I don't want to get bogged down on semantics, whether betting on pool is "gambling", but playing for money is a bet. I'd need an explanation on why it matters whether you yourself are involved as a participant. As far as it being a test of skill and competition, I don't think that's relevant. So are most sports and I certainly consider a wager placed in the sports book as gambling. The point is the outcome is uncertain.
In any event, I believe pool to be a game well suited for playing for money and enjoy it more than when playing just for the fun of it. But unlike when I was young I don't put myself into the "gambler" category just by virtue of the stakes I'm willing to play for. Still, I'd rather have a friendly bet on a match than nothing just like I don't enjoy playing poker for fun with chips that have no value. This doesn't mean I don't enjoy pool just for the fun of it because I do, just not quite as much as if a little something is riding on it. Sometimes I would rather spend the time working on my game alone than play a game that means nothing with one of the locals that don't like to shoot alone themselves. This is just me.
I'm up for a friendly wager, $10 to $50 sets, race to 9 or 11 type thing. When I was young I gambled, meaning for bigger stakes, especially considering the value of a dollar back then. But in high school and college this was how I made money. After college I acquired the skills to earn a living other ways. I don't really want to lose more than $100 in the course of a match and frankly am not that interested in taking more than that off someone either.
As I got older I sort of lost the real gamble (big $$) in me. It's just that for me the utility of winning or losing isn't equitable. Say I go to Vegas and win $5 grand. That would be great but it's not life changing money for me and honestly, the value/pleasure of winning $5K doesn't come close to the displeasure I would have losing that same amount (or even half that). Because of that imbalance in the utility of it for me now, it's just not worth it.
I do on occasion like to get into a match more intense than a friendly bet but when I want that kind of action I simply compete in a tournament.
In any event, I believe pool to be a game well suited for playing for money and enjoy it more than when playing just for the fun of it. But unlike when I was young I don't put myself into the "gambler" category just by virtue of the stakes I'm willing to play for. Still, I'd rather have a friendly bet on a match than nothing just like I don't enjoy playing poker for fun with chips that have no value. This doesn't mean I don't enjoy pool just for the fun of it because I do, just not quite as much as if a little something is riding on it. Sometimes I would rather spend the time working on my game alone than play a game that means nothing with one of the locals that don't like to shoot alone themselves. This is just me.
I'm up for a friendly wager, $10 to $50 sets, race to 9 or 11 type thing. When I was young I gambled, meaning for bigger stakes, especially considering the value of a dollar back then. But in high school and college this was how I made money. After college I acquired the skills to earn a living other ways. I don't really want to lose more than $100 in the course of a match and frankly am not that interested in taking more than that off someone either.
As I got older I sort of lost the real gamble (big $$) in me. It's just that for me the utility of winning or losing isn't equitable. Say I go to Vegas and win $5 grand. That would be great but it's not life changing money for me and honestly, the value/pleasure of winning $5K doesn't come close to the displeasure I would have losing that same amount (or even half that). Because of that imbalance in the utility of it for me now, it's just not worth it.
I do on occasion like to get into a match more intense than a friendly bet but when I want that kind of action I simply compete in a tournament.
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