If you really consider it, there are an amazing number of life's situations that are inherently risky. Nearly everything a person does is some form of gambling. 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, whether it is in business, an asset class (stocks, bonds, real estate, cash and commodities), or index fund, even in its most basic element, it is nothing more than "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, alexistogel legalized gambling, per se.