Chapter 4. Beating the Odds

Why risk more than you have to when you take risks? Casino games require you to take some chances, but this chapter of real-world stat hacks will help you keep your edge and perhaps even overcome the house's edge.

Start with Texas Hold 'Em poker [Hack #36]. (Maybe you've heard of it?) When you play poker [Hack #37], play the odds [Hack #38].

Make sure, of course, to always gamble smart [Hack #35], regardless of what you play, though when it comes to the level of risk you take, some games [Hacks #39 and #40] are better than others [Hack #41].

If you like to make friendly wagers with friends or strange wagers with strangers, you can use the power of statistics to win some surprisingly winnable bar bets with cards [Hacks #42 and #44], dice [Hack #43], or just about anything else you can think of [Hack #46], including your friends' birthdays [Hack #45].

Speaking of weird gambling games (and I think we were), there are some odd statistical quirks [Hacks #47 and #49] you'll need to know when you play them, even if it is just flipping a coin [Hack #48].