Dear Frank:
What would the odds be of hitting the same number in roulette 5 times in a row? This is assuming you could in advance make the bet. I was arguing with my brother. I said it would be 38 times 38 times 38 etc., which are HUGE odds. I know each spin is independant of the last, but this would be in advance of spinning the wheel.
Ron
Dear Ron:
You are right to a point. You multiply 38 x 38 X 38 X 38 X 38 and that means the probability is 1 in 79,235,168 but the odds are 79,235,167 to 1. Here's a great true story from my book
Casino Gambling: Play Like a Pro in 10 Minutes or Less!
"On July 14, 2000, the number 7 came up six times in a row at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. What are the odds of a given number hitting six times in a row? They are 3,010,936,383 to one! You would expect that the casino would have lost tens of thousands of dollars on people betting such a hot number. Not so. The patrons continued to play as they always did and the casino lost a measly $300 during the record-setting spins. Now that is truly hard to believe! [Barney Vinson, an eyewitness to the "Caesars' Six," writes about it in his book Ask Barney, Bonus Books.)"
I doubt the casinos would book such a bet.
All the best in and out of the casinos!
Frank Scoblete