the mind of a gambler





i came across this in an article on gambling. with the integrated resort soon to be at our doorstep, thought it will be appropriate and timely to share this with everyone.

the more people gamble, the more likely they are to mistakenly believe they can increase their chances at winning through some form of skill or luck.

the two most common incorrect beliefs associated with gambling are that the player possesses some sort of control over games of chance by the illusion of game-playing skills or through some form of magical or superstitious influence.

the first belief is an illusion of control. for example, they may believe that if they watch slots closely and see one lose over and over, then the machine is ‘due’ for a payout. or they may think that they have a particular skill in playing a particular casino game or another. such beliefs are incorrect.

a slot machine is programmed to pay out randomly. it has nothing to do with how a gambler holds the handle or whether it paid out five times before the gambler sat down or lost 50 times in a row.

roulette wheels and dice do not favour lucky numbers either, and a gambler cannot predict what number will come up next regardless of which came up last. there simply is no kind of skill or knowledge that helps you win a game of chance.

the second cognitive error is superstition. this is a belief that has do with how lucky you are. for example, if you have a good luck charm – an amulet or a favourite shirt – and believe it has any bearing on how the game plays out, that is another cognitive error.

the odds always favour the house. the more you play, the more likely you are to lose – and there is no skill, insight or lucky charm that can change that.

gambling is a completely legal entertainment option, but it can be an expensive one.