Who enjoys gambling and why?
 

As a sometimes visitor to Las Vegas, I have always wondered who likes to gamble and why. Does it get boring after a few hours? How do you keep it interesting, and how much do you spend? How do you know when to quit? Does it get to be more fun if you bet more money, and would the games be fun if you didn't bet anything? Can gambling really be an addiction? <BR> <BR>Just wondering what you all think.

This is a travel channel not phychology today. Good luck posting elsewhere.

I used to gamble in Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe sometimes. Being pretty cheap and hating to lose, I actually read a book that explained all of the games and the odds. I learned that the best odds were counting cards in blackjack, and that was too much work, so I played craps. The best odds on craps were the Don't Come and Come lines. Doing that over and over got boring awfully fast, and that was the end of my gambling career. <BR> <BR>By the way, this sounds like a travel question to me because it concerns a recreational activity at a vacation destination, IMHO.

Compulsive gamblers do so because of the adrenaline rush that comes from betting money on an unknown event and the anticipation that goes with it. They'll do it for hours without getting bored, but sometimes have to increase the risk to maintain the "high". <BR>Much reduced levels of adrenaline rush stimulate many recreational gamblers too, but they can walk away more easily. Some non-compulsive gamblers simply love the idea of trying to "beat the house". <BR>

I enjoy playing video poker and blackjack every few months, and I never get bored. I find Las Vegas (which I usually visit once a year)exciting - the glitz is all around and has to be seen to be believed. To each his own, I suppose; I also dearly love traveling in the States and in Europe and visiting museums and cathedrals, and I'm a fairly well-educated professional, BUT I still love to gamble. I hope it doesn't become a true addiction, because I certainly couldn't afford it. However, I've won $8000 above "what I started with" in the last 4 months on 4 trips to casinos (not LV), and winning is not the way to make me give it up. Oh, well...I count it entertainment...(I also enjoy playing video poker on the computer using training sessions to show one the best plays...no money involved...so sometimes it IS just the game...)

What I do is play rather than gamble. In other words I play for entertainment. <BR> <BR>My work is quite intensive mentally with a lot of 12 hour days and 7 day weeks. However I am well rewarded so it is worth it all. There is also a pot of gold at the end of this rainbow. I find that visitng Las Vegas or Reno every couple months is a great escape from it all. Playing is the only activity I have found that allows me to completely relax and immerse myself in the games and general casino atmosphere. I will often play video poker and the slot machines for 10-12 hours at a time. I don't care about the odds as long as the game is interesting. I like many of the new video slots. I have played in over 100 casinos in Nevada as well as several other states. Actually my favorite casino is by San Diego. I will typically spend about $600 /day of my own money. Sometime I come out ahead and sometimes I do not. My biggest win was $81,000.00 on a video slot machine at an Indian Casino in California. That was quite a rush. <BR> <BR>In summary yes I like to play. I quit when I get tired of it. Money is not a problem so I don't worry about that.

IMHO, it's the mentatlity of Americans - maybe the world - the appeal of getting something for nothing!!! And the easier the better.

I also play for entertainment, and if I win it's a bonus (I usually break even). I like blackjack, and I usually play for HOURS. I find it's a nice social activity, too, since I end up bonding with the people on my table and sometimes the dealers. IF I get into a losing streak, I'll quit....or I may just go over to the nickel slots to meditate (the repetitiveness of the slots is kind of therapeutic, but I'm not going to jump on a dollar machine for "therapy."). <BR> <BR>My parents have always been very into gambling, but not as an addiction. They taught me that you need to set a limit (per day) that you can lose, and once you lose up to that limit, you MUST walk away. Then again, as my mother would say, "But you're NOT here to lose."