But to most people (by this I mean people who don't play Poker specifically Texas Holdem Poker), this game is plain and simple gambling and nothing else. And to them, it shouldn't be endorsed especially to the young ones.
Although, some of my co-Poker Players would disagree... YES, playing Poker is gambling. According to Merriam-Webster, "Gambling is basically to play a game for money or property or to bet on an uncertain outcome or to stake something on a contingency or take chance". Bottomline, the word gambling simply means take a chance on something. That's definitely the way Poker rolls...
But check these things out:
- Playing basketball, boxing or any other physical or non-physical contact sport is gambling as players on these sports are taking a chance on winning the particular sport whether based on skill, luck or both.
- Applying for a job is gambling as applicants are taking a chance on being hired by employers whether based on skill, luck or both.
- Putting up a business or investing on other people's businesses is gambling as businessmen or investors are taking a chance on growing their money on their business or investments whether based on skill, luck or both.
- Being in love (couples, kids, brothers, etc.) is gambling as people are taking a chance on being happy.
- Giving birth to a child is gambling as mothers are taking a chance on conceiving probably life's greatest blessing.
- Simply living our lives is gambling as people are taking a chance on being able to live a happy life.
Yes, Poker is gambling and everything else in life... It's just a matter of perspective. It's just a matter of priority. Some people prioritize using their extra money on businesses and investments while some prioritize using their extra money on consumable items like gadgets, magazines, alcoholic drinks, illegal drugs, etc.
I use my extra money in small businesses and investments (which is also gambling as stated above which I hope that it will become bigger and more successful in the future) and before I often use my extra money as well in drinking spree with friends but now I prefer using my drinking budget in playing Poker. At least in Poker, I have a chance in winning more money which I could use for business, investment, more Poker or drinking spree as compared to plainly losing money by drinking.
But let me make myself clear that for me there are two kinds of gambling - uncontrolled and controlled gambling. Samples of uncontrolled gambling are the card games such as Lucky 9 (in Casino it's called Baccarat), Pusoy, Lotto and a student who has an exam who doesn't study. It's uncontrolled gambling because it's purely luck and there are no skill involved whereas controlled gambling is basically skill with a little bit of luck factor. Meaning, you cannot win it by pure luck only but rather, the person with the highest skill has the highest chance (see highest chance but still not a guarantee because gambling always have a luck factor) of winning. Samples of such gambling is Poker of course because you have the ability to control the betting, raising, re-raising, bluffing and folding which greatly affects the other players and the game itself. Another example of a controlled gambling is playing basketball, billiards, darts, ping-pong, etc. Again, the highest skilled player has the highest chance of winning. The same is true in a job or business, the highest skilled person has the highest chance of being hired or being successful.
That's how you keep things in the right perspective. For me, between drinking beers (or worse illegal drugs) and playing Poker, which I both love and enjoy, I prefer to do the latter as if I win - I got to do both the things I love... played Poker and drink beer with friends.
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