I have seen one interview of a former gambler and what he is saying caught my attention. He says that "when you're winning you can't sleep". I'm not sure if others have experience it or if this make sense. In any case though, one explanation is that we are really in a heightened alert, meaning it's like gambling is like a drugs that keeps up alive and awake and then the human emotions of greed takes in as we want to win for. But the problem is that after that, and in worse case if our luck turns bad, then this drug will like shoot to 100->0 in a instant. Or like when we are about to go to bed and suddenly that inch comes along and let's say that we go on sports bet, but the game will start in the next couple of hours, then we might have difficulty in sleeping and as if we take like 4 cups of coffee or a energy drink because we will for sure can't wait to see that game and hope that our stakes is going to win.
The truth is, that does not exist in traditional casino games—it’s a fallacy. In sports betting it does happen, and I would call it streaks. They’re not that rare, but in this case I use the expression you mention, “When you’re winning you can’t sleep”, not literally but figuratively, as a kind of metaphor—since I can sleep peacefully
In poker, your expression should not be confused with “On a heater.” That’s something that happens in short bursts—four or five hands in a row, or even longer—where incredible things occur and you literally win several hands consecutively. It’s very common at cash tables.
Variance in poker mistreats you, yes, a lot—perhaps most of the time. But there comes a moment when you enter a phase in which variance is on your side. It can be confused with the previous concept, but this phase lasts longer—months, even years. The opposite also exists, of course. Long downswings are documented: there are blogs from professional players who kept detailed logs, maintained excellent play, and still spent months or even years losing. Yet they managed to get out of that situation.
Anyway, the point is that what comes closest to your idea in poker—where I think it applies—is the upswing. Obviously, the opposite exists too. These are very conceptual terms, but the skill lies in the player detecting them and taking advantage of them.
And this is the point that made me write in your thread, OP. There’s a story about a famous poker player who was in that situation. He didn’t live in Las Vegas, but he recognized it and acted. He tells how he flew to Las Vegas and won a lot of money. The Argentine Alejandro Lococo, in 2021, realized he was in that phase, flew to Las Vegas, and won more than 1.2 million dollars.
These are very peculiar situations, but they definitely exist. You have to be a very good player to detect them and get the most out of them.
In conclusion, I think that if you are in a situation of winning streaks, the best thing you can do is sleep well.
