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I watched videos about gambling addicts, in which the channel’s hosts interviewed them. I was amazed at how many of them were pathological optimists. More precisely, it’s hard for me to use the word optimism in conjunction with the word pathological, but still. Any loss for them is just a short-term nuisance. Optimism takes over and they play again and again, not paying attention to loans and debts.
       At the same time, many openly admit that they are gambling addicts. But they talk about it as a minor detail of their lives. They admit that they are gambling addicts, but this does not make them stop. They, as usual, strive to continue the game.
       I have repeatedly encountered the fact that the very concept of risk management is either unfamiliar to them or they do not attach enough serious importance to it.
I would highlight the following features:
1. Pathological optimism.
2. Lack of risk management.
3. The desire to understand some fundamental issues of the game (they talked about this themselves in interviews)
4. Love for the game process itself.
 What do you think are the features of the worldview of a gambler?

I don't quite believe this, unless that desire is something like a desire to understand it better in order to make money. Understanding casino games is very simple if you know not very complex maths like taking a percentage and compound interest. The only thing you have to understand is the House Edge and how it acts as compound interest against you every time you bet. But of course, if you understood this you would be thinking about investing in a casino or setting one up, not continuing to gamble.

Unless they are losing money they can't afford to lose, I don't think being overly optimistic is really a problem. I know people who like to play cards 3-4 times a week and they aren't necessarily good players (even after tons of experience), but they enjoy the camaraderie and see it as a chance to get out of the house.

I know gambling addiction is a real thing, but once you understand the true nature of the house edge, it makes it hard to spend too much money at a casino (at least for me anyway). It should curb one's "pathological optimism" problem.

You have conveyed four important points in the mind of gambler and indeed all of these are what is in their mind so that they too underestimate the impact of gambling and addiction so they will continue to gamble without any desire to stop or recover.
They can still make money and that why these four thoughts are always there, I sure that when they can't make money and are really burdened by debts that have to be paid, these four thoughts will change completely.
They will think more about risks, they will prioritize being on a safe path and they will be able to determine what is the best attitude to avoid all problems from gambling, even indirectly they will also reduce the intensity of their gambling significantly.

But I found that the mindset and attitude of gambler is different, especially for gambling addict, there are gambling addicts who realize that they are addicted and they know what the risks and impacts are, but they don't seem to care because of other reasons such as the assumption that gambling is the only activity that can provide pleasure and be used as companion in times of loneliness.
Several gambling addicts that I met expressed all this directly and they had desire to recover, but that was only a thought because in their hearts they always had direct of continuing to gamble because of anxiety.

We can never equate one gambler with another gambler, for example, both are gambling addicts but from different economic backgrounds, of course they have different ways of thinking regarding their point of view regarding gambling activities and all their risks.

They're not going to stop because they're addicts, I think that's been the reason for their interview in the first place, I don't think that they'll be stopping anytime soon if they're addicted, sure there's some addicts that's wishing or planning to stop in the future but their current mindset is that they need to get their fix and gamble more to feed the addiction. I'd like to go on a limb and say that the reason why they're unfamiliar with risk management is that they haven't heard of it before or someone misinterpreted it to them somewhere along the way or they've been built up as a kid where risks are always taken and that they're encouraged to do risky things.

One thing I know about gamblers and its addicts is that there is the believe and zeal to win is always there. They are optimistic to win and that is why they another game for next round try and unfortunately winning is not given on a platter of gold so either they fail more or they are just within a fair luck here and there as we know the house edge override the possibility for a winning over losing. There is a believe to win and that is why the next game is queued up without recourse to loses, debt loans or emotional stability.

Gambling addicts doesn't mean someone going worst by starting to behaving uncontrollably someone can be gamble addicts and stay within their bands or limits. Meaning whatever they are staking with is something they can be able to lose at this point even though one doesn't involved him/herself staking higher amount of money but still remain within their budgets then such person(s) are responsible gambler but doesn't allowed the addiction to surface on their behavior and characters and so on, the general public wouldn't know they are gambling addicts, but what matter is their consistency being the optimism to have at least a possible winning.

Then again playing for fun and passion, there are people who gambles naturally for profits even though that is the major points of most or almost all gamblers but the maturity behind this is what matters, some people can not maintain within their budgetary in gambling rather when they lose today, tomorrow they increase their wager at this point they are allowing the addiction to surface over them while sending bad messages to general public about their misconducts.

I'd say in general any addict has that loss of sense of risk? Or common sense even of some part or form if I were to describe it. It's dumb from a normal persons perspective yea, but it exists, just like how depression and mental illnesses do (which addiction is a part of afaik?) This loss can basically spiral out and make them lose a lot of other related stuff such as, well, common sense with regards to how the game works, that the house always works, and the simple fact that money that you're "about" to get is not yours until you get it. Sadly addicts have that sort of mindset that the money is already theirs if they just keep playing or something.

I guess we would like to have fun and make some money while we have fun, the best way to earn money, right? And sometimes we make money, sometimes we lose, it's gambling... but some people play to recover what they have lost and to make an extra bucks, that is a problem. When you are at a big loss you need to raise the stakes if you wish to win big, but that usually leads to an even bigger minus.

I guess some people are way too optimistic about gambling, that can be a good thing, but we need to be aware of the possibility of losing the entire balance. It's gambling, that's why we need to play only with money we can afford to lose. When I deposit money in some casino I am ready to say goodbye to that money.

A gambler believe that there is high hope in every stake, but that's a very big fallacy, gambling is very affictive in nature and it has changed their mindset, a gamblier believes that a game lost is an opportunity to win next time, at this point stopping or quitting is not an option again, this is now part of them, they see any advice to quit at this point as a discouragement that has come to deprive them the opportunity that's ahead, a chronic gambler can do a thing to make him or herself indulge in the act when they like, sometimes I use to think that there is something in this game that's hidden that we don't know but that's left for another day.

addicted to gambling just want to get a lot of money, no matter how much they get from winning they won't care and continue playing, and conversely no matter how much they lose, they won't care, they just want to play to get a win and a cycle like this is difficult in control that they won't even sleep soundly when they have money to play with

This is the most important point in my opinion because not many people who are addicted to gambling realize that they are addicted to gambling, that's why I think it will be easy for them to cure the disease if they consciously feel addicted to gambling so they can change their mindset a little and reduce gambling activities to can recover but if they choose to continue playing gambling. no problem either.

Usually people who are aware that they are addicted do not find it difficult to cure it because they just have to move themselves to get out and stop their addiction by force, I'm sure it works because so far gambling addicts who are truly addicted have never realized that they are addicted to gambling even if they If he loses all his money and his family, he certainly won't realize it either.

