Let me start by saying that I use a great deal of analysis and statistics in my day job. I will also admit that I am an avid poker player and have been known to bet on sporting events as well.

I think that the heart of your question has to do with how we handle uncertainty in our lives.

Consider these 4 activities:
1) Investing in stocks, bonds, mutual funds
2) Starting a new business
3) Playing poker
4) Driving to the store

What do they have in common? All of them involve risk. All of them have a degree of uncertainty. All of them pose the potential for loss of money or worse. The difference is that only one has a social stigma attached to it.

In investing, business, or just driving your car, if you don’t know what you are doing you can lose it all – just like in poker. But, the uncertainty in all of these activities can be reduced by study and practice. Investors reduce risk by studying the market. Entrepreneurs seek to reduce risk by studying business, competition, etc. A professional poker player seeks to reduce risk by careful study and analysis of the game.

You mentioned that “it’s not really gambling because a lot of it involves math”. Did you know that you can have two aces (the best starting hand in texas holdem) and you will still lose about one out of 6 hands? Having the best cards does not insure success, even for Daniel Negreanu.

For me the question of morality in gambling has to do with the motivation of the individual. Do you approach is as an occupation or do you place your money recklessly for the thrill of the action? Are you prudent in your money management or do you risk more than you can afford to lose? Are you in control of your emotions and impulses at the table?

These same questions can be asked about investing, business, and driving your car. Whether poker is a business or an addiction depends on the mindset of the individual. I think that its this mindset that determines whether the action is moral or not.

But like Dennis Miller says . . . “That’s just my opinion. I could be wrong.”

Wow….I used to watch poker a lot but somehow I missed this exchange. So what Lee’s fiance was saying was Lee was God’s chosen one to win? I don’t think God was too pleased by either man’s exchanges at the table. My husband is into poker, and I am still struggling with whether or not God would be happy with Christians that play poker. $20 here or there isn’t a huge deal, but when you start playing for hundreds of dollars or more it becomes more about making money. Daniel Negreanu is a Christian and does very well in the pro circuit….and you can argue it’s not really gambling because a lot of it involves math, but I don’t know…..any comments on this? I’d like to see maybe you blog your ideas on this