No doubt you’ve heard the phrase, the lottery is a random game of luck. But, do you realize what that means? For example, does this mean that everyone has an equal chance of winning the lottery jackpot? Or does that mean it makes no sense to waste time or money on the lottery ? Let’s investigate the meaning of the sentence more closely to see if we can reduce the ambiguity.
First, if the game is a ‘game of chance’, it means that the laws of probability are involved. All over the world, people play games like this every day. Professional player too, and very good at it. They are successful because they fully understand the game and are experts in applying the laws of probability.
Some believe the phrase ‘gambling’ is simply code for ‘you will lose’. But professional players know the truth. It really means opportunity. This applies to all gambling, from Blackjack to Craps , Horse Racing and even the Lottery. Yes, you can increase your chances of winning the lottery jackpot. But wait. If so, how can the lottery be random? Hmm?
What does Random mean to you?
After 20 years of doing this, it can be a little frustrating. But, it’s my fault. Trying to educate people about the true meaning of the word ‘Random’ is a daunting task. The problem is complicated by the fact that, on the one hand, there are people who throw the word ‘Random’ around as if they actually know what it means. And on the other hand, there are those who hear the word believe that they understand what it means. No group is correct. Words can be troublesome 😉
As a result, my true feelings about the word are well summed up by a quote from Shakespeare’s cousin Vinny when he said, ‘what we call random, by any other name, will still reek’. OK Vinny.
But for the umpteenth time, I will try to bring clarity to the debate. The definition of the word random is “a selection process in which every item in the set has an equal probability of being selected”. This is a great definition of something that can never be achieved in the real world! There is a good explanation for this. Random is a theoretical concept used in the academy’s ivory math tower that is delivered as if it actually exists in reality. Though, in truth, it was a con. The word ‘Random’ is an ideal disguised as reality.
Lottery and reality
If this definition really can be applied in the real world, then:
* If you play Blackjack, it is not possible to increase your chances of winning by counting cards.
* If you play poker, it is impossible to decide how much to bet.
* If you play on the stock market, it is impossible to make money.
It is clear that this conjecture is wrong.
You know, the word ‘Random’ is out of place in the real world because it’s just a theoretical mathematical tool. He feels uncomfortable as a teenager who is awkward in a social environment. It is not done or done in any game, on Earth, in our Solar System, in our Galaxy, or in the Universe, because it is only at home in the theoretical world in which it is born.