It would be good if OP make some clarification about this. I noticed something about addicted gamblers, they believe that if everyone is losing money on a particular game, they believe that they can study the game better and translate it into money. They will try different strategies to win but continue to lose. I think this is what OP is talking about. And it is true, that is how addicts think without thinking more about risk management.

They are gambling addicts because they still believe that something will come up, they accept they are addicted but they can't stop, the reason why they can't stop is because they have hope in mind with gambling, the first thing to accept as a new gambler is that..

Gambling won't make you rich.

Gambling is not a source of income.
 
I am confused how people can believe that gambling will get things done for them, I hate that idea and mindset, to acquire everything you wanted you will break a sweat, you will do this and that to meet your needs, so how can something come up to fix this working to achieve things idea?

You are been scammed already without realizing, your mind is been deceieved, even the Holy Bible says we humans should work to get food on our table, gambling isn't a work, why are people expecting so much from it? Isn't this why the casino business is a lucrative one? Because people can't do without believing the wrong hopes and dreams, just like gambling.

You get people who are addicted to something, but they have not admitted to themselves that they are addicted. Those types of people usually act as if it is something little and something that they can handle.

Just go to a alcohol anonymous meeting and ask the people there, they will tell you that all addiction work that way, until you admit that you have an addiction and when you reach out for help.  :P

All I can say is, try to enjoy the games more than expecting to make some money, unless you are already an idiots, we all know that it's very hard to make money in gambling, how hard can this be to accept?

Use what you can afford to lose, gamble on games you like and make sure you don't spend too much time on casinos, you need to set some.boundaries, getting too involved with gambling can create a different desire in you.

You have a life to live, enjoy every minutes of your time and avoid setting yourself back to the beginning, don't be a reckless gambler, instead be strong in mind and accept the truth, gambling can't ever be a source of your income, it can be a sure source of entertainment.

Gamblers are always optimistic, that’s one thing I know for sure. You can watch a gambler lose 5 straight losses and he still believes and tells you that he will win. There people who have very severe gambling addiction, and some of them have not even won quarter the money they have lost, but for some reason, they keep believing that they will win and keep gambling and throwing their money at it. Additionally, they sometimes lose the sense of risk. Someone who was staking a little amount will suddenly start staking huge amount, forgetting that the money at stake is just too much.

     
I have studied the subject for a while as a hobby, as it overlaps my special interest of evolutionary psychology and cognitive biases. And correct me if i am wrong, but i don't think pathological optimism is the scientifically recognized term for it, but more like optimism bias said in layman's terms. Or more specifically pathological gambling caused by excessive optimism.

Animals like people are wired to be addicted, they like to respond to supernormal stimulus way more then things that are actually essential for their well-being, and if you combine for example ADHD to the mix, it adds to lack of risk management. But risk managament itself is already modified by the neurochemistry of addicts, probability is subjective thing to them and they see it via magical thinking. I am currently writing an article about this to here, but it gets delayed as i have a busy schedule during winter. But in short: It's not because lack of understanding. Addicts understand what they are doing. They are just unable to control it. It's a neurochemical issue, and sometimes overlaps with adhd symptoms.

I think those who feel they are addicted to gambling can still control themselves. They only often return to the casino to gamble and do not cross the line and maybe it is a gambling addiction for them. They believe that they can still win from gambling and that is why they still return to gambling until they win. Even if they win, they will still return to gambling.

The most common characteristic of gamblers is a lack of risk management, so many gamblers do not understand how to manage their risks so that they do not become large. Most gamblers will continue to return to gambling because they want to win but they do not manage their gambling expenses, causing them to experience large losses. But they also like the process of gambling so they keep coming back to gambling too.

Risk management is what many people overlooked unfortunately 🤦 and this is what is killing them, if the risks they are taking is the most minimal, they won't be affected, even if you are poor you only need to cut your clothes according to your size.

If you are poor you can still be a gambler, but make sure you are not jobless, they are both not the same, someone who still have a source of income, even if it's very thinly is better than someone who have no source of income, they can be both poor but the difference will be there.

Assuming you have a source of income but it's very little but you have interest in gambling, you need to avoid comparing yourself to friends or people that can afford to risk $50 on gambling, if $50 is your monthly income, I expect you to risk $1 on gambling in a month, yes, some people won't like this but people still place bet with $0.20 in my country and they won in sports bet.

Nothing beats cutting your clothes according to your size, if you lose the $1 it's just a small amount of your whole monthly income of $50, way better than risking when $10, you can food yourself that $10 is what you can afford to lose, but for someone who makes $50 monthly, risking $10 is too much, it's simply something you can't afford to lose, you shouldn't even try it.

The fact that the chance is always there to win is what make most people coming back and especially gamblers following that win.They of course have a pathological optimism that brings them to the casino again despite several heavy losing sessions before and if they did not have it then it means they would be more practical and pragmatic to stop playing or coming back to play at the casino,they lack also analysis of what just happened to them as they pass it as something normal when in fact it is not normal to lose a lot of money yet they think in the next session they will recover that money which is what leads to them coming back and back asking for more until they get addicted,they are pretty readable,the gamblers.

OPTIMISM
it is a well-known aspect of pathological gamblers and has also been noted and cited in some scientific publications.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=gambler+optimism

but I believe that this is part of many addictions, especially in the initial phase... one feels invincible, optimistic despite having already entered the "abyss"...

Addiction is a disease and it is unlikely that a person will confess that they are sick and mention that the disease they have is an addiction to gambling, this is because first that person will need to pay for a consultation with a psychologist so that this psychologist can examine them and determine that he is addicted to gambling, the problem is that if that person has a job in which that person occupies a position that allows him to deal with money, then the psychologist will recommend that that person take a vacation from work to undergo treatment for his addiction and this implies that this person tells his boss at work that he is addicted, and how many companies will agree to employ people with a declared addiction?

