If you really think about it, there are actually an amazing number of life's situations that are inherently risky. Nearly everything a person does is some form of online gambling (Institutocrecer noted). Even with such mundane act of getting up and going to work, increases one's probability of being killed in a transportation accident. In face of today and everything you know about investing, be it in business, an asset class (stocks, bonds, real estate, cash and commodities), or index fund, even in its most basic element, it is nothing but "betting" that someday tomorrow will probably be better with pleasant expected returns on investment; or possibly not. There is just one big risk you should avoid and that's the risk of doing nothing and not taking your chance.

Come to look at it in face value, investing in almost any money market really is, legalized gambling, per se.