This website is best viewed at 1024 x 768 resolution, full-screen.

Disclaimer

Goode says: "I believe the statistics show that you can't beat the line in any endeavor whether it be football, basketball, baseball, roulette, games of chance, love, politics or war."

The "Gambler's Ruin" problem explains why you can't win. Over time the side with the biggest bankroll (casino or book) wins all the money. For a simple explanation, see Wolfram MathWorld's Gambler's Ruin entry. For a simulation try this one from Prof. Garsia's Animated Statistics class at UC San Diego: