Psychology of Online Gambling
Let's hope you're not so naive to believe that gambling is all luck; granted, in the end luck is the biggest factor when it comes to winning big. The smartest World Class players will make all the right moves and still lose to Lady Luck.
But luck is not everything when it comes to gambling. There's a psychology at work.
So what is the psychology of online gambling?
The psychology of gambling can be broken down into two categories: the science of psychology and the application of psychology.
Science and Sociology: The Dualities
There are two general views on what gambling means psychologically to a human. Either gambling is a bad, deviant behavior, or gambling is a normal extension of human behavior. Most people see gambling as a bad thing. They deem it an illegal activity.
These people tend to have more straight laced conventional worldviews that don't incorporate the elements of risk. These people would put their money in the bank rather than take a shot on a risky investment, including the stock market which is really the same thing as gambling. These people are not instinctual and tend to view gambling as a pathological sickness that can not be controlled and they may even pity the gambler and label them as diseased.
Those who view gambling as a natural extension of how we live, tend to view gambling as a rational and instinctual process, rather than a form of misguided behavior or a sickness. These people view gambling as a healthy form of leisure. Entertainment, if you will. That's not to say this gambler wants to lose or can't become addicted, just that they view gambling as a natural way to live one's life.
There's no wrong or right answer, neither should be judged; it really boils down to a basic fundamental way a person chooses to live their life.
Application: Control Your Emotions.
There is no room in gambling to lose control of emotions. Losing control of emotions will distract a player from the proper mindset needed to be an intelligent player. A successful gambler has a sense of timing when it comes to knowing when to play and when to walk away. A smart gambler will never go for broke.
Of course it's very hard to control one's emotions when riding the crazy roller-coaster of gambling; there are too many ups and downs; too many close calls not to get emotional. It's natural to get emotional but don't let the emotions stick to you; don't carry them into the next hand; find a way to release the stress and anxiety and hatred and anger and stay in the moment. Get angry in retrospect when you're not at the table.
