Poker

The house is usually a sure bet in California poker casinos. But five Los Angeles County card rooms could lose millions if two recreational poker players win a lawsuit challenging a popular jackpot promotion. Poker has long been allowed in California. But the state has warned casinos that the jackpots -- in which players can win thousands of dollars for losing -- are illegal lotteries.

Let's say you're playing poker and you need one more diamond for a flush. The dealer turns a card, reveals a diamond and you win the hand. Was it skill or luck? The answer is affecting the fates of people across the country accused of breaking anti-gambling laws -- people like Kevin Raley of Colorado. As an engineer, Raley finds that the mathematics of poker come easily, and he's pretty good at keeping a blank face. Reading other people, though, is something he's always working on. "It's something I'm better at today than I was five years ago," said Raley.