Most people who bet know what the number -100 means. It’s the price of a double up in poker, or the rough equivalent in other games. You play against the dealer and, if you’re lucky, you win a few bucks. It’s a pretty classic example of a casino game with a house advantage built in.
What is -100 in Betting?
Well, it’s not actually -100 in Betting. It’s more like -110. But that’s splitting hairs. As the name would have it, -100 is short for ‘negative 100′. And that’s exactly what it means. It is a negative number in the same way that -10 or –5 or –2.5 are. It represents the amount of money you’ll need to risk in order to win – in this case, $100. But if you’re playing with fake money or against people who aren’t paying attention to the details, then it’ll be an advantage to both of you.
Here’s how it works.
Why Do Gamblers Use It?
If you’re new to betting, you may not know what odds are. You’re used to playing games with fair odds, where the house advantage is evened out and there’s nothing strange or unusual about the number of coins in your pocket. But in betting, odds are always in favor of the house. It is what it is. So when you’re playing against the house, using numbers makes sense. When you’re playing against friends or people you know, using words might be safer.
-100 is short for “negative 100”, but what does that mean? It means you need to risk $100 to win $100. If you want to double your money just play twice as much, but if you want to win real money then you need to risk it. When you’re playing against the house you have little to lose, but when playing against friends or people you know, it’s better to use words instead of risking $100 and finding out the odds are actually in your favor.
Here’s another way to look at it. If you’re playing blackjack and the dealer has a 10% house advantage, then the casino will make $100 on each $10 you risk. So the odds are 10 in favor of the dealer. But if you had a -100% house advantage, then they would only make $100 on each $10 you risked. In other words, the house advantage makes the difference in the odds, determining how much the casino makes off each $10 wagered.
Types Of Betting
You have three basic types of betting: win, place, and show. In win betting, you try to beat the dealer’s hand, not the other players’. In place betting, you try to finish anywhere within the money, typically by matching the dealer’s hand. In show betting, you compete against the other players, trying to be the first to get to zero. (In most cases, you will lose the stake you put down for show betting).
Although the house always has an advantage in betting, because there are various ways the game can be played, there are various advantages to each type. For instance, win betting is usually the safest way to go, because the house advantage is usually less in win bets than it is in other types. But since there’s always the possibility of upsets, or when players get “hot” or cold” streaks, show betting and place betting can be more volatile than win betting. But that’s not always the case, so it’s good to be familiar with all three types.
Playing Against The House
You play against the house, not against individuals, so you have no way of knowing whether you’re actually playing against a cheater who’s going to win every hand or against a person who is just as likely to lose as win. For this reason, gamblers often use numbers to identify hands when playing against the house. This way, they can see how the hand compared to what was pre-arranged. So if they make a note of which cards the dealer had and which ones they had, they’ll know the result. (If the cards are of no significance to you, you can use a number to identify the hands for yourself and keep things more private. But if you want to follow the example of the professionals, you should use words.)
When you’re playing against the house, using numbers can help you keep track of what happened. If you use a pen and paper to make notes during the game, you can keep track of what was won, lost, and if possible, how much was bet. You can even enter the results of previous games so when you play again, you’ll already have the results of the last game. (This way, you don’t have to worry about whether or not you remembered to record the results of the previous game. You can simply look it up when you get there).
Playing Friends And Family
If you’re playing against friends and family, it’s best to use your common sense and pick words that they’ll understand. For instance, if they had a bad experience with the Mafia in the past, you could say “I’m sorry, but let’s play in dollars this time. I feel safer using words like this.” In most cases, this will end the friendship, but sometimes it can be a way to expose a cheater. (Just make sure you’re not breaking the law or doing something you’re not supposed to do).
When playing against friends and family, it’s always important to be on your best behavior. Use your common sense and be friendly and polite to them, but don’t push your luck or put your hand in the cookie jar. (Just remember, they’ll likely try to push your luck, too, so be careful. Everyone ends up being a little bit like the Mafia sometimes). You don’t want to let your guard down and end up on the losing end of a bet do you?
Playing Against Professionals
If you’re playing against professionals, then using numbers makes even more sense. You don’t want to use words, because you don’t want them to have any advantage over you. It’s almost like you’re in a fight and, for the sake of your pride, you don’t want anyone to know you’re a beginner. (Except, of course, for your bettors — your audience).
Professionals will often use numbers, too, so they can remember what was said during the hand. If you want to play without risk, you can use a timer to ensure each player puts in an equal amount of time. This way, you don’t have to worry about whether or not your friends and family will try to put the squeeze on you, as much as you don’t want to risk losing to someone you don’t know either. Numbers and timers can also be used to keep track of how much was won and lost so you can prepare a written record of the game at the end. (If you use a pen and paper to make notes during the game, you can keep track of what was won, lost, and if possible, how much was bet. You can even enter the results of previous games so when you play again, you’ll already have the results of the last game. (This way, you don’t have to worry about whether or not you remembered to record the results of the previous game. You can simply look it up when you get there)).
If you’re playing against professionals, numbers make sense. Timers can be used so each player puts in an equal amount of time, keeping track of what was won and lost so you can prepare a written record of the game at the end. (If you use a pen and paper to make notes during the game, you can keep track of what was won, lost, and if possible, how much was bet. You can even enter the results of previous games so when you play again, you’ll already have the results of the last game. (This way, you don’t have to worry about whether or not you remembered to record the results of the previous game. You can simply look it up when you get there)).