Often, gamblers decide to pool their resources and share both the costs and the gains from their gambling. Lottery clubs are the best example of this. Sometimes, though, it ends badly, as in this Connecticut case. From the Boston Globe: For years, Theresa Sokaitis and Rose Bakaysa were the closest of siblings, whiling away long […]
Family feud over jackpot Read More »
gambling & culture, news about gamblingWith almost 14 million combinations to try, this would take, on average, seven million attempts – about 67,000 years if you play twice a week. Success would be guaranteed after 135,000 years. If you choose your numbers at random, however, success is never guaranteed, and tame mathematicians tell me that the average time to strike
Lotto advice from the Undercover Economist Read More »
news about gamblingThere’s a right reason for legalizing expanded gambling and a wrong reason. The wrong reason is, “the state needs more money.” Guess what’s afoot in Illinois? From the Chicago Tribune: Hoping to squeeze more money out of the state lottery, Illinois Senate President John Cullerton wants to sell tickets online and hire a private company
Squeezing the lottery Read More »
news about gamblingI’ve been meaning to sit down and do a comparative analysis of casino and lotteries revenues over the past year, to see whether the economic downturn (ED) is causing people to gamble less, or just forcing them to curtail trips to Las Vegas and other gaming destinations (and even local venues). Lo and behold, someone’s
Lottery records falling Read More »
news about gamblingUsually, winning a million dollars is an unambiguously good thing. But for ex-con, a winning scratcher might be a ticket back to jail. From the Boston Globe: His odds of winning $1 million on a scratch ticket were 1 in 1,247,400. His odds of being busted if he won? A pretty safe bet. Timothy Elliott
Win the lottery, go to jail Read More »
gambling & culture, haphazard worldWhen is a deli actually a casino? I’d say it’s when they get rid of the rotating pie refrigerator to make room for a craps table. According to the News-Review, many Oregon “delis” are actually thinly-disguised lottery casinos: Across Oregon, delis that seem to specialize in lottery more than lunch pose a dilemma. The businesses
Where to go for a Powerball sandwich Read More »
news about gamblingHypocrisy regarding gambling is nothing new–as a historical phenomenon, it’s a few thousand years old. But people and organizations keep finding new ways to contradict their stated principles in search of a buck. Don’t believe me? Ask the Boston Globe: Red Sox fans who play the state lottery now have a chance at the ultimate
Baseball embraces gambling Read More »
gambling & cultureDoing research for Roll the Bones, I’m increasingly coming to believe that gambling truly is everywhere in history. This excerpt from a Tarzan story, for example, references lots, card sharps, and a specific cheating technique, all in a few melodramatic paragraphs. “It is the will of the majority,” announced Monsieur Thuran, “and now let us
The lottery of death!?! Read More »
gambling & culture, writingGamblers can take any event, no matter how solemn or tragic, and turn it to betting purposes. So it’s really no surprise to learn that some bookies are taking action on who the next pope will be, or that Italians are betting lottery numbers associated with John Paul II.
Betting on the Pope Read More »
gambling & cultureAs I discuss in my forthcoming book about the Wire Act (the title is still evolving), the current US “prohibition” of online gaming is encountering significant challenges. This article discusses some of them.
Online gaming backlash? Read More »
gambling & cultureIn the Bible, lots were often used to make tough decisions. Joshua apportioned the land of Canaan to the Israelite tribes by lot, for example. In the Roman Empire, some official positions were filled by lot. There is something completely democratic about selecting someone for a job using nothing more than what anthropoligists call sortilege,