The truth is that no one will give jobs to people addicted to gambling, which is why many people have chosen to hide their health status when they are diagnosed with gambling addiction. Treatment to cure addiction is not a simple, easy and cheap treatment. On the contrary, it is a very expensive treatment, which requires isolation and a lot of monitoring by specialists in the area of addiction cure. So all these factors make people not say anything, they prefer to remain silent about their health situation. What governments and non-governmental organizations have done to warn people about the dangers of gambling and to give tips on how people can gamble responsibly

They encourage people not to gamble with money they cannot afford to lose, they talk about the main symptoms that a person needs to be alert to when they have it, because it means that the person may be addicted to gambling. but it is important that people do not rush to the conclusion that they have become addicted to games just because they have the symptoms that are publicized, people will only know that they are addicted when a doctor examines them and declares that they are addicted and that they need treatment, there are many people who gamble with money that they cannot afford to lose, but they are not addicted to gambling

Everything you mentioned goes down to one thing they have activated dopamine that's the whole summary they just want to put logic on what they feel about gambling but it's all about the activity in the brain that releases dopamine

https://gamblershelp.com.au/learn-about-gambling/gambling-and-how-it-affects-the-brain/

All gamblers gamble with their emotions, they feel the roller coaster of everything, something they don't feel in other things that they do only in gambling,
when gamblers gamble they feel alive, they feel all the emotions, like excitement when they are chasing a loss, sadness when they are in the verge of losing everything, and satisfaction when they win a big amount.
Gamblers can give various reasons why they gamble but everything really depends on dopamine.

Admitting to been gambling addict isn't a problem to some persons but their challenges has always been managing their addiction. Addiction management is the problem some gamblers face, some of them are addict's but are not moved to involving into unhealthy habits so as to fund their gambling habit but the others lack this self control.

The concept of risk management is been neglected by some gamblers most likely be they gamble for fun and not really with the aim of making money so they just risk as much as it appeals to their appetite but then some allow their risk appetite to grow too voracious such that they end up spending all their funds before they realize it. Risk management helps those who apply it to stay much longer in the game than they would have if they were just gambling without risk management and it also help them know how profitable they have been and probably quantify their profitability and loose.

As per your statement, those people who participated in the interview are irresponsible towards their finance management which is why they don't take losing their money as seriously despite having debts to pay back.

They pretend to be optimistic just because they don't want to accept reality and just live in the fantasy world of winning big and paying back every debt without doing any hard work.

You will rarely meet a drug addict who admits his drug addiction as a vice. They are all very optimistic, looking forward to getting the next dose, which will again make them happy. Is there a difference between drug use and gambling addiction? I have heard facts that, in the case of both drug addiction and gambling addiction, it is difficult to recover on your own. I think the phrase “there are no former drug addicts” is familiar to you. This means that there are no former gambling addicts until professionals take care of them.
And yes, pathological optimism can be called clinical stupidity.

The view for someone who is involved in the world of gambling is very broad and numerous, not just the four concepts you mentioned, there are many other factors and differences for those who are addicted to gambling or what is said to be a hobby of gambling.

Most people who have experienced gambling disorders think that the things they face in gambling are very serious, sometimes they don't care if their savings or other costs are lost in gambling, to serious problems faced such as damaged personal and work relationships, this is often experienced by those who are addicted to gambling.

There are things that are most serious and even worse in the world of gambling, such as: thinking that the world of gambling is trivial, but they don't realize that gambling can make them addicted, just like for those who are involved in the world of drugs, That's another view that leads someone to gambling addiction.

What we should call this type of optimism where a person is seeing and experiencing loses over and over again but his hope of gaining money and becoming rich does not end  ???
Is this a sign of any disease of mental disorder, i do not know because i do not come across any such study where the medical personals can give any statement of this state of mind.

Unfortunately, gambling addiction is not considered a disease or a mental disorder and we only blame the gambler for not being responsible. Who knows that gambling addiction is a disease and it needs treatment to be cured just like other medical problems?

Lack of risk management is pretty common in the world of gambling that’s why many people become gambling addict. Many gamblers ignore the risk and keep on betting because they are optimistic to hit jackpot to have a one time big time profit. This is why addicts never pay attention on risk even though house edge is already listed all over the games itself which means casino advantage.

A decent gambler will know their limits since they will have proper risk management. People should rather invest their money instead of gambling if their aim is to get huge profit out of gambling since gambling games is brutal when you chase both profit and loss.

Optimism itself ain't the enemy when it comes to gambling. It's like salt in a dish – a little can enhance the flavor, but too much can ruin the whole meal. The key, lies in understanding the nature of the beast – the house edge, that pesky little gremlin that always takes a bite out of your winnings.

For some folks, that knowledge is enough to keep things in check. They see it as a cost of entry, a toll on the road to a good time. They gamble with money they can afford to lose, and even if they don't walk away dripping in gold, they get the thrill of the chase, the camaraderie of the casino floor, the escape from the everyday grind.

But for others, that understanding can be a double-edged sword. It can fuel the fire of that "pathological optimism" you mentioned, that little voice whispering, "Just one more spin, the odds are bound to change!" The house edge becomes a hurdle, not a deterrent, and the pursuit of defying it becomes a dangerous obsession.

That's where the true danger lies – not in the optimism itself, but in the disconnect from reality, the inability to accept the inherent disadvantage of the game. It's like playing with loaded dice, expecting to roll sixes every time. The thrill becomes desperation, the camaraderie turns into isolation, and the escape becomes a prison.

Apart from being unable to control their emotions and finances, gambling addicts tend to increase the frequency of their playing, even though they know the consequences if they continue gambling. They continue to gamble, even though they are experiencing financial problems, because they think that gambling can solve everything, including financial problems.

And to find out the characteristics of someone who is addicted to gambling, those who are addicted to gambling tend to experience quite significant changes, both in their attitudes and behavior. For example, initially a person is quite patient and becomes someone who is emotional and easily irritated. And initially the person is quite productive and professional, but after he gets to know gambling and gets caught up in it, the person becomes someone who is lazy and performs poorly, and often loses focused because all he had in mind was gambling.

Gamblers are defensive they do not want to take pity from people, many of them are intelligent in addressing their behavior, they are optimistic because that's their reason to continue gambling.

If they want to make a big issue of their addiction, it's like they want help and they want to get out from their addiction, compulsive gamblers will not do that they will always downplay their addiction they treat it as normal, they think that addiction is ordinary and nothing to cause an alarm, a gambler who wants to get out from addiction will usually reach out and will make an issue on their addiction, if a gambler is not doing that, they want to continue to play.

It is true that a lack of risk management can make someone addicted to gambling because they are used to gambling brutally. Most people don't see the risks they have to face when gambling, even though it is very important to limit themselves. Managing their financial expenses and also gambling is very good as a self-limiter so they don't get addicted to gambling. and playing beyond the limits of a normal gambler

Yes and in this light one would wonder if optimism is used in the right sense by gambling addicts or that they are miss using it and allowing it to work on them wrongly because when you see that you have lost 1,2,3 and more times but you decide to be positively optimistic to stay and keep trying on it, on what the basis is luck.

