3 ms·

I heard a joke a tech conference people in Vegas many years ago. It goes something like "people who go to tech conferences in Vegas bring one shirt and a $20 bi

I heard a joke a tech conference people in Vegas many years ago. It goes something like "people who go to tech conferences in Vegas bring one shirt and a $20 bill and never change either." So yea, programmers generally aren't gamblers because they know enough math to know the house always wins.

rpmisms 3y ago
In my experience, programmers like poker, but not games of chance. This also describes me. Poker is a data-heavy game of skill and memory, Craps is about the opposite.
- basil-rash 3y ago
  Craps is not the opposite. Quite the opposite, actually. The magnitude of entropy casinos require you inject into the system each round is quite low in practice. Profiting off of that is all skill.
- mynameisnoone 3y ago
  I went with a bunch of CS/bioinformatics/MD IITians to Reno, NV once. They were just there to gamble on games of chance. Personally, I think gambling is boring and stupid if the expectation isn't significantly positive. I'd gamble if skill was the dominating factor and the expectation wasn't so abysmal.
  - guappa 3y ago
    If it was skill based, you'd be competing against a pro who does nothing else. At least with chance you have a chance :)
  - basil-rash 3y ago
    If skill is the dominating factor, almost by definition it isn’t gambling. This is what allows bars and other institutions not licensed as gambling centers to host poker games. (which might be of interest to you)
  - rpmisms 3y ago
    You would like Poker. I mostly play with friends for chips, but it still takes concentration and memory. Excellent game.
- KptMarchewa 3y ago
  Most people appreciate the skill poker requires, but like me never want to bother learning it. If I (very rarely) go to casino I'd just play games of chance for a defined loss budget and just stop playing when I either lose it or win enough to get dinner for the group.
- pjerem 3y ago
  In my experience, potential gambling addiction has nothing to do with rationality or smartness.
  - trogdor 3y ago
    I’d broaden that to addiction generally.
basil-rash 3y ago
Eh, I’m a programmer and I go to vegas with other programmers fairly regularly. We know enough math to know the expected cost per entertainment•hour is comparable to many other pass-times. But even so we’re actually all net-positive on the city, thanks to a couple “lucky” craps runs.
- renewiltord 3y ago
  Came to make the same comment. Vegas is a fun place. We spend some money and get some fun just like anything else. And same. A couple of roulette results has us “positive”.
  - cratermoon 3y ago
    I agree that's the right approach. Have a budget, play fun games. When your money runs out, quit. In the meantime, enjoy the free watered-down drinks and unhealthy food. Just like when my friends and I would go to the arcade with a handful of quarters, except they charged money for snacks.
- fieryskiff17 3y ago
  [dead]
karmasimida 3y ago
House sets the mean and variance, how could they ever lose? Only thing left to make it work is volume, transactions volume, so variance can be minimized.

rpmisms 3y ago

In my experience, programmers like poker, but not games of chance. This also describes me. Poker is a data-heavy game of skill and memory, Craps is about the opposite.

basil-rash 3y ago
Craps is not the opposite. Quite the opposite, actually. The magnitude of entropy casinos require you inject into the system each round is quite low in practice. Profiting off of that is all skill.
mynameisnoone 3y ago
I went with a bunch of CS/bioinformatics/MD IITians to Reno, NV once. They were just there to gamble on games of chance. Personally, I think gambling is boring and stupid if the expectation isn't significantly positive. I'd gamble if skill was the dominating factor and the expectation wasn't so abysmal.
- guappa 3y ago
  If it was skill based, you'd be competing against a pro who does nothing else. At least with chance you have a chance :)
- basil-rash 3y ago
  If skill is the dominating factor, almost by definition it isn’t gambling. This is what allows bars and other institutions not licensed as gambling centers to host poker games. (which might be of interest to you)
- rpmisms 3y ago
  You would like Poker. I mostly play with friends for chips, but it still takes concentration and memory. Excellent game.
KptMarchewa 3y ago
Most people appreciate the skill poker requires, but like me never want to bother learning it. If I (very rarely) go to casino I'd just play games of chance for a defined loss budget and just stop playing when I either lose it or win enough to get dinner for the group.
pjerem 3y ago
In my experience, potential gambling addiction has nothing to do with rationality or smartness.
- trogdor 3y ago
  I’d broaden that to addiction generally.

basil-rash 3y ago

Eh, I’m a programmer and I go to vegas with other programmers fairly regularly. We know enough math to know the expected cost per entertainment•hour is comparable to many other pass-times. But even so we’re actually all net-positive on the city, thanks to a couple “lucky” craps runs.

renewiltord 3y ago
Came to make the same comment. Vegas is a fun place. We spend some money and get some fun just like anything else. And same. A couple of roulette results has us “positive”.
- cratermoon 3y ago
  I agree that's the right approach. Have a budget, play fun games. When your money runs out, quit. In the meantime, enjoy the free watered-down drinks and unhealthy food. Just like when my friends and I would go to the arcade with a handful of quarters, except they charged money for snacks.
fieryskiff17 3y ago
[dead]

karmasimida 3y ago

House sets the mean and variance, how could they ever lose? Only thing left to make it work is volume, transactions volume, so variance can be minimized.