Why does it feel easier to like a game when you don’t lose big?

[Natalim]

I bet on sports regularly and I also play slots from time to time but here’s what I noticed just recently. I haven’t been winning on both, but I realized something that I never really paid attention to before.. I actually lose way more money in sports betting mostly because my stakes there are bigger, so here's the the weight feeling, even if the result is the same (a loss), the impact feels heavier.

Now I’m starting to enjoy slots more not because I’m winning but because I don’t lose as big compared to sports. It kind of tricks my brain into thinking the game is more friendly or less painful even if the long-term outcome is still negative.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but is it normal that we end up liking the game where the losses feel smaller and slower?

[mikel_012]

Why would you even ask why someone prefers games where they lose less money over games where they lose more? Isn’t it obvious?

Nobody likes losing money, so of course you’ll be happier with games where you don’t lose as much. You don’t need to ask others to know that

Same reason you like games where you earn more money. Winning is good for the brain so you prefer it.

[CryptoYar]

What you are feeling is perfectly normal and happens due to mind trick known as Loss Aversion, in which pain of losing money is felt much more than pleasure of winning. When you bet big on sports, you lose once, and it is big shock, but with slots, you lose all time, but you lose it slowly, which makes whole thing seem less painful or less unfriendly to your brain. This is because slots also give you with regular small wins which trick your brain reward system and slow loss of money makes you feel that you have more control over way things happen and therefore you would other take pain of losing in small parts than in one big shock.

[Ziskinberg]

I think what you’re seeing as success right now is that you managed to minimize your losses. When we aim to win long-term or try to be profitable but we can’t reach that goal, we usually lose more because we keep chasing the losses, expecting to recover. That mindset hurts us in sports betting a lot.

With slots, the expectation is smaller because we already know our chances, so we bet small. It’s really different. In sports betting, we stake a decent amount expecting a decent return. In slots, most of us are just waiting for a multiplier to pop and hoping we hit it with a big tumble.

[Maus0728]

Good for you, that is the best thing for someone that gambles regularly, having fun and not feeling the depression that gambling gives to most gamblers. For me, the reason why you do not feel bad when you are gambling in slots is because you are more active in the participation compared to sports betting, you see that your actions are the ones that makes you win in slots, unlike with betting, you choose the stake and then wait for it, there is not much enjoyment unless you are also a fan of the sport you are putting your money into. My opinion is not grounded in science but I think that there is probably some truth to what I said and what I observed.

@CryptoYar explains the feeling you are getting much better than me.

[purple_sparkles]

 From my perspective, when you place sports bets, you have to use your brain for analysis. And when you’ve done even a small amount of analytical work, you start to value your effort more, so the bets tend to become larger. Slots, on the other hand, are essentially just mindless, mechanical actions, plus bonuses that let you play longer. Everything depends on the goal you are pursuing, if you want to distract yourself with other thoughts, sports betting is more suitable, if you just want to completely switch off your thinking process, then slots are perfect. And money gets lost where there is more attention involved, the main thing is to have limits.

[Natalim]

Why would you even ask why someone prefers games where they lose less money over games where they lose more? Isn’t it obvious?

Lol, I just want to ask because some people might decide to stop if they’re already losing anyway.
Me, I still can’t stop because I’m enjoying it. So sometimes when I lose less than expected, I kinda see it as a small success already. And who knows, maybe one day I can turn my gambling into profit.

For now, losing small already means something, it shows a person knows how to play with discipline. That’s how I see my situation right now.

Nobody likes losing money, so of course you’ll be happier with games where you don’t lose as much. You don’t need to ask others to know that

Same reason you like games where you earn more money. Winning is good for the brain so you prefer it.

Would you really be happy losing a little? It’s still losing. So you’re not actually hoping to win, you’re just hoping you don’t lose too much? 

[fredericktaylor]

Honestly, no one wants to lose money, losing a lot of money while gambling naturally makes you feel bad. No one wants to lose money while gambling, they want to gain more, so that a person can get rich quickly and own a lot of money very easily. The brain actually cannot accept any sudden event, it is very difficult to accept a large amount of loss, but when we keep losing by betting small amounts over time, the brain can accept it, as a result, the pain is felt relatively less. If we add up the small losses together, the amount of loss will be large, this may be the main reason.

