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In Xanathar's Guide to Everything, one of the downtime options provided in "Downtime, Revised" allows a character to gamble during their downtime to earn extra money.

Gambling

Games of chance are a way to make a fortune—and perhaps a better way to lose one.

[...]

Gambling Results

Result Value
0 Successes Lose all the money you bet, and accrue a debt equal to that amount.
1 Success Lose half the money you bet.
2 Successes Gain the amount you bet plus half again more.
3 Successes Gain double the amount you bet.

—Xanathar's Guide to Everything, pg. 130

So if I place a bet of 100gp and make my checks against this table, how much would I have, for each category?

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1 Answer 1

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This table describes how much money you would have after one week of gambling.

Result Amount you have after Gambling Gain
0 Successes -100gp (a debt of 100gp) -200gp
1 Success 50gp -50gp
2 Successes 150gp +50gp
3 Successes 200gp +100gp

You can instead think about it in terms of percentages:

Result Amount you have after Gambling Gain
0 Successes -100% -200%
1 Success 50% -50%
2 Successes 150% +50%
3 Successes 200% +100%
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    \$\begingroup\$ Are these tables from an official source? The wording of "Lose all the money you bet" and "Lose half the money you bet" implies that you still have your bet until the result takes place. But following these tables "Gain the amount you bet" would have to imply that you don't still have your bet. which seems contradictory. \$\endgroup\$
    – Lunin
    Commented Feb 21, 2019 at 20:44
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Lunin The table quoted in the original post comes from Xanathar's Guide to Everything. The Tables quoted here are my understanding of what a correct interpretation of that table is. If you feel this interpretation is incorrect, you're welcome to submit your own answer. \$\endgroup\$
    – Xirema
    Commented Feb 21, 2019 at 20:47
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Lunin For the record, there was considerable discussion about how the table is supposed to be interpreted, and the implication that a bookie would never allow someone to retain their bet after making a bet was used as justification for this interpretation of the table. There's definitely some ambiguity in how the rules are written though, so there may be a compelling case for an alternate interpretation of those rules... \$\endgroup\$
    – Xirema
    Commented Feb 21, 2019 at 21:02
  • \$\begingroup\$ Honestly my knee-jerk reaction was the same as what you've said in your answer, but then I though that perhaps the person asking the question was confused by the ambiguity between "Gain" and "Lose" which the answer didn't seem to address fully and thus was curious if this table was an official clarification. (It honestly wasn't until after I posted my comment that I realized that you were both people, heh) If I have some time later I might post the alternative as an answer with the mechanical implications of each so DMs can decide how "good" gambling should be :) \$\endgroup\$
    – Lunin
    Commented Feb 22, 2019 at 1:32

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