If you want a specific card
Buying a single lets you choose the printing and inspect condition. A booster contains a random selection. Compare the cost of your wish list with a fixed opening budget. Base purchases on confirmed product contents.
What pull rates tell you
A 1-in-100 rate does not guarantee a hit in the hundredth pack. Assuming independent packs with the same odds, the chance of at least one hit in 36 packs would be about 30.4%: 1 − (1 − 0.01)^36. Actual packing and distribution rules may differ. A rarity category is not the same as one specific chase card.
Expected value is not a refund promise
An average across many openings can be driven by a few rare hits. Condition, selling costs and leftover cards affect proceeds. Without complete, reliable probabilities and prices, an expected card value should not be presented as a precise number.
A practical budget rule
Decide in advance what the opening experience is worth to you. Budget for specific singles separately. Sealed products also involve storage, authenticity, packaging condition and potential additional supply. Rising prices do not prove an official production stop.