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Is Poker Skill or Luck ?

While 80% of Americans can still play poker legally in their homes, sadly that still leaves the other 20% who take the risk of being punished in accordance to state laws – Just for sitting down to a home poker game.

There have been a few court cases lately of people playing poker in their homes. However it seems to be the case lately that many people are not being punished or have been let go, so what gives?

Many people whether it is by court testimony or extensive testing have been finding poker, namely Texas Hold ‘Em, is a game of skill and not luck. This makes a big difference as most states laws are along the lines of gaming or “gambling” which states a game is prominently a game of luck or chance.

Poker IS a game of skill and NOT Luck

One case in specific was recently in South Carolina where a group of men were busted for playing Texas Hold Em in their home. The defendants in this case did not deny that they played the game, but in fact argued that the game of Texas Hold Em is a game of skill and was outside of the Stature stating otherwise.

Mike Sexton is a professional poker and on the behalf of the Poker Players Alliance, a non profit poker advocacy group, testified that poker is a game of skill and through constant practice, literature, training, and experience, a player can and will, in fact, get better. Mike Sexton stated that the game of poker utilizes math, patience, and above all, working to make yourself a better player through discipline.

Also mentioned during the case was the extensive study done by Cigital …

They used data from PokerStars.com download during the month of December and analyzed well over 103 millions hands of Texas Hold Em.

What they found was extremely interesting …

  • More than 75% of the hands never saw more than their own hole cards and the community cards, meaning they did not go to showdown.

  • The other 25% of the hands did in fact go to showdown, but only about 50% of those hands actually showed down the best 5 card hand.

  • The other 50% was of those who had the best hand but folded prior to showing down.

  • Out of the entire test only 12% was actually won by having the best hand.

    • There was specific criteria they used to control the analysis such as looking at hands that were of blinds higher than $0.10 as any less was considered like playing with play money.


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    So in short, what does this mean for you, the poker player?

    Ultimately it should mean that we are moving forward in our quest to legalize and regulate poker as a whole in the USA. Many cases are being overturned or appealed with a high expectancy of walking away.

    As a poker community we need to stick together and continue to move forward. It is not a matter of “if” we win this, it is only a matter of when.

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