The Psychology Behind Gambling: Why We Play and How to Stay in Control

Many of us enjoy betting online and live betting with websites such as GGBet offering an abundance of odds and in-play markets. The feeling we get when our team scores a last-minute winner or our long-odds horse wins at the last hurdle is uniquely …

Many of us enjoy betting online and live betting with websites such as GGBet offering an abundance of odds and in-play markets. The feeling we get when our team scores a last-minute winner or our long-odds horse wins at the last hurdle is uniquely exhilarating.

It is these endorphins that sometimes cause us to chase the next high whenever we place a bet.

Live betting makes things particularly interesting, where we adjust our stakes according to the odds we see, listening to our gut feel of what might happen.

This feeling of satisfaction and our continual quest to predict the outcome of our bet is what compels us to play the game.

Staying in Control

Betting online must be done in moderation and in a controlled way. Each bet we place must come from a logic of reasoning:

  • Do the odds represent good value?
  • How will I feel if I lose this bet?

We need to have this thought process for every bet and ensure that we are never chasing losses or betting online when we are not in an emotionally stable state.

Responsible Gambling Tools

Many online betting providers provide responsible gambling tools so that we can ensure that we stay in control when betting online. If you feel that you are losing control then you need to familiarize yourself with these tools:

Reality Checks

Time can fly when we are betting online and reality check tools can be a helpful reminder of how long we have been using the platforms and encourage us to take a break which is fundamental to staying in control and maintaining a healthy relationship with gambling.

Deposit Limits

Additionally, players can utilize deposit limits so that they are betting online with a defined bankroll for each day, week, or month. Deposit limits are a very sensible tool to use when you are at risk of chasing losses when betting online or live betting.

Self-Exclusion

As a last resort, players can self-exclude for either a set period or permanently. It’s important that betting online is done responsibly and when the going gets tough, it pays to either take a temporary break or worst case, permanently step away from live betting and betting online.

Gambling Addiction Support

If you feel that you or a friend has a gambling addiction and that betting online cannot be done in a restrained, controlled manner, it is a very sensible idea to reach out to gambling addiction support groups and/or websites to obtain important information for staying in control or someone to talk to.

Worldwide groups such as Gamblers Anonymous can be incredibly powerful because it is important to talk to people about such problems when we feel that we are no longer in control.