Pascal's Wager

Blaise Pascal was a famous scientist, philosopher, and mathematician who invented the casino game of roulette which bankrupted many a nobleman (and woman) in the late 1600’s.

He was also the man who figured out how to handle the issue of God’s possible existence. Indeed. His solution was ingenious.

The debate over the possibility of God’s existence was in full rage among the intellectuals of Pascal’s day. It was a fierce debate – as it has always been. Even today the slings and arrows land heavily amongst those arguing one side or the other. Yes? No?

Pascal was looking for a way around this interminable debate and he came up with it. According to the church, you had to believe to be saved. Fine. The atheist is a non-believer and is doomed to hell. So how does one get out of that situation?

Simple stated Pascal. Live your life as if you believed than when you died if there were a God you would be rewarded with heaven. If there wasn’t a God you would cease to exist. No harm done.

This was called Pascal’s Wager.

He bet that he could outmaneuver God and His church by being a good man who would be rewarded with heaven. If there were no God and Pascal’s goodness would not be rewarded – so what? If there were no reward then there could be no punishment. He’d be even.

So, he made his bet. He stayed with the church.

Is Pascal in heaven or hell? Who knows? Only he does…or doesn’t since he has ceased to exist.

His roulette game offered no such bet. The game was slanted towards the owner of the casino. Given a little time, no one who played roulette could beat the game except if he beat it quick and sure and never returned to it. Few (or no) players have ever done that. Roulette, like all casino games, gets under your skin and it is hard to give it up.

Why do players inevitably lose at the game? It is a simple answer. Easier than ferreting out the possible existence of a divine being.

The game is fixed. You’ve read that right. The game is fixed to favor the casino over the player.


You see, the casino pays a winning bet at 35-to-1. But there are 37 possible landing spots for the ball.

[Please note: the American wheel has 38 possible landing spots and the new American wheel has 39 spots for the ball to land in. All the games still pay 35-to-1 on a winning bet. That means a house edge is working all the time no matter which game you choose and sometimes that house edge is huge. The European / French wheel has one 0; the American wheel has two zero places of 0 and 00; while the newest American game has three zeroes; 0, 00, and 000.]

Is there a Pascal’s wager for his game? No. Stop playing it and you cease to exist. The game no way out. Play it and you exist; don’t play it and bye, bye.

All the best in and out of the casinos!

Frank Scoblete’s books are available from Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Kindle, e-books, libraries, and bookstores.

This article is provided by the Frank Scoblete Network. Melissa A. Kaplan is the network's managing editor. If you would like to use this article on your website, please contact Casino City Press, the exclusive web syndication outlet for the Frank Scoblete Network. To contact Frank, please e-mail him at fscobe@optonline.net.