How does gambling WORK?!

[JenBurdoo]

Almost caught up with the latest UY issues. Have recently read the Sakura stories about a whip-armed gambler, and comparing this with other gambling houses we've seen, I'm starting to wonder what the point of gambling is in Usagi's Japan if the only game is guessing whether the dice will be odd or even. Assuming these are akin to modern six-siders, the chances are fifty-fifty that the player will be right. On average, that leaves no profit for the house or the player -- modern gambling games are at the least subtly in favor of the house. Yet Sakura is told by the gambling boss that she is very good at the job. How is this possible? What skill is there in the game? The only way for anyone to make money in the long-term would be by cheating (which we do see), but it would seem to be pretty easy to test for cocked dice and everyone can't be using them or no one would bother gambling. Hmm, unless there's a cover charge to get in the door... that would make the house money on an even game.

Or were there other, more profitable, games we're not seeing? Cards? Formal betting systems like modern horse or greyhound racing (as opposed to the black-haired guy who appeared in two stories betting on dueling samurai)?

[ultraman]

most of them also served sake and had card games to.
in the instance of han and cho (even odd) dice, not every one playing bet on the same side so the house offsets it's losses by the people that take the other side. then if you get them drunk enough they will eventually just keep trying to double up and lose all they walked in with. if this didn't work they'd wait for a huge bet and have the dealer do slight of hand and cheat with loaded dice. and if that didn't work they'd use their brothel which is also owned by the dice house (in most cases) and have ladies of the night take the money off your hands. either way odds are in favor of the house

[Steve Hubbell]

If you can get a chance, watch some of the Zatoichi films with Shintaro Katsu, there is a lot of scenes set inside the gambling dens showing some of the innovative ways that were used to cheat. There are also a bunch of Red Peony Gambler films starring Junko Fuji which might provide more insight as well.

[coolray85]

I am glad I checked in on this thread because I was always asking myself the same question whenever reading a story starring chan ocho;)...thanks for the inside knowledge and suggestions(about zatoichi films), guys, very interesting.

[Stan Sakai]

There were also various card games, such as hanafura. Sharon's maternal grandmother had a business pasting the pictures onto the cardboard card backings, and had told of stories where gamblers would approach her to shave or mark the cards.