Probability Games

The following activities introduce a variety of probability concepts by examining the mathematics in some common games of chance. The first section provides a brief description of some of the basic probability concepts that will be used in the activities. The remaining sections each investigate a different game, providing an overview of the rules, some discussion of basic strategy, and a series of problems and solutions.

Lessons

  1. Probability Review
  2. Blackjack
  3. Yahtzee
  4. Backgammon
  5. Texas Hold'em Poker
  6. Cribbage

 

For teachers who would like to use these activities in a classroom or math club setting (or anybody else who wants an easy to print version of the activities), provided below are pdf versions of the above lessons. Most of these activities are best spread over two periods: one to get an idea of how to play the game and to introduce the probability problems and a second to work through the solutions.

PDF Lessons

  1. Probability Review
  2. Blackjack
  3. Yahtzee
  4. Backgammon
  5. Texas Hold'em Poker
  6. Cribbage

 

This work was made possible due to a grant from the National Science Foundation.