The Best Games for Number Lovers
Some people are natural wordsmiths. They can craft prose that flows beautifully from sentence to sentence, captivating the reader with every single syllable. They know exactly what words to use and when to have the biggest effect on their readers.
But while these people may love reading and writing, others may not. Instead, their brains may be wired to work better with numbers and everything that’s connected to them.
For these numberphiles, doing calculations is fun and not the chore that many people might see it as.
Therefore, games that involve numbers, statistics, probabilities, and/or mental arithmetic are an exciting prospect for these people.
But what games are best for number lovers?
Roulette
Roulette is one of the world’s most popular casino games. First created several hundred years ago by a French inventor named Blaise Pascal, it has grown into a household name.
The entire premise of roulette is built around numbers, probabilities, and statistics, though you don’t actually need to be a wiz at any of these things to be able to play it.
However, roulette will still give numerically-minded players plenty to sink their teeth into.
The game uses a wheel, a ball, and a table to work. You’re probably already familiar with the fact that there is a string of differently-coloured numbers on a roulette wheel, and it’s here where the first bit of maths geeking happens.
In the European version, there are 37 numbers (18 red, 18 black, and one green). However, in American roulette, there are 38, thanks to the addition of an extra green 00 pocket. This increase in numbers changes the house edge and alters the dynamics of the game.
Meanwhile, in French roulette, the house edge is cut even further on even-money bets because of its En Prison and La Partage rules.
Therefore, roulette is brilliant for anyone who loves examining numbers and probabilities and finding ways to manipulate them.
Sudoku
Sudoku is a game that feels about as old as roulette, but it has only really existed in its modern form for a few decades.
It is a number puzzle that involves a 9×9 grid with smaller 3×3 grids inside it. Your task is to insert the individual numbers 1-9 so that all nine fit into each horizontal line, vertical line, and 3×3 grid.
There can be no duplicates in any of these, so it can take a lot of time, patience, and problem-solving to get it right.
There aren’t any calculations you have to do, but if you’re not a number person, sudoku can be quite an intimidating challenge.
Monopoly
Monopoly is one of the most famous board games ever created. It’s a business simulation that puts you in the shoes of a property mogul who’s in a race with other magnates to acquire property so you can charge others rent whenever they land on it.
Success at monopoly requires a few things. Of course, there is an element of luck because your dice rolls determine where you land. However, you can also make your own luck by thinking strategically, managing your cash flow, and using your number-crunching skills to calculate the optimum property-purchasing plan.
While you may think that it’s best to just buy everything you land on, it can actually pay to be more selective.
Not all purchases provide the same level of return on investment because they are priced differently and allow you to charge different levels of rent. At the same time, you don’t have the same chance of landing on each space.
For example, the red Illinois Avenue (in the American version) has a 3.19% chance of a player landing on it on any single turn, which is materially higher than the average of 2.86%, and significantly more than the 0.865% probability of landing on Chance.
The most successful Monopoly players are the ones that can calculate whether to buy each of the properties they land on or to wait for something more lucrative.