Card Collecting - Harmless Hobby of Youth or Gateway To Gambling

[racinghy]

Yes, you are, but you might also pull something even better than that. That's why I buy them by the box, I never really pay attention to the odds cause I know I'm guaranteed at least 1 hit. Also, I wanna know what the odds are on finding 2, TWO, printing plates in a sealed box within a matter of 6 packs.

 

[CamaroDMD]

Yes, you are, but you might also pull something even better than that. That's why I buy them by the box, I never really pay attention to the odds cause I know I'm guaranteed at least 1 hit. Also, I wanna know what the odds are on finding 2, TWO, printing plates in a sealed box within a matter of 6 packs.

That's all well and good...but you can't deny that opening packs of cards, even boxes is inherently a gamble. You pay a fee for the pack/box for the excitement of the possibility of finding something really good. You understands that there is a risk of not finding anything...but you are willing to take that risk.

Don't get me wrong, I love his hobby. But I do see definite similarities to gambling. Opening packs seems like a game of chance to me.

 

[Zahadum]

Interesting topic with some interesting replies.


If you have been in the casino of collecting for a while to me busting a box has always been a gamble from the start. Before all the hype with autos and mem insert cards the inserts were stickers, foils, holos, prisms and so on and mostly in non-sport more so that sport product. There always were fighting odds but they were not documented on the box. I can remember buying tons of boxes to get the last sticker or last single base to complete a set.

As the “hobby” morphed from a fun kid based thing where if you were not a kid but an adult collecting cards you were “weird” to a thing where it’s about the value to most more than anything else. Which is why you have seen the importance in stated odds and about x amount of auto/mem per box. In fact you see more and more were people want less base or no base at all and have premium boxes/packs to increase the odds.

Look at all the businesses now that the main function is group breaks. Taking part in most of those is a huge gamble and look at all the following those have and the money some people pour in the breaks?

Like some of you stated I have spent more money on a single special card to finish the set or because it looked so freaking cool but I knew exactly what I was getting where with a box I am hoping I get the card I like but the odds are not in my favor.

Honestly, boxes are a gamble but it still fun to busts packs once and a while.

In closing this similar topic came up in a forum in the non-sport world a few years ago about increasing prices of boxes and the return on investment and someone posted something to the effect “ Sounds like you need a better life and better job so you should get out of the hobby and do something else.” Everyone has a different idea of collecting and financial situation which make it difficult sometimes to keep moving forward. Personally, I don’t buy boxes much anymore as although I still like the feel of opening packs I can’t gamble with the casino of box opening and try and buy the single cards I like.