What Gambling Tells Us About Ourselves

In this post, I will share with you the origins of gambling, the psychological reasons why people gamble, and how it is a ‘mirror’ to our human selves. I will also share some new insights into the psychology of gambling; specifically examining how a few pounds can become millions, and how this story can serve as a warning, not only to those who choose to play the lottery but also to those who consider themselves fortunate or lucky.

The Origins of Gambling

Ancient Greek philosophers (who developed the theory of division of labour) taught that we evolved to specialize in one particular task and to excel at it. As a result, they argued that the human brain must have some innate ability to comprehend concepts in order to live.

In this instance, they argued that the brain has a general capacity to reason, but that it was optimally arranged to perform one particular function, such as language. Therefore, the vast majority of the most productive thinkers throughout history (the world’s greatest thinkers) have had some form of language, either of thought or voice. However, reasoning alone is not sufficient, as, in order to survive, we must be able to apply these principles.

Gambling has been around for more than 6000 years; the ancients used it primarily for economic survival, in order to provide cash for essentials during times of scarcity.

As early as 1567, the first licensed gambling house was established in the UK, and the first gambling laws were drafted in 1797.

The evolution of gambling in the modern world is not as well documented. According to some scholars, the first modern industry of gambling dates back to the 16th century, but a fundamental shift occurred when the British colonies won the American war of independence.

It was at this point that the British colonies turned against their aristocracy and adopted the more capitalist social structure of the United States.

Unfortunately, I am unable to provide an adequate There were 24 players in the first game of chance and a maximum of $100,000 was up for grabs (depending on whether you were white or black).history of the United States' National Lottery.

Although the first "lucky lotto" game (as it was known) took place in 1963, it only consisted of drawings from games of chance, such as chances of winning the same amount of money, in the same place, and within 30 seconds.

There were 24 players in the first game of chance and a maximum of $100,000 was up for grabs (depending on whether you were white or black).

The Psychology of Gambling

The power of dreams and reality. Gambling psychology is concerned with the understanding of how fantasy and desire can influence human behaviour. In movies and television programs, we see exciting stories about how winning the lottery could dramatically alter the course of one's life.

As we look around us we see that our own lives are indeed filled with terrible losses, terrible disappointments and most importantly terrible human failures.

When we wake up in the morning and look around the room, we see our homes and our possessions, all remnants of the things that we have worked SO hard for many years, and of course our loved ones. Do you wonder how lottery winners manage to maintain their good spirits and smiles?

The Thrill of Winning A Lottery Ticket

A lottery ticket is the ultimate test of luck: the jackpot is impossible to win, so why do millions of people continue buying them? Furthermore, there is no evidence that luck determines who wins.

There is only one jackpot winner for every group of people; however, if everyone invested the same amount, that one lucky individual would continue to win, and thus the system would fail at some point.

Nevertheless, the thrill of watching someone else win is much more fulfilling than the thrill of actually winning the jackpot. So, lottery players are more likely to keep buying a ticket, because the game is so much more exciting than the reality of buying a winning ticket.

The Losses are not Real

Research suggests that people are not rational when it comes to gambling. Just 1% of the money in the world is spent on gambling (the largest piece of research comes from Britain and includes a wide range of subjects).

While I think of gambling as "normal", there was nothing"normal" about it before records were kept. Gambling used to be considered a sinful activity. Am guessing the above sentence don't make sense to you yet; just hold on...

In the 17th century, Charles II of England introduced The Gambling Act to make it illegal to gamble except for a few special medical and charitable circumstances. The world's largest lottery jackpots can reach tens of millions of pounds.

Gambling is a ‘Mirror’ to our Human Selves

Since the introduction of the internet and smartphones, the West has opened its hearts and wallets to all of the new businesses emerging. Our lives are increasingly dominated by advertisements for gaming apps, daily fantasy sports, and other forms of gaming.

It is clear that gambling is here to stay, so let us examine its origins. The History of Gambling Gambling games come in all shapes and forms and it isn’t just a slots machine. Most of us are familiar with the 'house advantage' in a game of poker.

A million dollars may be wagered on a hand you believe to be a flop at the highest levels of poker. It sounds like a lot, but this situation only happens once in a blue moon.

So How to Beat Gambling you asked?

You just can't. Gambling is essentially the use of your mind and faculties in a destructive way. Despite the mystique surrounding the idea of high rollers, the vast majority of us will never become millionaires. 

My verdicts & Advice

There are no gambling rules but there are gambling laws. Even the most rule-bound behaviour can be broken under certain circumstances, given just the right circumstances, for instance, to try something very different from what you have done in the past just maybe you will be the one to break the next jackpot.