Gambling always seemed pretty unreasonable to me. Maybe it’s just because I’m a sore loser, but the idea that you could lose real money always made me avoid this pastime.
The one part that did interest me: the casinos themselves with their massive neon-lit towers. But I also wondered: With the rise of both online casinos and sports betting, why would anyone bother to travel to a casino when they could get the same experience on their phone?
Plenty of people bother. According to a report from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, Pennsylvania casinos have made roughly $658.1 million in gross revenue on physical table games alone in fiscal year 2025 so far (spanning July 2024-March 2025), not including virtual/hybrid games, sports gambling, slots or other games.
One Sunday evening in early March, I convinced a St. Joe’s friend to go with me to the Live Casino in South Philadelphia. When I first entered the building that had captured my imagination years ago, I was surprised at how high-tech everything was. The slot machines were splayed out in front of me, and almost all of them were accompanied by a bright LED screen. I was also struck by how massive the space was. And by how few people our age were there.
Rachel Volberg, Ph.D., research professor of epidemiology at the University of Massachusetts who specializes in gambling, problem gambling and psychometrics, said young people are drawn more to online gambling than other generations. Still, Volberg’s research on gambling in Massachusetts also revealed age was not the best predictor of casino visits.
“People who were employed were significantly more likely to have visited a casino in the past year than people who were students at the time that we surveyed them, and people who had lower levels of education, a bachelor’s degree or less, were more likely to have gambled at a casino in the past year than people who had higher education,” Volberg said.
I definitely felt out of place in the casino, mostly due to the fact that I had no idea where I was going. After ambling around for a bit, my friend and I decided on blackjack for our first game, as it was one of the few games we understood.
What I didn’t expect once we settled down at a table was a $25 minimum bet. I would later learn that the $25 minimum was the standard for most live table games. Some virtual games have $5 minimums, and a few slots have 40 cent-minimums.
On my first hand, I bet the $25 minimum, stayed my hand and ended up with a victory. This win did not tempt me, however, and I kept to the minimum for another hand. I also won this hand, a tie with the dealer. At this point, my friend had gotten two 21s in a row, so we were giddy with our luck.
We decided to try one more hand. Right off the bat, I got a blackjack (an ace and a 10), meaning I won instantly, and my friend hit on 16 and tied with the dealer. I had won $62.50, and I hadn’t even been in the casino for 20 minutes. At this point, we were so overjoyed with our good luck that we backed out of the game to recuperate.
Sam Smith, Ph.D., professor of mathematics who also teaches Math of Games & Politics at St. Joe’s, said while luck like mine was expected by casinos, the fact that the odds are slightly in favor of the casino means that when casinos draw in a lot of gamblers, the house will always win in the end. This conclusion is dictated by a mathematical concept called the “law of averages” for individual gamblers and the “law of large numbers” for large groups, Smith explained.
“It’s a very simple mathematical fact that if you play enough games, you’re gonna lose,” Smith said. “The odds are against you. You can get lucky and win, and that works for the whole casino. All [casino owners] really need to do is make sure people are just playing.”
I experienced these concepts soon after my big win. While both my friend and I were satisfied with our winnings, we figured we should try one more game. We chose roulette since the rules of that game are fairly clear. Approaching a table with no other players, my friend bet on black, and to keep things interesting, I bet on red.
Figuring the odds were about 50/50, I was confident that I had a good chance of continuing to win. Much to my dismay, the ball landed on 11, a black number, meaning I had lost, and my friend walked away with my $25 minimum bet.
Despite the sting of ending on a loss, I had still profited on the night. Overall, I had nearly doubled the money I had begun with, making for a successful 37 minutes in the casino. My friend and I decided to quit while we were ahead.
The satisfaction that came with this win seems to be the most likely reason for in-person gambling’s enduring popularity. Sure, there are much easier ways to get a dopamine hit than sitting on public transportation for two hours just to spend 37 minutes in a casino, but that effort made the win that much more satisfying. While I do not have a desire to revisit a casino any time soon, my good luck made my time gambling a positive one.
Smith emphasized my experience was rare among gamblers. The law of averages will get you every time.
“It might not be right away, but eventually, if you play a lot, you’ll lose. And maybe you’re the one that doesn’t, but it’s unusual. Most people do,” Smith said.
Members of the St. Joe’s community seeking support are encouraged to contact the following resources:
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), 610-660-1090
Campus Ministry, 610-660-1030
The Office of Student Outreach & Support, 610-660-1149
The Jesuit community, 610-660-1400
Employee Assistance Program, 866-799-2728
Gamblers Anonymous, 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537)