[davis196]

I bet on sports regularly and I also play slots from time to time but here’s what I noticed just recently. I haven’t been winning on both, but I realized something that I never really paid attention to before.. I actually lose way more money in sports betting mostly because my stakes there are bigger, so here's the the weight feeling, even if the result is the same (a loss), the impact feels heavier.

Now I’m starting to enjoy slots more not because I’m winning but because I don’t lose as big compared to sports. It kind of tricks my brain into thinking the game is more friendly or less painful even if the long-term outcome is still negative.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but is it normal that we end up liking the game where the losses feel smaller and slower?

Well, you could start raising the stakes on slots and losing more on slots. Suddenly you will start hating slots more than sports betting.
Why do you hate sports betting? It's like me saying "I hate Manchester United" just because I placed a 100K USD bet on them winning, but they've lost the game. Should you really hate sports betting and sports in general, just because you are losing money?
To me, slots is 100% about luck(if the slots game isn't rigged), while sports betting is more like 50% luck and 50% proper analysis about the teams, players, other factors, etc. If you are losing more on sports betting, then maybe you aren't doing a proper analysis.

[cryptoaddictchie]

Losing money is quite stressful actually. But it’s totally normal that our minds are wired to prefer the game that feels less painful, so even if both sports betting and slots make you lose money in the long run, the smaller and slower losses in slots trick your brain into feeling like it’s more harmless or friendly, which makes you enjoy it more even though the outcome is basically the same. I guess it's only psychology but ending up lose more.

[joeperry]

I don’t know if it’s just me, but is it normal that we end up liking the game where the losses feel smaller and slower?

I feel the opposite, I actually not a fan of slots since I mostly lose there more than winning and you are right that you only lose small there but it's fast paced and even though it's small you can literally lose big as the time goes by, on the other hand it's true that we bet higher stake than in slots but it's slow paced game and it took hour or so, before you would be able to see the result. In reality, you could just both lose at the same time, let's say a football match is 90 mins and you only place ones but in slots you place a bet of $0.1 and after 90 mins you'll also end up losing everything.

I choose sports betting not only because it's slow paced but you could analyze it and win by just comparing stats and do some kind of performance research unlike in slots, it's literally a game of chance and the casino always wins due to house edge (though sports betting do have an house edge too but you can predict the outcome of the game).

[Maslate]

It clearly shows gambling is your passion, because you’re not getting discouraged by losses. And honestly, it’s way easier to minimize losses than to actually be profitable in gambling. Most of us aim to win, that’s why we get upset when we lose, but if we really want some peace of mind and enjoy gambling the way it’s supposed to be, then limiting our bets is the key.

You have your gambling life under control. You’re not necessarily losing all the time, but losing most of the time with an amount you’re willing to risk, that’s already fine.
That’s far from being addicted.  

[Dave1]

I bet on sports regularly and I also play slots from time to time but here’s what I noticed just recently. I haven’t been winning on both, but I realized something that I never really paid attention to before.. I actually lose way more money in sports betting mostly because my stakes there are bigger, so here's the the weight feeling, even if the result is the same (a loss), the impact feels heavier.

Now I’m starting to enjoy slots more not because I’m winning but because I don’t lose as big compared to sports. It kind of tricks my brain into thinking the game is more friendly or less painful even if the long-term outcome is still negative.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but is it normal that we end up liking the game where the losses feel smaller and slower?

Most likely it's the adrenaline that you feel when you play slots as we all know that it has a big effect on our mind when we play this game. The sounds, audio and visual effect is something that really tricks out brain to play and then even if we loses, we sort of don't mind it because of what it bring to us.

However, there will be time that you might feel fatigue on slot games and totally shut it down and have a reset. I think it's normal though as sometimes we just enjoy the game in the beginning and the lost the love on it after several losses and not getting a win.