Optimistic is suppose to be used for what you can have little or some control and then you add or strengthen your effort to make it work. For example if you have failed in an example and you know you didn't prepare very well for the exam, hence you can be optimistic to pass next time because you know you had no effort in the first time and that if you strengthen your effort the next time then you are likely to pass but gambling is not that way because the effort is not on your on influence or control and this is why addicts keep going deep as optimistic gamblers.

Too much optimism is bad and if it's applied in gambling, you're going to be putting yourself in a much clearer space that no matter what you do as long as you're gambling then no one's will ever gonna stop you. And that's gonna result into a bad situation that you'll never like but can we stop them? As I've said, it's a clear space, a clear thing that no one's going to stop them from taking loans/debts and will use the money from there to gamble. Only themselves can stop their own point of view when the things don't go accordingly over their optimistic minds. There is always a limitation for everything and these gamblers will eventually realize that but only when it's too late.

What is clear is that too much is not good, it's addictive. This affects the brain and way of thinking, an addict will not care about what he will do, what the results will be, no matter how bad it is. If left unchecked, it will be very dangerous, possibly threatening the economy, selling the house and other valuables, getting into debt and even stealing.

It's true that you say it all depends on self-control, maybe a feeling of regret can provide enlightenment and encouragement to stop things from getting worse.

When I chatted with many gambling addicts or analyzed their personalities I saw that they didn't have a mindset other than optimism. In fact, due to the lack of a different mindset during the addiction process and constantly thinking positively, gambling addiction is triggered and these people gamble more. Generally, the factor that causes people who have recovered from gambling addiction to get out of this mindset is awareness. When a person becomes aware of his/her gambling addiction and the fact that he/she constantly loses money in gambling, he/she gets rid of his/her optimistic thoughts and realizes that this addiction is actually a bad thing and that he/she will not earn a regular income by gambling. In this case, if the person takes a step to get rid of gambling addiction and can stay away from gambling by controlling his/her own emotions he/she can completely get rid of gambling addiction over time.

In summary, it is possible to say that individuals addicted to gambling can't get rid of their gambling addiction because they think optimistically and after gaining awareness of this they get rid of their gambling addiction over a period of time. As someone who has previously experienced gambling addiction and then overcome it, I state these thoughts with confidence.

I agree that you must have certain features of character to become a gambling addict. Most people never do because they're more down to earth. Gamblers are usually, as they say, walking with their head in the clouds. They're optimists, they're dreamers, they're the types that like to project the outcome before it happens, like to think of the future, and have high ambitions. They have $100 in their pockets but act and think like someone with a thousand.
Unfortunately there's almost no way to save a certain type of gambler. If you stop him from betting too much in one place, he'll find a way to lose the money somehow by betting in a bar over some stupid trick, or a game of pool. I know blokes like that in person.

Gamblers in general or the addicted ones you are talking about? The worldview each category of gambler has is different from others. A casual gambler who plays responsively will view gambling an a hobby or distraction from daily stress and tasks, while an addicted gambler will dedicate a long time or his whole time to gambling activity, as it were the exclusive purpose of his life. Actually, the worldview addicted gamblers have towards this activity might be quite complex to be understood.

In some cases it must be a relation of love and hate: at same time they love and get excited gambling, they also hate it because they can't stop playing and even though they live in alienated states of mind to afford such disfunctional routine, they have some lucidity moments where they take conscience how harmful gambling is being for them, so they get angry and mad on it.

Anyway, it's never too late to change oneself's view on gambling. We are always able to resignify meanings in our life. Worldviews are moldable and must be done in a way it becomes more healthy and functional as possible. The first step is to wish a change, to evolve, to progress. Once it happens, it's totally possible for such gamblers to adopt a rational stance towards gambling through professional help and treatment, which pass across changing the worldviews they have over gambling.

Your topic is named " Features of the worldview of a gambler " and yet you talk about gambling addicts. I think that is not the same thing and the two should not be equated. I have never exhibited any of the four features you mentioned but I gamble. I know my limits and I know when to stop. I am not optimistic but rather pessimistic about gambling, which is why I never gamble large amounts of money. And risk management is everything to me. I make sure to always follow my own risk management plan and it has saved me from a lot of heartache.

Nothing concerns gambling addicts with risk management except if they are not really that addicted, and by the way, a gambler who practices risk management will hardly get addicted, so, in essence, gambling addicts really don't care, or should I say, most of them don't  care.

And a couple of times, I actually come across gambling addicts who really knew that they were  addicted to gambling but seem to be enjoying it, that is, they seem nonchalant about the whole thing, but what I did notice is that, they were at peace with themselves, and I guess this is possible or probably because, they have good source of income, earning good money every month. So, because of this, they feel secure financially knowing fully well that they will never or may never go bankrupt, or experience financial stagnation due to gambling.

Having a strong hope that their gambling addiction is positive, puts them into a more serious gambling problem. The journey of gambling addiction is quite difficult, to the extent that they won't accept their problems. The losses don't count to the addicts, all they hope on is the future winning. Human brains are not programmed to reason differently. Whatever is expected of the brain to do in one aspect of life, it will also similarly do in another. That is why if we are pursuing a goal our brain won't stop until it's achieved. Hence in gambling the brain executes similar actions, thereby pushing gamblers to continue gambling not minding the disadvantages. And the house is also aware of the reaction of the brain towards gamblers, especially when chasing for a win. So, just asking addicts whether they're addicted or not, doesn't help any of them to heal. It's only a way of deriving a view for the show presenters.

Doing that is more of a way of escalating the problem to more people who watch the show. As Op mentioned, these people lack control and already don't feel remorse for their problems. It's normal to see addicts who don't feel a thing about losing much money in gambling. Life is normal to them, even they'll think that nonaddicts are the silly ones, not them. Addiction works strangely, the brain has been restructured to love gambling more than anything else. Hence no need to expect a negative answer from an addicted gambler about what he feels about his bad habit. Unless he's now on the near line of escaping addiction, he'll always be proud of gambling. Nobody hates what they truly love. Hence, since the continuous effort doesn't yield any positive result, it's not enough to stop the player from gambling, even though it's causing him much trouble each day. Building a relationship with the addict is great in saving him from problem gambling.

