[Sam Odom]

Be it a deep down flaw or overt I say over 50% want to lose or actually enjoy losing.

[jjgold]

Compulsive gamblers like to lose, I sometimes like to lose as it feels better. If we won all the time no one would gamble.

[Sam Odom]

This is the reason a well financed Book is a goldmine not to mention the vig the other 50% has to overcome.

[Mudcat]

No.

There is a scene in the movie, Two For The Money, where the Al Pacino character tries out that particular bit of psycho-babble - and since then I see it popping up on posting forums once in awhile - but it doesn't hold any water.

It's almost like a conspiracy theory. It's a contrived over-analysis designed to reach a sensational conclusion. It sounds psychologically interesting and it gives people something to talk about.

The truth is much more mundane.

People in our society want more money not less. Things are just as they appear - gamblers want to win, not lose.

I certainly do.

[Sam Odom]

Mudcat, what else do you call it when a person KNOWS for a FACT that steaming and/or doubling-up is a losing prop. but will do it in the 'heat' of a NFL day?

[Korchnoi]

Mudcat, what else do you call it when a person KNOWS for a FACT that steaming and/or doubling-up is a losing prop. but will do it in the 'heat' of a NFL day?

They want action. They may know that their expectation is negative, but it's not like they have the option to make +EV bets and they decide to take the -EV ones.

It's like saying a fat guy who eats cake wants to be fat because he knows cake will make him fat and he eats it anyway.

[Sam Odom]

It's like saying a fat guy who eats cake wants to be fat because he knows cake will make him fat and he eats it anyway

Eating cake will make a fat person happy in many cases.

Maybe it's a chemical imbalance thang in the brain which causes 'compulsion' which leads to negative actions for a whole lot of people.

[Korchnoi]

Eating cake will make a fat person happy in many cases.

Maybe it's a chemical imbalance thang in the brain which causes 'compulsion' which leads to negative actions for a whole lot of people.

Same with gambling. Doesn't mean they _want_ to loose, just because they will.

[Sam Odom]

a lexical argument ?

[Korchnoi]

a lexical argument ?

I think it's substantive...u disagree?

[Sam Odom]

Let's just say the _end_ results are the same. The fat person gets fatter (like RPM) and the losers continue to lose (like JJ)

[Arilou]

My take is that there is a huge difference between knowing you will lose in the long run (or are likely to lose in the long run) and betting anyway, and actually wanting to lose rather than win. And I think like Korchnoi that the difference is substantive. I would guess that most gamblers know they're making negative e.v. bets and/or making bets when they shouldn't, but it would surprise me quite a bit if a lot of gamblers actually WANT to lose - even if they think, as I've heard quoted on ESPN, that the next best thing to gambling and inning is gambling and losing. But I also know that I have a very different mindset than that, and don't know anyone who gambles and isn't an advantage gambler in some form.

[Yoshi]

If you enjoy losing money you are sick, simple as that.
Go get some help if you ever feel like it, cause it means the pressure of gambling is alrdy super large in your brain and losing is a relief coz the sweating stops for a while.

[jjgold]

I like being down like $1500 and not having a fukkin dime to pay the book and then I have to rally to get even, I love the pressure and pick more winners when pressed.

[Dark Horse]

Not going for that theory. That's just one step from blaming life on your parents.

Play to win. Or don't play at all.

[jjgold]

Darker if you won every bet you would quit gambling believe me

[Santo]

Yes, he'd probably buy an island, a plane and retire with enough money to not have to do it again.

[Dark Horse]

I guess I better not win every bet then.

(That's funny Santo. I wrote that exact line, buying my private island in the Pacfic, but threw it out).

[Dark Horse]

I hate losing. Period.

The one thing you don't want to get better at.

[jjgold]

Darker if you won all the time it would become boring and zero risk and then it would not be gambling therefore you would not bet anymore.

Pal I know what I am talking about here.

[Dark Horse]

If I would ever reach the point where I had the system beat with 100% certainty, I would milk it to the fullest. That wouldn't be boring at all.

[Dark Horse]

Experimenting is part of gambling. Can't expand your horizon without experimenting, so a large percentage of my losses falls in that category. In that sense I may open myself up to losing for the purpose of becoming better at this great art.

[Dark Horse]

To some people, maybe many, anything is better than being bored out of their brains. Even extreme suffering.

I think a greater danger of sports betting is that it can impair your ability to make decisions in real life. When you're constantly making decisions about games, plus are on the rollercoaster ride of winning and losing, you can have nothing left for real life. Then even simple questions like sugar or milk in your coffee can draw a blank stare. "Sugar or milk?" "I dunno."

So many ways to lose perspective as a gambler. The most important thing may be to take breaks whenever that is needed to regain perspective. Because one thing is certain. With a f*cked up perspective you can't take the right decisions.