions can be taken to reduce the chance of losing your money for your candy bar, or losing your life while sky diving. In poker, you cannot take steps before sitting down to play the game that would eliminate the way the cards are dealt, or the cards you recieve. you cant eliminate risk in poker, but you cant eliminate risk in skydiving. you can reduce in both. In Poker., no matter what steps you take, which seat you sit at, or how you watch the dealer shuffle the deck, will not help your chances, or your luck of cards. And that is why it is gambling. And sky-diving and other activities are simply risksare you honestly going to tell me that you cannot influence your chance of success in a poker game?

[justblaze 0]

ive yet to see one that encompasses poker but not other activities whcih are not considered gambling.Of course you have. Changing the defintions of words is one of the most common and stupidest fallacies of any debate that uses langauge. This is why people came up with symbolic logic, because pointless anooying people would argue definitions of simple terms. Like "gambling".Poker is gambling by any definition. That other things may be gambling by some ludicrous re-definition of the word by you is utterlly irrelevant to that fact.Game over.

Smash, just give me the definition you are using. thats all im asking. despite all your belittling of my question, you still havent given me your definition of gambling. Why is it so hard for you to do? its a simple term, right? just define it.

[shpaget 0]

and Yes, there is a difference. Because proper steps and actions can be taken to reduce the chance of losing your money for your candy bar, or losing your life while sky diving. In poker, you cannot take steps before sitting down to play the game that would eliminate the way the cards are dealt, or the cards you recieve. you cant eliminate risk in poker, but you cant eliminate risk in skydiving. you can reduce in both. In Poker., no matter what steps you take, which seat you sit at, or how you watch the dealer shuffle the deck, will not help your chances, or your luck of cards. And that is why it is gambling. And sky-diving and other activities are simply risksare you honestly going to tell me that you cannot influence your chance of success in a poker game?

It's all irrelevent.You are betting on an unknown outcome, hence it is gambling.It doesn't matter if anything or everything else on the planet is also gambling - poker IS gambling, in EVERY respect of the word....whether or not skydiving or playing the stockmarket is gambling does not change the fact that poker is gambling.

[Guest Anonymous]

Poker is only gambling if you are a fish.

[Governator 54]

Gambling (or betting) is any behavior involving the risk of money or valuables on the outcome of a game, contest, or other event in which the outcome of that activity is partially or totally dependent upon chance or on one's ability to do something.

[Smasharoo 0]

Smash, just give me the definition you are using. thats all im asking. despite all your belittling of my question, you still havent given me your definition of gambling. Why is it so hard for you to do? its a simple term, right? just define it.I did.In my first post.Go find it and apologise whenever you're ready.

[justblaze 0]

and Yes, there is a difference. Because proper steps and actions can be taken to reduce the chance of losing your money for your candy bar, or losing your life while sky diving. In poker, you cannot take steps before sitting down to play the game that would eliminate the way the cards are dealt, or the cards you recieve. you cant eliminate risk in poker, but you cant eliminate risk in skydiving. you can reduce in both. In Poker., no matter what steps you take, which seat you sit at, or how you watch the dealer shuffle the deck, will not help your chances, or your luck of cards. And that is why it is gambling. And sky-diving and other activities are simply risksare you honestly going to tell me that you cannot influence your chance of success in a poker game?

It's all irrelevent.You are betting on an unknown outcome, hence it is gambling.It doesn't matter if anything or everything else on the planet is also gambling - poker IS gambling, in EVERY respect of the word....whether or not skydiving or playing the stockmarket is gambling does not change the fact that poker is gambling.

this is exactly what im getting at, though: the definition of gambling as 'betting on an unknown outcome' is insufficient. Society makes a distinction between activities like skydiving and playing the stockmarket, and poker. Therefore, the definition of gambling (as used today) must be one that allows for this distinction. On what basis do we make this distinction? no one who skydives has a gambling problem. no one who buys stock has a gambling problem. there are poker players who have a gambling problem. What is the distinction?

[shpaget 0]

From American Heritage dictionary:gam·ble ( P ) Pronunciation Key (gmbl)v. gam·bled, gam·bling, gam·bles v. intr.To bet on an uncertain outcome, as of a contest. To play a game of chance for stakes. To take a risk in the hope of gaining an advantage or a benefit. To engage in reckless or hazardous behavior: You are gambling with your health by continuing to smoke. By the first three, poker is gambling...because the fourth applies to skydiving does not negate the fact that poker is gambling, by the dictionary definition of "gamble".

[nutonflop 0]

the act of playing for stakes in the hope of winning (including the payment of a price for a chance to win a prize); "his gambling cost him a fortune"; "there was heavy play at the blackjack table" yes