For a gambling addict to admit that they are addicted is one step toward their solution, but only talking about it will not make them stop. For example, if I am a drunker and I agree that yeah, I am a drunker, admitting the fact and telling people about it will not make me stop drinking; I will still be urged to drink, but if I have the ability to resist such an urge, then there is a tendency to prevent myself from drinking. So, as a compulsive gambler, the first thing is to admit that he or she is a compulsive gambler, and the second thing is to discipline themselves from gambling compulsively. The person should seek help from people around them, mostly loved ones. Gambling is one thing I know that if someone is into it, it becomes difficult to resist doing it, but the person just needs to practice self-control, or gambling will be in control of them.

Oh you!  ;D
I know (I am 99% sure that I know) what country you are from. If you look around, you will be convinced that everything that you have listed in relation to gamblers works perfectly for 90% of the population of that country  ;) The situation has been developing for years (for more than 10 years) from bad to worse, but the majority, instead of making the necessary decisions, continue to remain optimistic and somehow adapt. Risk management and more complex things are not even worth mentioning. It’s funny, but in my opinion, the fact that some gamblers do not understand that the casino has an advantage over them is more understandable than the fact that the majority of the population does not understand how the government robs them through inflation.

As for the fact that gamblers understand that they are gamblers but continue to play, there is no paradox here either - I know that many alcoholics also understand the harmfulness of their habit. In both cases, the point is that people are willing to pay for positive emotions (which they receive in such a perverted way) not just with their money, but also with their health and other risks. People are irrational, you have to accept that.

Correct, it is not everybody that will agree of what they do, as you may know, it is hard to agreed that one is doing something wrong, even when they know that they are not doing the right things, but people can admit that they are doing the right thing if really they are doing it.
it is hard to quit gamble so everyone must be so careful he or she is dealing with gamble.

Gambling addiction is a very real issue it the fact that so many people fall in this type of addiction without being able to get any help, goes to show how our society has failed to improve it's infrastructure for those that need it most. We have so many people addicted to gambling these days, and they are barely able to function within society's rules due to this issue. Imagine how much better the world would be if they would be able to get better help...

If they learn a hard lesson from gambling, maybe that would make them stop for rehabilitation. I believe that they are having some good and bad times and they are still hoping that they will make profit from gambling as this is the first thing that led them to addiction.

As for risk management, I never knew of this until I joined this forum and that is how many gamblers are out there just gambling without knowing the risk management in gambling and this is why even as they are losing, they continue gambling and hoping the next game will be the winning game.

Many gamblers feel optimistic when playing gambling and think they can win some money when in reality, they have difficulty winning from gambling games. These people have lost a lot of money in gambling but have not stopped themselves or even reduced their gambling activities because they feel they can win. And many of them are addicted to gambling but don't want to stop gambling before they win. Unfortunately, many of them don't understand how to manage the risks of gambling because they still gamble often and even use more money. For wise gamblers, they continue to try to manage and reduce the loss of their money in gambling, but not for gambling addicts.

Well, maybe they are still unfamiliar with risk management but if they don't learn it soon, they could lose even more money. They must immediately cure their gambling addiction because it can get worse and will cost them all their money. But it depends on the wishes of each gambler because if they still want to gamble more intensively, they will not be able to stop gambling.

Addiction can easily be gotten if we are not careful about the kind of decisions we are making. Gambling has it own risk and too much of consistency can lead to gambling addiction. There are level of addiction and when it reaches a level called the acute addiction, we can still adjust and control ourselves. Acute addiction can easily to relinquish with the help of chancellor and family members. Getting rid of it does not take too long. The Chronic addiction is what we need to try to stop because it is very difficult to get rid of it. This stage it is unlikely to scape or get rid of it due to many factors.

most gamblers definitely have the ambition of winning big at some point in their gambling life. thus, they tend to continue this habit and look for this possibility. unfortunately, a lot can easily be burned because of this belief. i guess, that's the usual dilemma of gamblers, aiming for a big win but sadly, the opposite of this happens.

We just have to come to a conclusion that optimism is a huge part of a gamblers life, hence why they return even after a resounding loss.
Being a gambler takes a lot of gut, because one has to have a source where the money comes in from to sponsor such a habit and I know that a once in a while win, keeps the motivation to gamble alive, this contributes to one of the constituents of the worldview of a gambler.

Remember these people are gambling addicts.  Everything is a minor issue for them, what a major issue is when they can't satisfy their urge to gamble.  They have uncontrolled behavior when it comes to gambling, it is also obvious that their point of view might be distorted due to being a gambling addict.  They might try to say something that will support their addiction and make them look not bad in front of people.  They may shrug off issues of losing but obviously they can't shrug off the issue of not able to do their gambling activities.

For gambling addicts their world is the gambling activities that is why they keep on gambling even if they knew they are gambling addicts unless they wanted to turn on a new page.

Optimism is a crucial aspect that keeps them returning to the activity even after experiencing losses. The nature of gambling is inherently uncertain, and the belief in the possibility of winning is a driving force that sustains the interest and motivation of gamblers. Being a gambler requires a certain level of courage and gut instinct. It involves taking risks, both financially and emotionally, and having the confidence to place bets in the hope of a favorable outcome.

The willingness to embrace uncertainty and make decisions based on predictions or probabilities is an integral part of the gambling experience. Gamblers need a source of income to fund their habit. It's a lifestyle choice that involves allocating resources for the purpose of betting. While losses are inevitable in gambling, the occasional win serves as a motivating factor. A single win can rejuvenate a gambler's optimism, reinforcing the belief that favorable outcomes are possible and contributing to the overall worldview of a gambler.

That's right being too much won't give you good results. On the other hand, someone can make it addicted and someone can luckily just hit the numbers and win them all. But with those cases, they are rare when someone is gambling too much and staying in the casino for so long. You'll never hear people that stays there quite often having good results and that's why it is important to remember that you have to do your things in balance. While there are many distractions when you gamble and it is trying to convince you to do this and that or bet more, don't get confused with it because that's part of the psychological effect that's being done by the casinos for you to stay and become too optimistic.

Nicely explained. The problem with gambling addict is they think they have a chance of winning but they don't. There can be one or several large winnings but on the long run, the maths of odds would be largely visible and no one wins more than they lose. Every game has a house edge be it sports betting or lottery. You may thing it's your analysis that made you pick the right option but put those wins and losses in long term and they'll come similar to the house edge you get in other games.
The problem with gambling addict is either they don't consider probability and if they do, they believe they can beat it.

It is true that most gamblers who are addicted actually realize that they are addicted to gambling, but they continue to carry out their activities because there is no urge that can stop them if within themselves they have no intention of avoiding this addiction. As long as they are able to gamble, they will not have a problem even though they are at the addiction stage because what is in their minds is to continue playing without stopping because someone who is addicted has a big ambition to win large bets, this ambition is what drives gamblers to continue carry out the action.

