How It Works

Whether you buy a lottery ticket or play poker, it’s the chance of winning that makes it fun. Like two sides of a coin, there is also the chance of losing – that’s what it means to take a risk. It’s important to know that gambling is based entirely on our inability to predict the outcome. So what do chance, player skill, and knowledge of the games have to do with it?

Skill based games: For some games, you can reduce the chances of losing by learning more about the game or by developing skills as a player. This is because you make decisions that can affect the outcome of the game.

For example, there are different strategies for playing games like Blackjack and Poker. If you understand Blackjack strategy, you can improve your decision-making and your chances of winning. Similarly, if you know a lot about athletes and their sports, you might improve your decision-making when betting on sporting events.

But don’t be fooled, chance and house odds (which are set by the house in their favor and can be changed) still play a big part, and the house always wins in the long run. No matter how skilled you might be at a certain game, you can’t control the many variables that determine the outcome. Games that fall into this category include Poker, Blackjack, and sports betting.

Chance games:  All the good luck charms in the world can’t affect the results of games of chance. Every roll, throw or spin has an equal chance of winning or losing. It doesn’t matter if you just lost three times in a row, or 25 times. The odds of winning don’t change. Each spin is random and independent. A ‘near win’ is as random as any other outcome. Examples of games based on chance include Roulette, slot machines, video lottery terminals, lottery tickets, and Bingo.

Sports games: If you’re a sports fan, sports betting products like PRO-LINE (PRO-LINE, PRO-LINE Fantasy, and PRO-LINE Stadium Parlay) can add excitement to any game.

Each game has its own set of rules and betting options. To play, you choose from the selections made available for wagering on each game, bet on the outcome you think will occur, and if you get your pick(s) right, the amount you win is determined by multiplying the odds on the game(s) (set by professional odds makers) by the amount you have wagered. Atlantic Lottery’s PRO-LINE Stadium website explains the rules of each game. Sports betting is available at retail locations as well as online at alc.ca.

Charitable Gaming: Charitable Gaming is a popular method of raising funds for community and not-for-profit groups. Even though it’s for a charitable cause it’s still gambling.