Why People Gamble (and why some shouldn't)

Gamblers come in all shapes, sizes, ages and races. Wagering in some cultures is more prevalent than others; it is not politically correct to say so but it happens to be true. Some people made their first bets by the time they were five years old, playing marbles and flipping coins and have dedicated their lives to one type of gambling or another. Others have never and will never make a bet. The rest of us fall somewhere in between these two extremes.

Millions of people frequent casinos every year. Some of these visitors never place a bet; they go to places like Las Vegas or Reno for the bright lights, expensive hotel rooms and meals, shows, or maybe just to watch everyone else. Some travel to these gambling meccas on business and consider them just another place to sell a widget. Just about everyone else enters the casinos to make wagers of one type or another. However, just like every adult in this country should know that smoking tobacco could cause serious health problems, every person who walks into a casino should know that the odds are always in the house’s favor. After all, those giant hotel-casinos do not get built to give their money away. To paraphrase the movie Casino, “It’s all there to get your money!” Realizing this it makes one wonder, “Why do people gamble?”

It is human nature to want more than you have. That is what the end product of the American Dream is about, although it is more about being rewarded for hard work. Gambling is an easy way to get more of something quickly, starting with what can be a relatively small investment. A $1 investment can reap millions in the Lotto just as a nickel can win thousands of dollars if it goes into the right slot machine at the right time. Unfortunately, gambling also has its traps. For most of us making a bet now and then, or going to places like Las Vegas, is a pleasant and exciting experience. For others it can be the road to disaster. People who bet for various reasons can be grouped into different categories and sub categories depending, not on how they play or bet, but on how they think and their frames of reference in regard to gambling. For the most part none of these groups or sub groups are mutually exclusive. People can and do overlap into more than one of these groupings.

The Professional Gambler:

Most of the “professional gamblers” I have known do not think of themselves as “gamblers”. They talk of “...going to work” as opposed to, “Let’s hit the tables!” They spend their lives perfecting their craft. They know all the ins and outs of the games they have chose to play and, just as important, they have made a study of people. The successful pros follow strict rules they have made for themselves. They are also aware that if they do not follow their rules they could be eating prime rib tonight and a can of Alpo tomorrow. These people know they won’t always win but seem to more often than not. When they are winning they make the most of it. Most importantly, they are in control of themselves.

People Who Should Not Gamble:

One sub group is inhabited by people who just can not stand to lose. When they lose they seem to go through a “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” transformation. Their gambling sessions, sometimes their days or even entire trips are ruined by a single loss. Some are so sure they will eventually lose, they do not even wait until they lose to become miserable. I have a friend who is very knowledgeable about casino table games, bets and manages her money extremely well. She is one of the few people who probably wins more than she loses. She is great to be around when she is winning. It is a very different matter when she is losing. The gal turns into a real jerk and becomes abusive to everyone around her. She has ruined more than one trip to Las Vegas for both her and her husband with this attitude. Why people with this type of personality would make any bet is beyond me. They might as well take up building model airplanes knowing they are allergic to the glue.

Another sub group has those people who can not afford to gamble:

These include those who are trying to replace the money they embezzled from their company (“Hey Charlie, are you ready for the audit next week?”) to the person who gambles with their childrens’ food and medicine money. Others, who lose “know” they can win it back and play until nothing is left. These people may be sick, desperate or compulsive gamblers who have one thing in common. They are out of control. Some of them deny they have a gambling problem because they never go into a casino or play in a game of poker, etc., but what would you call taking all of the family assets and investing them in some risky get rich quick scheme? Whether investing money you can not afford to lose in the “miracle carburator” that is supposed to get a thousand miles per gallon of gas or buying Lotto tickets with the rent money, it is still gambling and the stupidest most degenerate type of gambling.

People involved in this type of gambling should get some help. Like alcoholics who need help with not taking that next drink, people who can not control their gambling need the same type of help not to make that next bet. There are plenty of organizations that will help people with gambling problems if they want the help. Unfortunately, quite a few with this problem seem to hit rock bottom before they seek help. Some need the shock of waking up one day in a cardboard condo in an alley, wondering where the house and family went, to admit they have a problem and to seek help. Some never get the help and continue on their downhill journey into the worse that life has to offer.

The Rest of Us:

The rest of casino visitors fall somewhere between the first two groups, from the person who points at a video poker machine and asks, “What’s that?” to the person who is a highly sophisticated player who hopes to do well at the tables. The thing all these people have in common is control. These people know that there is a good likelihood they will lose. If they do lose they accept it without throwing tantrums. The money they lose is thought of much the same as if it had been spent going to a dude ranch, amusement park or deep sea fishing. It is the price paid to do something they enjoy, in this case gambling. Most have gambling budgets that consist of “mad money”, i.e., money that is earmarked for recreation and not for paying bills. Granted, some will spend more than they have budgeted but it will not create a hardship for them or their families and they will develop more self control for the next casino adventure.

Here is the bottom line. If you have control over your gambling, great! See you at the tables. If your gambling is controlling you stay away from places where people gather to gamble. Better yet, do that and get some help. Everyone who gambles should have rules such as, knowing the mechanics of the games, the best bets for your money and whatever money management system you choose. Your rules should also dictate how much money you have budgeted to gamble. Stick to your rules and your adventures in the casinos will be more enjoyable.