Thread: Why the Stock Market is Similar to Gambling on Baccarat

I was out of town this weekend in Southern NJ, Atlantic City to be exact. After finishing my business at the convention center, I traveled back to the newest casino, the Borgata where I was staying for the night. I don’t consider myself a gambler and have never enjoyed losing money at the tables. When I do gamble, my preferred games have always been craps and blackjack. Until recently, I had never played at a baccarat table in a casino environment but I enjoy the game of baccarat and have only played in backyard and basement games with old buddies. Many people consider the game of baccarat pure luck but this is not an accurate observation. Many factors run parallel with the game of baccarat and the game of stock market investing. Luck may play a part but rules, odds and money management are the largest components of the two entities.

I'm also a fan of the stock market, and I know that when investing in the stock market, it is essential to have a sound set of rules or a system that has been tested in real time, no back testing or historical testing needed. After the system has been tested, the investor needs to follow rules in order to preserve capital and cut losses. The investor must also consider the odds of his/her stock making a gain or making a loss. Price objectives and targets should be a large part of every investor’s system. With proper money management and calculated expectancy, the investor should aim to trade only in situations where the odds are in his/her favor. In a strong bull market, it may not be wise to start shorting many stocks; the odds of making a big gain with this strategy could be very low. Another major component that works its way into investing is psychology and/or human emotion. Stocks are made up of human character traits, similar to the type of people that own them. Some stocks are risky and volatile while other stocks are conservative and predictable. The market repeats cycles and specific chart patterns because humans repeat their actions and character tendencies.

The thing with baccarat is that all investors and baccarat players bring emotions to the table, some people control them better while other people employ better systems and understand the odds on a higher level. The bottom line is to understand the situation around you and to use a sound system to raise your odds. Never bet a hand that represents a low chance of winning and never ride a loss that could multiply overnight. Cut losses short and get out of the game and wait for the next opportunity because they are always around the corner.

Originally Posted by bumeemehosisa

The thing with baccarat is that all investors and baccarat players bring emotions to the table, some people control them better while other people employ better systems and understand the odds on a higher level. The bottom line is to understand the situation around you and to use a sound system to raise your odds. Never bet a hand that represents a low chance of winning and never ride a loss that could multiply overnight. Cut losses short and get out of the game and wait for the next opportunity because they are always around the corner.

Thank You. So much for me to learn. There are so many good articles and good contributors in this forums.

Brandon.