Chapter 123: Elevenfold!

"Seven of Hearts!"

A cheer erupted from the crowd! The overwhelming majority had won.

Old Man Ding let out a long breath. Banker, Player, Player—the fourth round bet on the Banker had indeed been correct! The probability of guessing correctly for three consecutive rounds was 12.5%, but four rounds? That would be six percent... The old man could no longer do the math! Such tiny odds were harder than passing an advanced math competition! Wen Xiaocheng was a living deity! No wonder the boy could get a perfect score in math!

The most exciting part was that even with an extra thousand added to his bet, the "God of Wealth" Wen’s guidance remained effective.

Banker, Player, Player—the next two rounds would be on the Player! The old man stood up and pushed his entire 4,000-chip stack onto the Player's side, not bothering to take any back. The people following his lead also dumped their chips onto the Player spot. Even those who hadn’t bet before, or had just been watching from the sidelines, rushed to exchange their cash for chips, fearful of missing out.

In the previous round, excluding the old man’s 2,000, this baccarat table had already paid out seventy or eighty thousand. Although the dealer remained calm and composed, a light sheen of sweat had appeared on the tip of his nose.

"No more bets!"

Everyone followed the old man’s lead and bet on the Player! There were over a hundred thousand in chips on the table. While not a record for this house, it was certainly eye-catching. Many people gave up their own games to crowd around this table and watch the spectacle.

The dealer began to deal. The first card for the Player was a Three of Hearts; the first for the Banker was an Eight of Clubs. The Banker seemed to hold the advantage.

The second card for the Player was a Five of Spades. Now both sides stood at eight points, but the Banker still had one card to go.

In this round, no one had bet on the Banker, the Tie, or the Pair. It had turned into a direct confrontation between the players and the house; whether it was a Tie, a Pair, or a Banker win, the house would take it all. Some people stared at the cards, calculating the probabilities in their heads: thirteen different card values, with the 10, J, Q, K, 8, and 1 being "killer" cards, while the other seven cards would result in a payout. They felt their odds were actually slightly better.

In truth, such calculations were pure nonsense; if they actually worked, mathematicians would have long since conquered the gambling world.

The old man was much calmer now. He firmly believed the God of Wealth was efficacious and that he would win again! Sure enough, the dealer revealed the cards: a Nine of Hearts. The Player had eight points, the Banker had seven. The Player won!

Another frantic cheer erupted; the atmosphere surged to a new peak. Old Man Ding’s 4,000 had now become 8,000, though he wasn't the biggest winner; several people who had followed his lead had made even more. But regardless of what others had won, everyone was watching to see what Old Man Ding would bet next—he was the heart of the room.

The old man was savoring the feeling of being a "God of Gamblers." It felt as if all eyes were upon him, looking down on the world, with every move he made stirring the nerves of everyone present. The next round was already beginning. He pretended to be deep in thought, delaying his bet, and as long as he didn't bet, no one else dared to wager rashly. Just then, a boss who had made money following his lead handed him a one-thousand-unit orange chip and smiled: "Big brother, your luck is soaring. How about letting your brothers in on some of that?"

With a casual laugh, he had just been tipped a small fortune!

Once the leader started, several others followed, handing over chips as a gesture of gratitude. One person even offered a 500-unit chip in exchange for one of the old man’s 100-unit chips, hoping to "rub off some luck."

The old man took stock. He had 8,000 from the recent win, plus the "dividends" from the other gamblers—altogether, 9,900! Remaining unhurried, he muttered to himself: "Thanks, everyone, thanks. I came with a thousand, and now there’s almost ten thousand on the table. Should I go all-in, or just bet the 100 to round it out?"

Everyone was counting on him to win, so they were ready to follow if he went all-in. But if he played it safe with only 100, would they follow or not? A sharp-witted guy immediately placed a 100-unit chip in front of the old man. "Brother, since our luck is so good, why waste it on just a hundred? Let’s charge ahead!"

Old Man Ding laughed heartily. "Fine! I’m going all-in again! Ten thousand! On the Player!"

Those around him scrambled to pile their chips onto the "Player" side, waiting in silence for the dealer to reveal the cards.

The dealer was under immense pressure now, his hands even trembling slightly. There were hundreds of thousands in chips on the table. Though he didn't have to pay out of his own pocket, it would be difficult to explain to the boss.

That is the nature of gambling: once you are in the game, even if it isn't your own money you're losing, you inevitably grow nervous and stimulated. Pursuing that stimulation is how one unknowingly falls into the trap.

"Banker 3, Player 4. Player wins."

Another round of cheers; the scene was nearly hysterical. Many who had walked in with only a few thousand now had over ten thousand! Almost every gambler had won, an unprecedented harvest.

Round seven!

The old man was convinced that the seventh round would hit a Pair. He had 20,000 now; a Pair paid eleven to one, which would mean 220,000! That was more than double what he had expected!

220,000! His own house wasn't even worth that much!

Everyone in the room was in a state of frenzied excitement. Those who had followed the old man since the third round had seen their chips multiply several times over! Although everyone was watching the old man, many were making even more than him. Over these six rounds, the casino had lost at least several hundred thousand!

"Brother, you’re our God of Wealth!"

"God of Gamblers! Should we bet Banker or Player this round?"

The people around him were fawning over him. Old Man Ding felt as if he truly had transformed into a god of gambling. He slowly pulled out a cigarette, and someone nearby, quick to notice, extended a lighter to spark it for him.

"Banker or Player?" The old man curled his lip. "Whether you bet Banker or Player, it's just a one-to-one payout, isn't it? My luck is so good right now, whatever I bet on wins, so why not go for something big?" As he spoke, under the shocked gazes of the crowd, he pushed all 20,000 of his chips into the "Pair" betting zone!

Betting on a Pair!

Betting on a Pair?

The crowd was stunned. They had played so many rounds, and not a single Pair had come up yet! Why was the payout so high at eleven to one? Because the probability was so low! Not to mention a Pair, even a Tie was rarely bet on in standard baccarat.

The old man remained nonchalant. After placing his bet, he leaned back, indifferent to the reactions around him. He had placed his bet; it was up to them whether to follow. He chuckled to himself, wondering if they had the guts. If they did, they were lucky and deserved to win; if not, they would just have to watch him walk away with 220,000!

Indeed, not everyone had that kind of nerve. Many withdrew their chips, choosing to wait and see. Others were unwilling to give up; though they scaled back, they still put some money down to gamble with the old man. Some, whether high on the adrenaline or simply superstitious about "Brother Ding," threw over a hundred thousand in chips onto the Pair section!

A Pair—a hand with an incredibly low probability of appearing. Would it show up this time?

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Cherish life, stay away from gambling. The next chapter will show you just how foolish gambling is.