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Why do People Gamble?

 

Guest articles > Why do People Gamble?

 

by: Lindsey PJ


“To make some quick and easy money” would be a simple answer, but it is of course more complex than that. There are many different forms of gambling and different types of gamblers. A person who buys a lottery ticket with the dream of winning big, knowing the odds are infinitely small, is vastly different from the compulsive gambler who continuously raises the stakes to cover his or her previous losses.
The majority of recreational gamblers are closer to the first example, but there is also a relatively large group of people for whom gambling becomes a very serious problem. Then there are all those in between. Let’s have a look at some of the most common reasons why people gamble.

To Have Fun

This is the healthiest and fortunately most common form of gambling. Betting on your favorite team to make the game a little more exciting is rarely frowned upon. Likewise is a game of poker with your friends a mostly harmless pastime. Poker offers social interaction and is often played with little to no money involved.

To Win Big

An equally harmless form of recreational gambling is nurturing the dream of becoming rich by buying a scratch card, or throwing a few cents in a slot machine with the hope of taking home a huge jackpot. Practically everyone knows that their winning chances are minimal but enjoy the thrill of placing a small bet in spite of the odds.

To Escape

Whether it’s a glamorous Las Vegas casino or a few hours of seclusion in front of some online poker rooms, gambling can be a means of escaping from everyday worries, which is not necessarily a negative. Similar to playing video games, watching television or going to a club, gambling lets you get away from the mundane aspects of everyday life.

To Solve Money Problems

When gambling becomes a means of solving financial problems you are in real trouble. One of the most telltale signs of a serious gambling problem is chasing losses or trying to get back to even. If you can’t afford to lose the money you gamble with you shouldn’t play at all. It’s important to remember that all casino games are designed to be unwinnable – at least in the long run. If gambling has started to interfere with your normal life or caused you problems you should contact a help organization such as Gamblers Anonymous.

 


Contributor: Lindsey PJ

Published here on: 29-Nov-09

Classification: Psychology

Website: www.pokerjunkie.com 

 

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Site Menu

| Home | Top | Quick Links | Settings |

Main sections: | Disciplines | Techniques | Principles | Explanations | Theories |

Other sections: | Blog! | Quotes | Guest articles | Analysis | Books | Help |

More pages: | Contact | Caveat | About | Students | Webmasters | Awards | Guestbook | Feedback | Sitemap | Changes |

Settings: | Computer layout | Mobile layout | Small font | Medium font | Large font | Translate |

 

 

Please help and share:

 

Quick links

Disciplines

* Argument
* Brand management
* Change Management
* Coaching
* Communication
* Counseling
* Game Design
* Human Resources
* Job-finding
* Leadership
* Marketing
* Politics
* Propaganda
* Rhetoric
* Negotiation
* Psychoanalysis
* Sales
* Sociology
* Storytelling
* Teaching
* Warfare
* Workplace design

Techniques

* Assertiveness
* Body language
* Change techniques
* Closing techniques
* Conversation
* Confidence tricks
* Conversion
* Creative techniques
* General techniques
* Happiness
* Hypnotism
* Interrogation
* Language
* Listening
* Negotiation tactics
* Objection handling
* Propaganda
* Problem-solving
* Public speaking
* Questioning
* Using repetition
* Resisting persuasion
* Self-development
* Sequential requests
* Storytelling
* Stress Management
* Tipping
* Using humor
* Willpower

Principles

+ Principles

Explanations

* Behaviors
* Beliefs
* Brain stuff
* Conditioning
* Coping Mechanisms
* Critical Theory
* Culture
* Decisions
* Emotions
* Evolution
* Gender
* Games
* Groups
* Habit
* Identity
* Learning
* Meaning
* Memory
* Motivation
* Models
* Needs
* Personality
* Power
* Preferences
* Research
* Relationships
* SIFT Model
* Social Research
* Stress
* Trust
* Values

Theories

* Alphabetic list
* Theory types

And

About
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Blog!
Books
Changes
Contact
Guestbook
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