Ep. 44 - Thinking Straight About Gambling: Myths and Facts

Gambling is a popular activity. And, there are many opportunities to gamble, particularly since many of us can now buy lottery tickets and play slots or poker online. With more legalized access to sports betting in North America, there is a large industry encouraging us to give it a try.

But even though it’s a common activity, we’re behind the ball with sharing accurate information about gambling. When we gamble with inaccurate ideas or beliefs, there is a greater risk for getting into trouble with it.

In episode 44 of our podcast, Fold em: Help for Gambling Problems, we look at some common thinking traps we fall into when gambling and give you accurate information to help keep it in control.

Tune in to episode 44 to learn about:

• how the random number generators in slot machines work

• why gambling for long periods of time can work against you

• why you might want to take a second look at your systems and superstitions about gambling

• how you might be missing the signs of gambling addiction

Listen now to episode 44 of Fold em by clicking on the green play button at the top of the blog.

If you prefer to tune in directly from Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts, click on the red “Listen and Subscribe” button below.

It is helpful to step back at times and take a look at your thoughts about gambling

Catching faulty thinking helps to keep gambling in check

Faulty Thinking About Gambling … and the Facts

Although we don’t like to admit it, most of us get caught up in the emotions of gambling. You might have your lucky numbers for the lottery or systems for sports betting. When winning or losing our emotions and stress often pull us even farther from rational thinking. Who hasn’t had thoughts like these when gambling? “I’m on a lucky streak,” or “I’m due for a win.”

In this episode of Fold em, Roxanne L’Esperance and Martha Funk look at faulty thinking that comes up for many of us when gambling. It can be helpful to step back and take a look at our thoughts about gambling. Catching inaccurate thoughts and ideas can help to keep gambling in check - especially when winning or losing!

Here’s five common examples of faulty thinking about gambling:

1. The longer I gamble, the more likely I will win

Fact: The odds in gambling favour the house. Whether you gamble for a short time or a long time, this doesn’t change. In addition, the longer you play the more your decisions will be impacted by your emotions, stress and feeling physically tired. This may lead you to be more impulsive and risky, which often leads to more losses.

2. There are ways to increase my chances of winning

Fact: Although there are varying amounts of skill involved in gambling activities, all are games of chance. That means the outcomes are unpredictable. Most aspects of life operate according to a system (eg. you put your foot on the gas pedal of a car and it moves), so it’s tempting to slip into believing that systems and superstitions apply to gambling. But, ultimately all gambling outcomes are primarily influenced by risk, unpredictability and chance.

3. If a slot machine hasn’t paid out in a while, it’s due for a win

Fact: Slot machines operate with a computerized random number generator. Each play is unique and independent and not influenced by previous spins. Just like the roll of a dice, we can’t predict the outcome of a spin on a slot machine. Past spins don’t predict future ones.

4. Gambling Isn’t Addictive

Fact: Gambling operates according to intermittent positive reinforcement. This means that it offers a positive reward (a win) but you never know when it will happen. This is a big part of what what makes gambling so exciting and hard to stop. For some (about 3.3%) of the population, gambling becomes very difficult to stop despite it causing significant problems. The risk for this occuring is higher among young adults, those with previous addictions, and people experiencing depression, anxiety and ADHD.

5. Addicted Gamblers Play Every Day

Fact: Compulsive gambling can happen regularly or in binges. The key isn’t how frequently one gambles or how much money is spent, but rather the degree to which it is negatively impacting that person, their life and the people around them. This can change over time, particularly in response to stress. Check out our blog on signs of a gambling problem. Guidelines have been developed in Canada to help us know if our gambling is at risk for geting out of control.

Hear more from Martha and Roxanne about common ways our thinking about gambling gets distorted in episode 44 of Fold em.

Listen now by clicking on the green play button at the top of this blog or the red “Listen and Subscribe to Fold em” button below.

Check out other episodes of Fold em and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out when new ones are released.

Want to Connect With Support and Counselling in British Columbia?

If you live in British Columbia and would like to learn more about free, confidential support and counselling services from Gambling Support BC, click on the red “Connect with Support in BC” button below. Or, go to the Gambling Support BC website. You can also access our services through the Gambling Support Line. It is available 24/7 at 1-888-795-6111.

Gambling Support BC services are available to any British Columbia resident experiencing problems from gambling. You don’t need to stop or quit gambling or be self-excluded to access these free supports.

Our counselling and outreach services can help you figure out how to manage gambling concerns, including how to control or stop gambling. You decide what will work for you.

You can talk to an outreach support person about next steps for yourself if you aren’t wanting counselling. They can help you find self-help resources or local community resources and make a plan that meets you where you are at.

Want to Connect With Support and Counselling in the Rest of Canada and the United States?

For a list of gambling help services in Canada, visit www.gamblingguidelines.ca/getting-help

To find gambling help resources in the United States, visit the National Council on Problem Gambling

Fold em is a podcast hosted by Adrienne Cossom and her colleagues at Gambling Support BC. Whether you are looking at stopping or scaling back your own gambling or supporting a family member with a problem, this podcast will help you take back control. Hear from gamblers who have been through it and get tips from counsellors. Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.

To learn more about gambling concerns and how to access resources and support, go to the home page of this website, click on the red “Learn More” button below, or connect with us through Facebook.