And now the maths class has emerged as a new frontline in the fight against problem gambling.

Years 10 to 12 students are using mathematics to learn about the risks of having a punt as part of a new program being rolled out by the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation.

Williamstown High School students studied the probabilities of pokies (you are more likely to be killed by lightning than to win the top prize on a Black Rhinos poker machine). They also simulated a Melbourne Cup sweep and explored the economic impact of gambling on communities.

Students were shocked to discover that betting agencies and casinos made huge profits at the expense of punters, student wellbeing coordinator Ann Goller said.

"They picked up that if you are going to gamble you need to set a limit, and cover all your living expenses first," she said.

Jamie Gray, a Mathematical Association of Victoria board member who helped develop the program, said he hoped it dispelled misconceptions about gambling.

This includes the myth of the "run of the coin" and chasing a loss.

He said "chance had no memory" but many students assumed that if they tossed a coin and it landed on heads twice in a row, it was more likely to land on heads for a third time.

"If the kids have some understanding of how the odds work against them they will hopefully be less likely to go down that path," the Peter Lalor Vocational College teacher said.

"They understood that in the long term the companies are going to win and the punters will lose."

There's cause for concern - two thirds of adolescents have placed a bet within the past 12 months, according to the foundation.

Australia has entered "unprecedented territory" with the widespread promotion and accessibility of gambling., says the foundation's chief executive Serge Sardo.

"Everyone is essentially carrying a casino in their pockets," he said.

The program, which was developed in partnership with the Mathematical Association of Victoria, has been trialled at five secondary schools where students who took the class said they did not believe in luck as much any more.

It will initially be offered to VCAL numeracy students, but the foundation is also pushing for it to be incorporated into VCE maths subjects.

The program was launched on Monday by Gaming Minister Marlene Kairouz to mark the beginning of Responsible Gambling Awareness Week.