Casino Games – Probabilities, Odds and Luck

The gnomon. A little piece of material with a very important job. If you are unfamiliar with the term, then let me enlighten you. A gnomon is the raised part of a sundial that casts the shadow, enabling you to tell the time. Without it, the sundial becomes redundant.

But, hang on a second, this is a casino blog right? What the heck does a gnomon have to do with that? Well, in a similar way, a sundial without the gnomon is like playing casino games without considering the maths. It makes the situation pointless. Without understanding the role of probability, odds and chance, you could simply be throwing your money away.

I’m Babs and I am a professor of mathematics. I am also a keen gambler, with blackjack being my game of choice. It figures really, unlike slots which rely completely on chance, in blackjack, you can apply mathematical principles for optimal play.

Now don’t get me wrong, I have not developed a fool-proof method to win! Believe me, I would be sipping a big mojito on a beach in Barbados right now if that were the case. Not eating a soggy cheese and onion sandwich at my desk in rainy Sheffield! However, I do know that I can play each and every hand I am dealt confidently, safe in the knowledge that I am making the best possible decisions to impact my success.

I decided to create this blog to reach out to fellow gamblers. I will explore strategies for various casino games. I will delve into the mathematical principles that lie behind casino games and the impact they have on you as a player. How do probabilities relate to odds? What role does luck play? Can you ever beat the casino at their own game? Stick around for interesting, original and thought-provoking explorations of these kinds of topics!