The 4-2 Rule is a way to turn the number of drawing outs you have into your odds of hitting them. It's times 4 on the flop to hit on the turn or river, and times 2 on the turn to hit your draw on the river. Example: a flopped flush draw is 9 outs. Multiply this by 4, and the odds of hitting it by the river are 36%.
Like all gambling games, luck does play a major role in poker, especially in the short term. Poker is different than any other form of gambling, however. Unlike the other games on a casino floor, poker is a game of skill, and the world's top pros make money because they're the best players in the game.