[_act_]

Now I’m starting to enjoy slots more not because I’m winning but because I don’t lose as big compared to sports. It kind of tricks my brain into thinking the game is more friendly or less painful even if the long-term outcome is still negative.

It is because you are using small amount of money on slots is the reason, but I will not make the 100% conclusion yet if you said that you are winning since you have been playing slots. A time will come that you will lose, that is casinos for you, that will be when you should make conclusion about it, but using little amount of money to gamble will really help to reduce the effect of losing in a way that you will not or may not even think about the losses.

[Royal Cap]

I don’t know if it’s just me, but is it normal that we end up liking the game where the losses feel smaller and slower?

To be honest we often want to be in a place that makes us feel less guilty, I think the bigger issue here than the amount of money is the illusion of control. In sports you think you can analyze and fix something, so if you lose, you feel angry at yourself, That's not the case with slots, you know it's a game of luck, so you don't take responsibility for the loss. As a result your mind is relatively light. So yes people generally prefer what makes them feel less guilty or less angry. That's natural, that's what I personally think.

[mak013]

I bet on sports regularly and I also play slots from time to time but here’s what I noticed just recently. I haven’t been winning on both, but I realized something that I never really paid attention to before.. I actually lose way more money in sports betting mostly because my stakes there are bigger, so here's the the weight feeling, even if the result is the same (a loss), the impact feels heavier.

Now I’m starting to enjoy slots more not because I’m winning but because I don’t lose as big compared to sports. It kind of tricks my brain into thinking the game is more friendly or less painful even if the long-term outcome is still negative.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but is it normal that we end up liking the game where the losses feel smaller and slower?

If your purpose to play maximum time and lose minimum money - your point of view correct. But people have different goals, someone like betting, someone like slots, someone wins.
As for me - i win with betting and lose with slots, so i play slots with time limit and minimal bet. May be it is the same like you.

[Ruttoshi]

It's always good to bet with little amount of money so that you don't get emotional or feel the loss. However, since you said that you run at loss more on sportbet, I will advise to stick to slot games since that's where your luck is. I love gambling on games that I'm more lucky on because that's what makes it more fun.

I prefer sportbet to slot irrespective of the outcome of my bet. Perhaps, I win more on sportbet than slot. I feel entertained watching the matches.

[Marvelockg]

I don’t know if it’s just me, but is it normal that we end up liking the game where the losses feel smaller and slower?

It's a two way thing. You either like a game because you associate a certain degree of fun to it which gives you the mind and joy to continue playing it for the long term regardless of your win or loss or alternatively, the reason why you probably love playing a particular kind of game is because when you do so, you win most of the time. If you're not winning more than loosing and can't associate a certain level of fun to that game, then there's no way you will love to continue playing that kind of game for so long.

People that plays sports games and that loves doing so plays it because of the dopamine that has grown by reason of their consistency in the game and alternatively, it can be that they understand the game better. At the end, the factors that keeps you trapped in a particular game is the satisfaction you get from that game either through the pleasure that comes with playing that said game or the wins you've gotten through the game.

[Anayochukwu]

Why would you even ask why someone prefers games where they lose less money over games where they lose more? Isn’t it obvious?

Nobody likes losing money, so of course you’ll be happier with games where you don’t lose as much. You don’t need to ask others to know that

Same reason you like games where you earn more money. Winning is good for the brain so you prefer it.

A gambler would always enjoy the game when there's no much losses. So it's a normal thing because there's no how you can feel happy while losing money every time, despite gambling fun gamblers need winning more than anything else in gambling because when there's winning or less spending gamblers do feel better and happier. So it's a general feelings to all gamblers here and there's nothing more than that since the game are highly involved in losses than winnings.

[Distinctin]

I will advise to stick to slot games since that's where your luck is.

There was no luck there at all. Slots were just better for him because he lost less compared to what he loses in sports betting. The result is still a loss, but being able to minimize the loss lets you gamble longer and keeps the emotional stress lower. And we all know emotional stress is one of the things that can push people into addiction.

So what I can say to OP is..  keep it up. Based on your post, you’re one of the responsible gamblers here.