Merriam and Webster’s definition of gambling is “to bet on an uncertain outcome”. I believe that playing Magic for money is more about hard work and consistency than it is about randomness.

You hear them all the time crying out “anyone wanna draft?” They look at you with that cockiness and say “grab a partner, let’s draft.” In your stomach, a fire begins to burn. Your mind is telling you, “you love to draft. They don’t seem that good.” Then, you hear the word “money” and your body is hit by a chill that could make the devil himself shudder. Money drafting, is for a select few.

For those who have been around Magic for a while, you should be able to recall that Magic was actually a game played for “Ante”, and many people used to really get angry when the ante pitted their crappy mana producing Mox up against your “world beater” Serra Angel. It was in the rules! Which, for some, made this game lots of fun. I remember my first time playing the game in a multiplayer format. We would all shuffle, cut, and then flip the top card until it was a Non-land. That card would be put into the Ante pool, where the person who had the most kills would select his loot first, and the second most would choose next, etc. I would often times be the owner of a crappy Time Walk or Mana Drain and be so upset because I didn’t win the Sea Serpent or Shivan Dragon.

Shortly after that, before there was MTGO or Friday Night Magic, I would be testing for an upcoming event and would challenge anyone in the room to play for a “friendly” wager. Not from our decks, but perhaps some hot rare or random card from the old trade binder, this is how I could test with some pressure to win and hopefully getting the best my opponent could throw at me. It got to a point where I had to offer 5x the amount the poor “fish” would put up just to make the pot “right”. This is how I did my “playtesting”. I've never really enjoyed playing Magic for "fun". It just never seemed like a "fun game" could keep me interested enough to put forth my best game.

Times have changed, and the game is a lot more “friendly” than it used to be. You can always find a game online in the “tournament practice” room or perhaps at FNM at your local store. Our sponsor at Cool Stuff Inc has a FNM scene that has a regular attendance of 30 - 40 people! That's more than some GP Trials I’ve attended! Anyway, back to my point, most competitive people find a way to make “casual” play or practice more exciting by adding elements that are “normally” not found in tournament play, specifically money.

As you can tell, I tend to bounce around a lot, so try to keep up with me. Let’s start with, I believe in a few facts (or facts to me):

1. The element of money in Magic has nothing to do with Magic at all.
2. That the element of randomization (luck) in ANY game that is dependent on a “skill” or talent, is not a game of “Luck”.
3. Any outcome that was effected or influenced by human intervention has nothing to do with “Luck” at all.

Whether that be Football, the Foosball, or Magic the Gathering, I believe that the element of “luck” is minimal. Therefore, wagering your money on these games (when you’re playing or participating) is NOT gambling.

Now let’s talk about Money Drafting.

Most people who play Magic enjoy drafting. It’s a great way to get some cards and perhaps let your money work for you by obtaining more than what you started with (packs). I’m sure there are hundreds of reasons why a person does or doesn’t draft for money. I draft because I’m very serious about drafting and tend to find that 8 man store drafts have people who take bad picks. You might say “well that’s better for you to build your deck and win the draft." However, anyone who knows what drafting is like at a Pro event knows that people tend to NOT make bad picks in draft. Majority of the time, you can ask 25 of the world's top players and they'll agree on most of the picks in any given pack. So, you really do have to ask yourself, whether or not, you want to take your gaming seriously. I'm not saying that putting up money against "good" players will make you better. What I am saying is that those who play for money tend to have the confidence it takes to play at that "next" level.

When you're playing in a PTQ or a local gaming store, you're usually playing for some sort of prize and let's say you're in the finals of that event. Are you feeling any pressure? Does the price of victory make your stomach turn? Perhaps you're in the last round of Swiss and you're looking for one more victory to make the cut to top 8. How you've practiced up to that point is what will define your very next win or loss. Drafting for money is the only format left where "casual" people will readily play for an ante and give you the next best thing to playing in "real" playoff pressure.

In closing, I wanted to warn you of a few things before you step into the ring:

1. Don't play with borrowed money. The fact is, sometimes you lose, no matter how good your skills are or how good your deck is, and I would feel guilty if I took your gas money for your 7 hour return home. However, I will still take your money, if I win. Make sure it's something you can lose. Sometimes, members of your draft won't mind that you just play for a share of the cards.
2. Make sure you match up. What I mean by this, is that normally one of the players drafting against you feels that their partners or their skill exceeds that of you or your partners. If you don't know your opponents, then just hope your skills are solid enough to compete.
3. Keep in mind, that sometimes you have to lose before you can win. Regardless of your wager, there will be pressure to win. THAT's why I play for something as much or as often as I can. Some people are just born chokers and others are graceful under pressure. Do you know how you'll perform? I'd say find out. Majority of the time, people lose their first few drafts. Look at it as you paying for some lessons :)
4. If you are good, and your reputation grows, sometimes it's necessary to provide some sort of advantage to your opponents to even get a game. There are times where I'll ask a random guy I've never seen play before or even play with my 11 year old son (not discounting 11 year olds) just to get a 2 vs 2 draft. When people perceive you as being good at the game, sometimes you have to lessen your chances to get a game.

I'm sure there are philosophies to why or why shouldn't one play for money. I truly believe it makes a serious player, play better. I hope this convinces you to consider the benefits of money drafting. Then, when you're convinced, give me a call!

-- Lee