Most people who are not very familiar with the concept of gambling erroneously believe that the whole point of the activity is winning loads of cash. It’s pretty easy to understand the roots of this misconception, which is also perpetuated by the fact that professional gamblers bet a small fortune on every round.
However, the truth is that the value of their bet represents a fraction of the money at their disposal and the minimal wagered sums are normally pre-established at the start of the game. But even if you cannot afford to place the same bets as a professional poker player, the game is still exciting on the psychological level, not to mention challenging.
The war waged by the US Department of Justice on poker
You might remember that back in 2011, the US Department of Justice accused the biggest online poker website with numerous crimes, including money laundering, frauds, etc. However, shutting down these online casinos had a negative impact on numerous poker hobbyists who weren’t typically wagering large sums of cash. In fact, most of them were only “playing for pennies”, in the literal sense of the expression. For instance, it took me approximately a year and a half to “squander” a $300 deposit and I can say that I’m on Full Tilt Poker most of my time.
Shouldn’t experience help you end up with a positive balance?
Before you jump to the conclusion that I’m a terrible poker player because I ended up $300 short, I’m going to point out the fact that I’ve frequently finished “in the money”. However, due to the fact that I’m not always playing it safe and calculating the mathematical probability, the deposit eventually went down. But, to be perfectly honest, playing for 1 1/2 with a single $300 investment is actually pretty decent. This sum is probably enough to last you for a night or two on the Strip!
In spite of the negative balance, this money has earned me a lot of thrills and excitement which I believe is an overall fair trade. And, don’t think that going All In with $300-$400 is less exhilarating than betting $30,000-$40,000, because in the end it’s everything you have and the outcome is just as decisive for your game.
The bottom line
People are aware that the chances of earning substantial gains by gambling are fairly small, but that’s the primary incentive of the activity. Gamblers are “hooked” on adrenaline and nothing gets the blood pumping faster than taking risks. The prize you earn, well, that’s just a bonus.