Skip to content

Adults only. Know your local legal age. We explain the odds; we never take bets.

Need help?

Chancepedia

Game of skill

A game where a player's knowledge and decisions have a real effect on the long run result, such as poker or blackjack with good strategy.

In a game of skill, better decisions lead to better results over time, even though luck still plays a part in each hand. Poker is the usual example, because players compete against each other rather than the house. Blackjack has a skill element too, since correct play lowers the house edge, but it does not remove it. Whether a game counts as chance or skill in law differs by place, and the answer affects whether it needs a license.

Example

Two poker players of different ability may both win or lose on a single night. Over thousands of hands, the stronger player is more likely to come out ahead.

Cite this definition: https://chancepedia.com/glossary/game-of-skill/

Chancepedia editorial team

We check every figure against a published source, never take money from betting companies, and correct mistakes in public.