A compulsive gambler cannot discipline themselves easily if they do not have a strong urge to regulate themselves not to gamble compulsively because basically compulsive gamblers only admit that they are gamblers but do not want to make efforts to stop or control themselves. However, if a compulsive gambler wants to express that they need help it will help them a little to push through their addiction to regulate their self-control.

This idea was voiced in a recent interview. Once upon a time there was a girl player who was fond of poker and dreamed of learning the secrets of this game. At the same time, she was constantly losing money. It got to the point that she moved into a hostel and lived on random income. When the host asked her if she wanted to quit playing poker, she replied that she had no plans to do so. After all, she still hasn’t learned all the secrets of this game.

One amazing things with gambling addicts, they don't accept that they're addicts, rather they will will dropped comments about indulging in gambling for low stakes and fun, never will they accept it with full mind. We're grownup and know specifically how the system operates and the high number of defeats and losses that are recorded on daily basis from the pockets of gambling addicts, I felt really sad for most of them that can not fall back to normal activities and gambling becomes their routine. Gambling addicts possess this mentality of winning hugh figures from betting, a day will not pass by without these addicts having strong belief in the system.

Like a special effect. Psychological attacks are very impact, and tend to be very difficult to cure it takes time. I am sure that with a strong psychological we are also able to control the game and be able to get victory, in contrast to the weak psychology, we will be controlled so the loss will be greater we get.

You are right, but the problem is that not many gamblers can achieve their ambitions, and this causes more gamblers to experience large losses. But even so, they don't stop gambling and instead gamble more and more often because they still want to try it. Besides that, they have made it a habit that they do almost every day so that if they don't do it that day, it's like they missed something. Well, it is a gambling addiction for them because they keep gambling and have the ambition to win even though they already know that it is difficult for them to win. But they don't want anyone to say they are addicted to gambling, and they will deny it and say everything is still fine.

First, isnt "pathological optimism" merely coping? Gamblers encounter harsh reality; optimism may protect them. Calling it "pathological" seems harsh. Why not consider it as misguided resilience? Risk management is conscious oversight, not ignorance. They recognise the risks but ignore them. Why? Game thrills outweigh practical worries like risk. The game is an escape and release.

Finally, their passion for the game transcends addiction. Its hard to distinguish love from addiction. They live the game, not just play it. More than a hobby, its an identity. We must grasp this thinking to promote responsible gambling.

Well, what do we expect? They are addicts. But indeed that optimism seems not a right word to use there, since there is no point on why they continue doing it. They are like a cool guy when they say that being addicted is only just a minor thing for them. But for us, even a small loss is already a big deal. They look so confident when they say that, but deep inside there must also be a despair, regret and other negativities that they can feel.

We shouldn't blame or hate them but instead, we can do much better like trying to talk to them seriously about their problem. Once they get comfortable. That's the time they can confess and start trying to change their lives.

Pathological optimism the hope anticipation that the current failure is a stepping stone for the next major win or breakthrough in gambling his word has made several people to keep struggling with their gambling addiction. Every wing from another gambler strengthens their world view that they are next in line for wining tickets. The keep at it both day and night. They spend their money and not their money too. These folks need help and a professional one at that.

The phenomenon described by the author of the topic is absolutely true, and I was always very surprised when I listened to interviews with avid gamers. They were fond of casinos, slots, betting, and poker, and they all had a strange common feature: they believed that sooner or later they would win back. They are either stupid or don't understand math. Her law states that the more you play in a casino, the more money you give to the casino, statistics work against the player, and nothing can be done about it. And the best way to make a profit in a casino is to play once. So the mathematical sample of cases will be minimal.

If you're able to control that, that's better but if not then what you have to do is just for you to be aware of it. When you're aware of these effects and distractions, you'll be noticing them and that's going to give you the thought that you must avoid it at times when you are noticing it.

You have a point because optimism seems to be a positive word but on this one, it's being used as a negative effect for someone who gambles and whoever sees that effect on that person. But I guess it is what it is, whoever sees the negative from overoptimistic people have understanding of what's too much and not.

Op you are the master of Pathology Optimism. Lolz all those ones are just grammar. I will say all the gamblers have that mindset of optimism because that gives them moral to play the next game even though they loss the previous game. And you can't be unfamiliar to them and manage them, it is not don't in that way, but you have to know them vivid then you manage the risk that you have seen. And before you play any new game in casino you have to make some research about the game so that you know what you're playing. If you don't love the game you can't have that optimism. Optimism comes with love and likeness. A gambler must be a responsible Gambler so that he can control something by himself plus the addicting nature of him.

I largely agree with you. Optimism truly protects players from harsh realities. But let's look at this from the other side. Optimism also prevents us from looking reality in the eye. Gamblers accumulate debts, play without any system or using a system that is very strange from a mathematical point of view. The most important thing is that many gamblers simply do not have risk management. They endlessly risk all their funds. They are optimistic, which is good for survival, but bad for thinking critically about their situation. Optimism is good if it is not excessive and if it helps not only to survive losses.

Yes, that is true because with optimism, someone will not be able to see what has happened and often, they will not realize that they have experienced many defeats. Optimism seems to have closed their minds to realize that it is time for them to stop gambling because playing gambling has caused them to experience many losses. But because they still feel optimistic about being able to win the gambling game, this makes them continue gambling.

Having optimism is good, but we also have to treat it well so that it won't trap us. We can see that if optimism is excessive, we must be able to respond to it correctly. This is where a gambler must be wise about what happens to him.

Optimism is a dual thing. On the one hand, as has already been correctly noted, optimism can protect you from harsh reality. On the other hand, if it is pathological, it can cause you to continue to believe in illusions and go on a long losing streak, which is only briefly interrupted by winnings and does not affect the overall statistics. Such optimism sucks you deeper into debt.
  Are there any other pathological features in the worldview of a gambler?
  Maybe naivety? Lack of analytical thinking? Not working hard enough?

A gambler's mindset is all about seeking the thrill in the moment, often overlooking the long-term impact. They might downplay consequences, get caught up in the excitement of the game, and tend to avoid serious risk management. It's a mix of chasing the adrenaline rush and neglecting the bigger picture.

Been optimistic about a game you did placed a bet on should be something you should definitely do because I don't see why els you gambled on that game if you are not expecting a positive out come form that game, it would have been better you didn't even have to gamble on it than being the first to doubt your own picks.

