So let’s take a look at how poker probability works, and learn how to apply it to our game. Probability is the tool that allows us to win money at poker. I doubt there’s one WSOP winner alive who lacks at least a basic understanding of probability. Knowledge of probability allowed Cardano to earn a steady income from gambling, and professional gamblers today rely on probability to make winning bets. Cardano’s observations – outlined in his work “Book on Games of Chance” – form the basis for what we now call mathematical probability. Specifically, he identified patterns that corresponded to wins and losses. Over his career, Cardano meticulously documented observations about the games he played. So when a young Girolamo Cardano found himself without a College membership or cash, he did what any reasonable person would do: he became a professional gambler. The market for uncertified physicians was not very big in 16th-century Italy.
