====== Bookies ======

> //"Whenever there's money flowing around, and something going on, someone will be taking bets on it, you can bet on it!"//

In //Ultimate Monster Battle Arena// you can use your character's [[money]] to gamble with the official Network Bookies, the unofficial Bookies, or in whatever games you come up with.  There will, of course, be a certain degree of luck as well as skill to your fortune, but however you're favoured, it's sure to produce an interesting time.

===== The Network Bookmaker =====

> //10:1 Lucid Screams to win against Tin Ego.//
> //6:5 Totally Normal Bird to win against Dancing Glob.//
> //7:2 Alpha Better Than You to win against Horrasaurus//

Somewhere, deep within the bowels of the Network, is some system which generates the official odds for matches.  These generally come shortly after the matchups have been announced, and bets can be placed with [[league_conferences#host|Host]] at the Conference.

The Network odds are infamously poor, with a large house edge.  On the plus side, they pay out reliably.

===== Unofficial Bookmakers =====

> //"What's that?  You want me to tell you the odds? Alright, he's odd, she's odd, they're odd, he's downright bizarre, and frankly you're a little odd.  Now are you going to place a bet or what?"//

The Network's line is that any gambling outside of the Network Bookmaker is not tolerated.  The reality is that they don't appear to care, since a healthy betting economy gets more people to the fights.  Unofficial bookmakers can set their own odds, offer special deals which aren't available from the network, and make as much profit as they want to.  Bookies are often doing it as a side job - most have their own Monsters in the competition, and there are always rumours of them manipulating match results to separate punters from their cash.

If you wish to run your own gambling ring, this is entirely possible.  However, bear in mind that you will be doing so with your own resources, and if you don't have enough money to pay out the winnings, people are going to be annoyed.

===== Other Games =====

> //"Alright, the rules are pretty simple. Everyone gets a dice cup, everyone starts with five dice.  On your turn, you make a bid, where you predict how many of a certain number there are under ALL the cups, even- Instrument, if I see your hand going towards my dice cup one more time, I'm going to feed it to Tiny Terror. ... No, feed it your hand, not the cup.  It was supposed to be a threat!  Gah, never mind. Right, now where was I?"//

While most betting is on the Arena Fights, occasionally other games will spring up, and money will change hands.  Pretty much any card or dice game is suitable here.  Again, these aren't regulated by the Network, so money you put into the game is your own to lose!

//OC Note: We will not be administrating the use of skills in session, so you will need to rely on your own luck.  If you have some particular plans to cheat at these games, please clear them with a GM first.//