The love for the game is usually the drive behind Gambino in some cases, a typical case has to do with lovers of football, they become very passionate about football hence they want to take the fun to another level by probably earning from it and also getting even more excited and that's when the get to gambling. A good number of gamblers in some cases usually lack risk management and that's not in doubts as they will want to risk so much hoping to recover at any win they probably get lucky at but then a few of them also get to Mange their risk well enough too.

Isn't it as a result of a psychological problem?  addicts hardly notice they're addicted, but when they do, sharing it with people is the last thing on their mind. I'd say that what could have caused pathological optimism in gambling addicts is the reaction of people around them, when they're made aware of the player's addiction. Some would blame the gambler, which could add insult into the injury. Other pathological features in the worldview of a gambler is that he'd want to solve his problem gambling himself. Most addicts believe since the problem is self inflicted they can resolve it without the help of anybody. The process of trying to heal on their own, then adds more years or months to the addiction which then gets more severe until it can't be hidden anymore. It's common amongst addicts to behave this way. Pathological optimism is a stage of gambling addiction where the gambler is now aware of his problem. In the initial stage the gambler wouldn't know he's addicted. A gambler that lacks critical thinking and money management can get addicted.

Gambler's mindset can be seen on his betting behavior, decision making, strategies and not only with thrilling experience 'coz not all people are into it; proof is people who manages their bets properly. Indeed related to optimism however not to all players and to all the time. Some gamblers are more of pessimists which makes them scared of betting that much but are still having hopes of a positive outcome. Being optimistic means you are seeing better things behind a bad one and not to conquer thrill on gambling experience which I guess not all people are aware of.
If optimism becomes a psychological problem then that would be illusion if it is with gambling industry; an illusion that you will someday win the jackpot as if it is guaranteed and will be worthy waiting for so many years.Not needing the help of other people is just pure independence and not in a bit, related with taking to some people who we thinks he could be having is time of.

Our lives can either go in a good path or wrong path, all depending on the decisions we take. Comfortable gamblers doesn't have anything to worry about, rather they're satisfied with the current circumstances they've found themselves and wouldn't allow anything to disturb them. There's this adage in the space "it's better to be clueless about something other than knowing something that will ruined your peace of mind" it's very simple. Gambler have no intentions other than grabbing good profits in the system, I've watch my colleagues grown to become an addict because he was too desperate and didn't hold back other than pressing forward for results.

This is an interesting proposition. But I would say, for example, the illusion of winning the jackpot is not always just an illusion. Now I’m unlikely to find links to the relevant article, but in principle anyone can google it. The fact is that unique cases have occurred in history. People who have won the jackpot several times. You know, they say that the probability that you will be struck by lightning is very small. Nevertheless, cases are described when one person was struck by lightning many times (and he remained alive). Or people who have been in accidents many times and still remain alive.
      The same thing happens with the jackpot. This is not always an illusion, in my opinion.

Optimism often leads someone into misleading abyss, they will make several mistakes that may make things difficult for them in the long run.
But on the other hand, this attitude is also quite useful because every gambler with an optimistic attitude will never feel disappointment because they understand that there will always be something happy after losing.
But not all gamblers will have this mindset and I sure of that.

Of course there is because everyone has different point of view towards gambling, even every gambler who obviously likes gambling also has different point of view too.
It all depends on how you think about gambling activities and also depends on the gambler goals in gambling.
For example, you are gambler and I also gambler, you have goal of gambling as form of investment that can be profitable and I assume even if you have goal of gambling just for fun then it is clear how our mindset and perspective towards gambling will be different.

Getting addicted in gambling is one thing that we don't wish to anybody including our enemies because the consequences that comes with it isn't just gonna affect the concerned person but also people around hence the need to try stay accessible to them and ask help talk them out of it. But that being said, there are some gambling addicts whose level of addiction is too chronic for mere talks to help them out of it and that's why it's very important to know how to manage those kind of addicts especially when they're family members, friends or other close relatives.

So gambling addicts aren't as cool as they appear and would even draw someone into their addiction if the person isn't careful enough. In cases like this, I wouldn't advise anyone to go close to them as it might not end well.

Winning the jackpot is not an illusion because it can really be won but the problem is that many gamblers have fallen deeper into gambling. They keep chasing the jackpot and we know that when their lust takes over them, they will use a lot of money to get the jackpot. But because they are not lucky, many of them lose their money in the competition to get the jackpot and maybe the lucky person doesn't use a lot of money to get the jackpot. When someone is lucky, he can win more than other people. We also can't blame those who continue to use more money to get the jackpot because their desire can increase the longer they lose.

Yes, chasing a jackpot can lead a gambler to losses. He can lose money, time and mental health. However, subconsciously he can achieve exactly this, paradoxically. More precisely, of course, losing money and mental health is not his goal. But this is the price he is willing to pay to his fate for gaining experience.
     As for the jackpot, I was surprised to learn that there are rational strategies for finding it too. I read about a married couple of elderly mathematics teachers who successfully hunted for a large lottery jackpot in the USA. Their strategy was to buy up large lots of lotteries and track the winnings that had already been announced.

Well, if these gamblers can see and read what you write, they should be able to realize that they don't need to gamble too seriously or too often because it will cost them money and time. It will also affect his mental health because he will only think about gambling without wanting to do other things. It will affect his mentality because he will not be able to see other activities that can also give him pleasure. They will think that gambling is the only activity that can give them pleasure.

Yes, some people can get the jackpot prize so they can use the money to improve their lives. The story you got is an example of why, to this day, many people continue to buy lottery tickets because there is a very big jackpot prize that can change their lives. And they will keep trying to buy lottery tickets until they can win the jackpot.

The satisfaction that is being given by one game.
For example: Plinko. For me, watching the ball drop gives me pleasure, I don't know why but maybe because of the expectation of the unknown. We lack the knowledge of where the ball will go, only the system knows where it will drop because it is already written in their script. But for us, we are only viewing a UI where the ball drops and somehow it gives some satisfaction to some gamblers.
Of course, the fact that we want to win will always be there, but the excitement it gives that we have a chance that it might fall to a high multiplier will always be there. It's as if we want to control the dropping ball to somewhere that we want it to fall but we don't have the power to do it.

Others might have the same satisfaction as other games while they are playing it at the autobet feature. But for me, I can watch Plinko balls for hours and just be excited at when it will drop on the highest multi-win.
It's actually addictive to just watch it too, sometimes I still watch them while I am eating or when I am doing something else. I cannot just take my eyes off them.

