Casino Projects
A risky approach to teaching probability
Thomas Young
Woodstock Academy
Woodstock, CT
on.fb.me/1wZetto
Click here for more
The Unit
I introduce this project to my students after covering
the basics of probability but before covering random
variables and probability distributions. My entire
probability unit is based on casino games. This unit and
project were inspired by “The Casino Lab” activity in
the TPS Teacher Resource Binder.
Thomas Young
Woodstock Academy
Woodstock, CT
Brainstorming
Discuss casino games with your students. Make sure
that they understand the difference between games of
chance and games of skill – casino games are not
carnival games.
I give students the handout below and ask them to
come up with three unique games. Most often, these
games get changed many times so they do not need to
worry about probabilities or expected values yet.
Brainstorming
Handout
Thomas Young
Woodstock Academy
Woodstock, CT
The Casino Log
I require students to keep a log/journal of their casino
project progress. The brainstorming sheet becomes the
first page of the log. Anytime they modify a game to
adjust probabilities or payouts, I want to see their
calculations and reasoning. This helps me to assign
more accurate grades in the end because I can see that
even though a project may look simple, the student
may have put hours of work into getting the
probabilities and payouts just right.
Thomas Young
Woodstock Academy
Woodstock, CT
Gentle Guidance
Plan for your students to get hopelessly lost in the
open-endedness of this project. To help them out, set
guidelines for “ideal” probabilities and expected values.
For simple games, I like the house to win between
50.5% and 51% of the time, and for them to make
between $0.05 and $0.10 per dollar bet. Steer your
students in the direction you think would be best – if a
student is reaching for the stars but has really short
arms, explain that the probability calculations involved
with their game are almost impossible to calculate by
Thomas Young
hand and suggest alternatives.
Woodstock Academy
Woodstock, CT
The Casino Table
Every student needs a game board to play on. The
board needs to contain the game rules, payouts, and
places to interact with the game (spots to place cards,
area to roll dice). Every good game has a catchy title.
Thomas Young
Woodstock Academy
Woodstock, CT
Game Day
They’ve put in the work, revised their games,
probabilities, and payouts countless times,
documented every step of the journey in their casino
log, and still found the time to sit down at the arts and
crafts table to make an attractive game board
(remember: no glitter – Mr. Young is allergic!).
So now it’s time to relax and play the games.
Thomas Young
Woodstock Academy
Woodstock, CT
Game Day
Thomas Young
Woodstock Academy
Woodstock, CT
Game Day
Thomas Young
Woodstock Academy
Woodstock, CT
Casino Projects
A risky approach to teaching probability
Thomas Young
Woodstock Academy
Woodstock, CT
on.fb.me/1wZetto
Click here for more