Against the Odds
Against the Odds: Rhetorical Analysis
Magazine article “Against the Odds” appeared in U.S News & World Report in May 2005. The author, Kim Clark, has over twenty years of journalism experience with expertise in financial aid, business, personal finance and economics. Clark has had television appearances on MSNBC and CNN, while also appearing as a guest on many metro radio stations (U.S News & World Report, 2011). The article discusses brick-and-mortar casinos and online casinos to fully capture the hidden strategies within the gambling world. According to Clark, (2005)”What gamblers may not realize is that behind all that glitz is an army of behavioral scientists, techno wizards, and mathematicians with one goal: to finesse ever more money out of your wallet, whether in front of the slot machine, at the blackjack table, in the celebrity chef restaurant or the concert hall.” Clark effectively convinces her readers that casino odds are stacked against you by explaining the methods used by casinos executives, and supporting her evidence with statistics and various quotes from those involved in the underground tactics. The target audience of Clark’s article is American adults that are interested in the facts about gambling odds and anyone that has enjoyed gambling as a source of entertainment. The author uses a serious tone informing readers to take the information seriously, while also including humor to keep the readers engaged. Clark uses slang terms in her article by referring to old slot machines as “one-armed bandits” and people that are good with technology as “techno wizards.” An academic style is identified as she uses words like “naiveté” and “foibles” to describe the characteristics of gamblers that are being exploited by the cleverness of the house. There are many explanations throughout the article that gives the reader an indication of why the author decided to produce the article at that given time. The author first starts by stating many facts
Magazine article “Against the Odds” appeared in U.S News & World Report in May 2005. The author, Kim Clark, has over twenty years of journalism experience with expertise in financial aid, business, personal finance and economics. Clark has had television appearances on MSNBC and CNN, while also appearing as a guest on many metro radio stations (U.S News & World Report, 2011). The article discusses brick-and-mortar casinos and online casinos to fully capture the hidden strategies within the gambling world. According to Clark, (2005)”What gamblers may not realize is that behind all that glitz is an army of behavioral scientists, techno wizards, and mathematicians with one goal: to finesse ever more money out of your wallet, whether in front of the slot machine, at the blackjack table, in the celebrity chef restaurant or the concert hall.” Clark effectively convinces her readers that casino odds are stacked against you by explaining the methods used by casinos executives, and supporting her evidence with statistics and various quotes from those involved in the underground tactics. The target audience of Clark’s article is American adults that are interested in the facts about gambling odds and anyone that has enjoyed gambling as a source of entertainment. The author uses a serious tone informing readers to take the information seriously, while also including humor to keep the readers engaged. Clark uses slang terms in her article by referring to old slot machines as “one-armed bandits” and people that are good with technology as “techno wizards.” An academic style is identified as she uses words like “naiveté” and “foibles” to describe the characteristics of gamblers that are being exploited by the cleverness of the house. There are many explanations throughout the article that gives the reader an indication of why the author decided to produce the article at that given time. The author first starts by stating many facts