This is true and is also happening here in my village almost everyday on card games or even cock fighting which is the common gambling activity here aside from lottery and mahjong. These people are you guessed it "not good players" but they spend more or less 12 hours straight on that particular game which sometimes ends them up not having dinner or something, they even have kids with them, so alarming right?

That serves as a reminder for me and others that the fun thing we experienced on our first try might be a stepping stone to get into a much worst scenario like addiction.

It not just an illusion, but getting it is like something where the percentage is very small or even impossible to get. This is what actually happens in gambling so not all gamblers will be able to get the jackpot.
Chasing the jackpot will be the same as wasting money for most gamblers with limited finances and those who chase the jackpot but with limited finances will feel what is called ruin or even poverty.
But this is different for rich gamblers or gamblers who have large budgets because they can just say they use almost unlimited amounts of money to have fun and of course it will be easier for them to pursue it, although it may not necessarily be successful but it will never be affect their finances.
All of us little gamblers should try to forget about getting the jackpot and better have better mindset like we gamble just for fun and don't really need to hope or chase the jackpot.
Just think more carefully, if chasing the jackpot will only make things difficult, then wouldn't it be better to avoid it.

Almost the average thing we find today is gamblers who want to hunt for big prizes or jackpots in lottery games, it is impossible for them to buy lots of lottery tickets just to have fun, this is not a casino game that can be used for fun, so there are differences between casino games and this lottery, until now lottery gambling is spread all over the world and there are many types, even where I live, almost the average lottery gambler is not only young people but also elderly parents where they hope for a big jackpot from the lottery prize. that is a fact

But there are also quite a few people who become poor and bankrupt because of this gambling game, even though it is clear that this game is pure luck and does not rely on any skill. If they knew that this gambling relies on luck, they would not need to buy lots of tickets and spend a lot of money, because they have lots of tickets. it is also not possible to win even though the chances of winning are high but do not guarantee a definite win. I'd rather have a few lottery tickets and gamble with a little money. because victory will definitely come if luck comes on the same day.

The point is that games that rely entirely on luck do not need to be played seriously with the intention of spending a lot of money just to buy lots of tickets. buy according to your ability and wait for luck to come  ;)

I remember the past when I played plinko, I confess that at that time whenever I clicked for the ball to fall I would start thinking about where the ball would fall and when the ball started to fall, I would be very attentive to watch where the ball would fall, but it was something that made me angry because when the ball was at the top it started to fall on the line where you won a lot, so I got excited thinking that the ball would actually fall on that line where you paid more money, but when the ball reached the middle the things were starting to get annoying because the ball took a detour and started going in the direction that paid less, I spent 5 hours playing and observing this, until the end I came to the conclusion that I should continue playing plinko

Only I would be wasting time and money because in those 5 hours of play it became clear to me that to win and make a profit in that game is not possible in the long term, even in the short term for a person to make some profit they would have to hit a large multiplier that would give them would allow him to win a lot of money and then that person would have to see if that amount of money he won covered all the losses and if so, then the person would have to stop playing forever, if the person continued to play then he would lose everything in the game and start having losses and problems in terms of coming to terms with the many losses. Honestly, I don't see myself playing plinko or other gambling games that depend on luck, I stopped playing all games that depend on luck, I just place sports bets

Those who still want to chase the jackpot will keep trying, even if it means using more money. They won't stop until they hit the jackpot, so they will keep trying. If they don't have a lot of money, they will continue to try every time they have money because their goal in gambling is only to win. They should understand that chasing the jackpot is very difficult and requires a lot of money. Even that doesn't guarantee they can get the jackpot because getting the jackpot is only for people who have luck.

But if we compare it with people who have a lot of money, they can gamble longer because they have a lot of money and can gamble for a long time. But even so, these people may not necessarily be able to get the jackpot because the jackpot can only be obtained by those who really have luck. And we, just small gamblers, cannot compete with people with a lot of money because of these limitations. We can only gamble moderately and still have limits in gambling.

Yes, it's only normal that more and more people want to hunt for the jackpot prize because it is a lot of money that can change someone's life quickly. However, getting the jackpot will be challenging because they have to compete with many people who also want the jackpot. They will buy lottery tickets with a lot of money and continue buying tickets as long as they still have money. This lottery is one of people's choices when playing gambling because there is a very large jackpot prize.

There is no doubt that if someone buys a lottery ticket using a lot of money, they can run out of money before they can win the jackpot because getting the jackpot depends on each person's luck. Indeed, many people have experienced bankruptcy because they have used a lot of money to buy lottery tickets even though they don't have or don't know whether their luck will come or whether they don't have any luck at all. If someone doesn't want to take too big a risk, that person doesn't need to buy too many lottery tickets and only enough so that they don't lose a lot of money.

So we have to adjust the purchase of lottery tickets to the money we have so that we don't lose much money. There is no guarantee that we can win the jackpot if we are not lucky, so we also have to calculate how much money we want to use to buy the lottery ticket.

If the percentage of people who win the jackpot is small, this does not mean that winning the jackpot is an illusion. But I understand what you are writing about. You are not writing about an accidental win, but about a purposeful one. But even deliberately winning the jackpot is not an illusion. There have been cases in history where people purposefully won the jackpot. It’s just that this is a rather complex and difficult strategy, and it’s not suitable for anyone. I know of a case of a married couple, mathematicians by training, who purposefully hunted for the jackpot and eventually won. I'm too lazy to look for links right now, but it's quite possible. Their strategy was to buy lottery tickets in large quantities and figure out in which states it would make sense to do so. And in which ones not. But any winning of large sums in gambling requires a large investment of time, money and mental energy. This is not suitable for everyone.

Prospect theory, I believe, may help to explain this phenomena. According to this hypothesis, people frequently base their decisions on their perceptions of prospective outcomes rather than the actual probabilities. For example, someone may opt to gamble despite the fact that the chances of winning are extremely slim, just because they are more concerned with the prospective payoff than the possibility of winning. This might explain why some people continue to gamble despite obvious losses.

Another possible explanation for this phenomena is the gambler's fallacy. This is the incorrect idea that if something occurs more frequently than usual within a given period of time.

I think that a strategy based on trying to hit a rare winning streak is possible, although in general it is not cost effective, let's put it that way. This is why many people continue to play and continue to lose just because they are trying to hit a long streak of winnings. It’s difficult to say how successful gamblers are at this. Perhaps there are gamblers who eventually grab luck by the tail. For them, this will be confirmation of the correctness of their strategy, although it is just catching their luck. That's why successful players don't let chance dictate too much of their play. Randomness is unpredictable, and lack of control leads to worst-case scenarios.