Poker players are supposed to understand EV, so why do so many love casino games?

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Something I've been wondering since the casino section was added.

Poker players spend endless amounts of time talking about EV, variance, bankroll management, exploiting edges, avoiding -EV spots etc.

Yet plenty of poker players also seem to enjoy casino games where the house has a mathematical edge and, over a large enough sample, you're pretty much guaranteed to lose.

So what is it that makes casino gambling appealing to poker players?
 
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monkeytilter said:
So what is it that makes casino gambling appealing to poker players?
Click to expand...

Hey Monk,

I think the rare occasional win is appealing enough, especially that a big percentage of poker players are gamblers.
 
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People are hypocrite, that's why...

casinos really offer a quick dopamine and it is very addictive, so people just get blind by it, even when they know they are getting (legally) stealed by the house.

I could also metion the possibility of hitting a jackpot, because this may be one of the reasons too.

Anyway, I have the same questions that you have...
 
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The inner dopamine junkie in all of us
 
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almost every regular poker player has a compulsion around betting . it may involve other games of skill like backgammon , gin , or bridge , but sports betting , horse racing action and casino games are also common endeavors .
 
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Its probably because a lot of players still like to gamble in some way and those games are always available in the lobby to get a kick.
 
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I am attracted to the process of the game. I treat slots as a hobby that I am willing to pay for. The process itself fascinates me, and if you play disciplinedly, it will not be too much of a cost.
 
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I think it’s because casino games are more about the experience and excitement than making the most +EV decision. Poker players can understand the math and still enjoy the randomness sometimes.
 
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Self selectedly the best/richest poker players will have a lot of gamble in them. My impression is that they particularly like card games against each other with low skill/high variance.
 
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They might like it because it gives them a brain break from all those things you mentioned. Sometimes it's nice to just sit and drink and pull the one arm bandit...lol
 
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"I don't think they are truly poker players.

I mean, if they're just gamblers, they're not real poker players. They're just gamblers playing poker, and that's completely different."
 
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Well it's simple really..... big difference between poker players and gamblers,

.... also think there's a big difference between even odds games like blackjack or baccarat

and games that are basically throwing money out the window.... like slots or roulette or whatev,

but sure some poker players prob do like to play those games... fun is allowed... just don't have too much fun👍
 
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hjuosh said:
"I don't think they are truly poker players.

I mean, if they're just gamblers, they're not real poker players. They're just gamblers playing poker, and that's completely different."
Click to expand...
Mizrachi is a degenerate highstakes slots player and also won the wsop last year .
So is he now not a "true pokerplayer" because he enjoys highstakes slots?
 
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I play when there is an option to get something for free or for a minimum amount of money. I play when they give free spins, or when there are some tournament tickets.
 
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Knowing the EV doesn't mean you can't enjoy a game with negative expectation. Poker rewards decision-making over time, while casino games are mostly about entertainment and the excitement of taking a shot. As long as you understand the difference, I don't see a contradiction.
 
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I think there are a lot of things going on.

Poker players tend to play the less neg EV games in general.

Poker players are not immune from enjoying gambling. Some are problem gamblers like TJ Cloutier, Archie Karas, and Eric Lingren.

I think a lot of their play may be social activity for them.

And some of them game the system with things like bonuses and appearance fees, think Phil Ivey.
 
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monkeytilter said:
Poker players spend endless amounts of time talking about EV...
Click to expand...
Hey, we would make great politicians. We can talk the talk,...😗
monkeytilter said:
So what is it that makes casino gambling appealing to poker players?
Click to expand...
GG feels like bingo 😉 Does that count? It must be the glittering eye candy then 🤔
 
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I think humans, and this does not exclude poker players, they like sound, sight, and touch. So does a slot machine satisfy those three areas of human emotions.

Sound, most slot machines do not sit there quietly. As you walk down the kingdom hall of slots, they each have a sound coming from them saying pick me, pick me. Noise that won't stop.

Sight, you see a lot of pictures and blinking lights. Each machine has its own selection of pictures or genre theme. And don't even mention a slot with video. We won't even go there. We call that high stakes.

And touch. Buttons. Not one button. But button after button that you can touch. Button masher. I am choosing not the 5 line button but this 25 line button. Gosh, I love my buttons. I can touch so many buttons. Sometimes, I touch the buttons of slot machines I am not even playing. Sometimes, I will walk by a machine being used and say to myself, I'd love to be that button. Because, the truth is, we all love touch. Yet, we have all been conditioned that it's ok to look but don't touch. Slot players go over the edge, they go ahead and touch. No boundaries. Even some poker players, maybe more than some, are subject to this same temptation to touch.
 
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"I love Mizrachi, but winning tournaments doesn't change the underlying math.
G0930 said:
Mizrachi is a degenerate highstakes slots player and also won the WSOP last year .
So is he now not a "true pokerplayer" because he enjoys highstakes slots?
Click to expand...
"I love Mizrachi, but winning tournaments doesn't change the underlying math.

Playing high-stakes slots is provably -EV; there is zero edge, just pure gambling for fun. While Mizrachi has incredible intuition and unmatched tournament results, having success doesn't automatically mean someone approaches the game with a strict +EV mindset.
Tournament variance can carry exploit-heavy or instinctive players a long way. But in the long run, players who rely strictly on expected value and solver-backed fundamentals—like Adrián Mateos, Stephen Chidwick, Justin Bonomo, or Jason Koon—will always hold the true edge over anyone treating the table like another gamble.
There's a massive difference between an elite edge-seeker and a talented gambler running hot."
 
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I think its a similar idea to when people eat clean al week, are pretty focused on exercise etc, but then think nothing of getting smashed on the weekend. Its compartmentalisation.

Work hard play hard, all that kind of mindset.
Poker is work, or serious, and slots is play/fun
 
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I think it’s mainly the entertainment and instant excitement.
Poker players enjoy skill and EV, but casino games offer quick action without the pressure of making every decision perfectly.
The key is treating casino games as entertainment, not a way to make money.
 
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I think poker players try to make smart, +EV choices, but they might still play casino games for fun, like Mizrachi. So I guess, knowing that casino games are purely for entertainment, and not a way to make money, especially if they have money to burn.
 
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I am willing to risk money even when I understand that my chances are minimal. Why?
Because it brings me pleasure.
 
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black and said:
I am willing to risk money even when I understand that my chances are minimal. Why?
Because it brings me pleasure.
Click to expand...
That's one of the purpose of hitting a casino. Either for pleasure or serious play.
 
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