The Snake
Imagine you’re sitting under a big tree, taking a break after a long and tiring walk. You don’t know that a big snake is hanging above you. You rest there calmly, not aware of the danger so close to you. But as soon as you hear the snake rattle or see it, you jump up in shock and run, scared for your life.
Gambling is a lot like that. Many gamblers don’t see the danger they’re in. They get addicted and keep trying to win back the money they lost, which only puts them in more trouble. What starts as fun or curiosity can turn into something very harmful—not just for the gambler, but also for their family.
Gambling Time
Once upon a time, my friends and I went on a cruise out in international waters. They said that the cruise would refund the ferry fare for anyone who joined the games—but only if you played with a minimum of $500. I didn’t want to play, so I gave my $500 chip to my friends to use instead. Luckily, they each won around $100, and I got all my money back.
While all my friends were busy playing, I spent my time observing and learning how the games worked. I even drew the layout of the table on paper so I could recreate the game on a computer later. I went on to build a simulator with a simple algorithm: I would start betting $1, and every time I lost, I’d double the bet. The idea was that when I eventually won, I’d recover all my losses and gain $1, then start over.
I set the simulator to begin with a million dollars and let it run endlessly. No matter how many times I ran the simulation, the result was always the same—eventually, all the money would be gone.
The gambling table is designed with algorithms that ensure the house always has the advantage. Even if the house loses a few rounds, in the long run, it will always come out on top—regardless of whether the players are skilled or not. The system is built to favor the casino, not the gambler.
The Dirt
Now that you understand how dangerous the world of gambling can be, it’s time to stop and walk away from it. Don’t let greed take over and ruin your life. Losing money can lead to bigger problems that affect your future. One by one, more issues will pile up—and by then, it might be too late.
Just like a fly that feeds on dirt without realizing how filthy it is, gamblers often don’t see the harm in what they’re doing. The fly thinks it’s found something good—when in reality, it’s surrounded by filth. Now ask yourself: do you still believe gambling is something good? Do you see the snake lying so close to you? Will you ignore the danger and keep gambling, just like the fly? The choice is yours.
Photo credit: OpenAI’s ChatGPT-4o
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