Why do people gamble?
If you gamble, why do YOU gamble? And what can you learn from gambling as a hobby?
If you wonder why someone else gambles, it’s a little harder to figure out.
People gamble for different reasons. Some people gamble for entertainment and fun. Others gamble because they hope they can win big.
A few people gamble because they make money.
But this is rare.
Finally, a few people gamble because they have a gambling problem. A gambling problem can be difficult to identify. But a gambling addiction can ruin lives, so it’s important to learn how to recognize one.
Learn more about all of these reasons why people gamble in this post.
Gambling for Fun or Entertainment
The number one reason people gamble is for fun and entertainment. This isn’t the only reason people gamble, but the odds are good that this is why most people you know gamble.
How often do you gamble?
Do you take a couple of trips to the casino or track every year?
Or do you put some money on the line every month or week?
Do you comb reviews of casinos looking for the best slot machines ever?
Do you scope out all the potential sports betting promo codes that you can?
Here’s a question that might put gambling for fun in proper focus.
How often do you buy a lottery ticket?
Plenty of people buy lottery tickets regularly. And many of them don’t think they’re gamblers.
Gambling is often entertaining. And if you have the money and enjoy it, why wouldn’t you gamble?
If you pay money for any type of entertainment, what’s the difference between going to a show and paying $100 and risking $100 gambling? At least you have a chance to win when you’re gambling.
Gambling with Hope
Almost every gambler hopes to win. Hoping to win money is pretty much a basic human condition. And as long as your hope isn’t unrealistic, gambling with hope isn’t too bad.
Here’s an example of gambling with hope:
You buy a lottery ticket every time one of the national lottery games has a jackpot of over $100,000,000. You buy the $2 ticket, hoping to get lucky. If you win the big jackpot, you can retire.
The odds of winning are extremely small. But you can always hope you win.
Even if you buy a ticket for each big draw, you’re spending around $10 a week. If you can afford to play, there’s probably nothing wrong with this form of hope.
An argument could even be made that you get more than $2 worth of entertainment dreaming about winning every time you buy a ticket.
Gambling for Profit
I’m not going to spend too much time on gambling for profit. Only a small percentage of gamblers can make a profit. While it’s possible, the truth is most gamblers can’t do it.
For the most part, the gamblers that do make a profit are either poker players, blackjack players, or bet on sports. And it usually takes years of study and hard work before you learn how to make money.
Most gamblers win sometimes. But that’s not what I’m referring to here. A profitable gambler makes more money than they lose over time and on average.
Here’s an example:
You start the year with a gambling bankroll of $3,500. You only use this bankroll for gambling, and you put all winnings back in the bankroll. At the end of the year, you have $5,000 in your bankroll. You made a profit on the year gambling.
But you need to be able to make a profit year after year to truly be a profitable gambler.
Addicted to Gambling
Some people gamble because they’re addicted to gambling. I know it’s sad, but ignoring the truth doesn’t make it go away. And if you gamble much, you probably know at least one person with a gambling problem.
Do you have a gambling problem?
Another sad fact is most people with a gambling problem don’t believe they have a problem. Here’s a list of some things that might signify a gambling problem:
- Gambling disrupts or damages your life
- Preoccupation with gambling
- Chasing losses
- A need to bet more money or more frequently
If you think there’s any chance that you might be addicted to gambling, get help right now. Visit the NCPG site to get immediate help with gambling addiction.
The Rush
One of the main reasons why some people get addicted to gambling is the rush they get when they gamble. Your brain releases a chemical called dopamine when you gamble.
Everyone gets a dopamine hit at certain times when they gamble. Most people feel something I call a rush at times when gambling. And most people enjoy the rush, stop gambling when they need to and have a normal life.
The rush is one of the reasons people enjoy gambling. And if you don’t show signs of a gambling problem and gambling isn’t hurting your life, you can keep gambling.
But a small percentage of people get addicted to the dopamine rush. And if you get addicted to the rush, it can lead to serious gambling problems.
Being addicted to the dopamine rush doesn’t mean you’re a bad person. And it doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you. But it does mean you need help overcoming the addiction.
Follow the link in the last section to get the help you need.
Conclusion
Why do people gamble is an interesting question. But a better question might be, why do you gamble? Of course, you might be asking why people gamble because someone you know gambles.
The good news is there are a couple of reasons why people gamble that aren’t an issue. But on the bad side, there are a couple of reasons that aren’t good.
If someone gambles for fun or hope, can afford to do it, and gambling doesn’t have negative consequences for them, gambling is probably fine. And if someone is a winning gambler, then it’s extra money. But not many gamblers truly win over time.
But if someone gambles because they’re addicted to the rush, it’s time to do something about it.
