Starting Player

[Insomniasc]

Does anyone know how the starting player is decided in Arena?

In my last 10 games I've only gone first twice. Is this just unlucky or is there a deciding factor to this? I've found starting a game 2nd is often a big disadvantage.

[Jellby]

The starting player should be random, except when playing consecutively against the same player, where it should switch (at least it does in other games).

The probability of going first twice in ten games is 45/1024 = 4.4%. The probability of going first twice or fewer times is 56/1024 = 5.5%. The probability of going first or second twice of fewer times is 112/1024 = 10.9%. Neither of these is very small. The probability of going first exactly 5 times out of ten, what some people would consider as the only acceptable result, is only 252/1024 = 24.6%.

[Insomniasc]

Ah ok so it is random just a low probability run of games. I was wondering if it prioritized the higher ELO player to go first as it seemed strange considering how significant the disadvantage is of going 2nd in muggins.