Wondering what are the (+) and (-) betting symbols in gambling?
In most cases, you will find that these symbols represent poker and casino games, respectively. Although there are a few exceptions (such as slot machines), the majority of games you will see presented with these symbols are connected to gambling.
So, what are the differences between the + and – symbols in gambling?
Actions Performed By The + And – Symbols
The + symbol performs several functions in typical gambling scenarios. Let us examine each of these functions, and how the – symbol works in comparison to the + symbol.
First off, in most cases, the + symbol functions as a wildcard in gambling, so it can represent any card value. For example, in a three-card-maximum Hold’em poker game, the + symbol can represent the third card in a series of five cards.
In other words, if you have three of a kind (111) and the dealer receives an ace (1), the pot will be won by the player because the + symbol can represent any card value.
In fact, in most cases, the + symbol represents the highest card value that can be represented by the combination of the other cards in the hand. For example, in a standard deck of cards, the + symbol has the highest numerical value, followed by the king, queen, jack, and then the ten.
These examples show how the + symbol allows for more flexibility when playing cards than the – symbol. Due to its wildcard status, the + symbol can represent any card value, while the – symbol can only represent the tens and twos.
The Influence of The + And – Symbols In Gambling
The influence of the + and – symbols in gambling is undeniable. In most cases, these symbols represent the odds in favor of the user or the house, or both. For instance, if you play Russian Roulette, the chances of you hitting the big red button are very slim, according to the law of large numbers. However, if you play with odd numbers, the results are quite unpredictable and tend to favor the house, and vice versa. These examples clearly show how the + and – symbols can impact the outcome of a game, especially when used in combination.
Poker Game Equivalents Where The + And – Symbols Appear
It is quite difficult to compare poker and other games where the + and – symbols appear, as each game is quite different. However, it is quite common for these symbols to appear in conjunction with other poker-like games, such as online poker or Texas Hold’em. In these situations, the + symbol usually functions as a wildcard, allowing players to use any combination of cards to make the best hand.
In online poker, the majority of games use a mixture of the – and + symbols. This is because the casino site’s programming staff wants to ensure that players never run out of chips, as they can keep re-raising the pot every time the chips run low. In this case, the + symbol represents the extra chips awarded to the player for being the first to act during a hand. Typically, these extra chips are placed in front of the player, so they can quickly select one or more of the symbols shown on the screen to continue playing.
The final type of game where the + symbol appears is Texas Hold’em. In this game, the player receives three cards and must use these cards to make the best hand using the following rankings:
- Royal flush
- Straight flush
- Four of a kind
- Full house
- Three of a kind
- Two pairs
- One pair
- No pairs
- High card
- Low card
As you can see, the Texas Hold’em ranking system requires more than one kind of hand to be formed, so it is easy for the casino’s software to identify which hand is the best in relation to the other hands in the hand. In other words, the + symbol represents a wildcard that enables the player to make the best hand regardless of the other cards received.
The Differences Between The + And – Symbols
To start things off, the + symbol is always the largest of the two symbols in most cases. In some situations, the – symbol is slightly larger, but it is almost always the case that the + symbol is the largest of the two. This is a bit odd, considering that a straight and a flush are both higher-ranking hands than a full house in most Texas Hold’em variations, so there should be more emphasis on the + symbol in these situations. However, this is simply a quirk of the Unicode Standard that was created back in 1998 and has remained unaltered over the years. So, although the straight and flush are technically higher-ranking hands than the full house, the + symbol is what you will mostly see in practice.
Now, let us examine the differences between the + and – symbols in more detail. First off, the – symbol always has the second lowest numerical value of the two symbols, except in the case of a deuce-wildcard. This means that the – symbol is the smallest of the two symbols in relation to the other card values. In theory, this should make it easier for the user to form a high-ranking hand because they have fewer restrictions compared to getting a full house or a straight.
Also, the – symbol is normally associated with low-quality or low-value cards. This is due to the fact that the – symbol is used as a stop symbol in most cases. For example, in the game of Gin rummy, the – symbol represents a gin. In general, when played against the dealer, a gin is a low-quality or low-value card, so most players will automatically bet on seeing this symbol during the hand. Also, the letter “K” is often associated with the – symbol, which makes it easy for players to tell what card value they are getting when they see this combination.
Even though the + symbol almost always has the highest numerical value overall, there are a couple of situations where this is not the case. In the game of Pai-gow, for example, if you get an eight or a nine as your first two cards, the + symbol will have the second highest numerical value, although it still represents the highest possible card value. Keep in mind that in Pai-gow, you are only allowed to build your hand using the four aces, kings, and queens, so in this situation, the + symbol still represents the highest possible hand value. Similarly, in the game of Snap (also known as Battle of the Sexes), if you get a nine and a seven, the + symbol will have the third highest numerical value because the final card can be anything other than a seven.
Now that you are equipped with the basics about the + and – symbols in gambling, it is time to focus on how to bet online. Stay tuned for the next blog post, where we will discuss different types of betting strategies in more detail.