The Eternal Allure of Gambling

I just spent three days in the land of milk and money - Las Vegas. There is something refreshingly honest about the place: it's all about money and it knows it. It doesn't pretend to be anything else.

No doubt some of the architects think that their work has some importance of its own: the re-creations of Venice, Camelot, Paris, Egypt, and New York. Battling pirate ships and erupting volcanoes aside, once you enter the themed palaces, they are all the same: crap tables, blackjack tables, roulette wheels, and thousands upon thousands of slot machines - all promising to give you a fun time while you lose your money in the pursuit of a possible fortune.

The lure of gambling has existed throughout recorded history but has never gripped the millions who now participate. We play state-sponsored lotteries, visit tribal and other legal casinos, create special accounts for Internet gaming, bet the horses, bet the dogs, bet on sports, fights, anything where we can catch the excitement of beating the odds.

Moralists worry that a large percentage of those who risk their money, are those who cannot afford to risk anything: the poor, the unemployed, the minimum wage fringe who, at the best of times, barely hang on to the basement rung of the economic ladder. They argue that gambling should be a pleasant pursuit for those who can afford to lose a reasonable amount, using the money they have earned for purchasing excitement, entertainment, and momentary escape.

Who's kidding who?

For the middle class gamblers who bet on the super bowl, the derby, the occasional lottery ticket, or visit the casinos once or twice a year, gambling is a diversion, a fun time, a little bit of excitement sandwiched between the realities of career advancement, building a nest egg, raising children, and doing their civic duties. The thrill of a potential win is the lure of proving their ability to compete, to come out on top, to better their opponents, the pros, the odds, the morning line. It is a personal challenge that can boost their self-confidence when they win but has few negative effects when they lose because their real self-image relates to the important aspects of their lives, separate from their gaming ventures.

It is those who cannot afford to lose who become addicted to the lure of chance. Stuck in minimum wage employment, without the education, the skills, or the entrepreneurial savvy to work their way up the social and economic pyramid, they see gambling as the promise of a permanent way out, a tsunami that can sweep them instantaneously to the top, an overnight millionaire. A lottery ticket, a slot machine, a pick 6 wager, plays no favorites. The poor, the homeless, the forgotten, the have-nots, all compete with the rich and famous on an equal footing. They become hooked on continued gaming because it is the only chance of reaching the lifestyle they want to achieve.

A successful businessman wins a quarter of a million dollars and it is nice: a bonus, a chance to splurge on new toys, the opportunity to retire outstanding debts, or expand their company with a welcome infusion of capital.

A working-class-stiff wins a quarter of a million dollars and it is truly life-changing. A janitor, a gardener, a fast food worker, a guard - with a windfall like that, they can turn their back on the roach-infested slum apartment and move to a better neighborhood or buy a small house and a new car. They can quit their hated job, help their families, participate in the good life they have only previously experienced as outsiders, looking in.

The problem is that it is non-sustainable. Winning what seems like an enormous amount of money seldom leads to rational investment: education, skill upgrades, saving for future college costs or business opportunities. Moving from nothing to something, in an instant, is not an event likely to produce rational planning. For those whose monetary and emotional needs have never been truly met, immediate gratification is the direction of choice. A lifetime of denial demands a certain degree of self-indulgence when the means for it become miraculously available.

Is it any wonder that a large percentage of lottery winners file bankruptcy within five years of their win? The moves, the changes, the life enhancements that substantial wins provide are ephemeral.

In the short run, they provide an exciting exit from a black tunnel. In the long run, such a win turns negative - because the dream has become a reality, even if only for a brief moment, returning to prior levels of existence becomes an even more painful form of imprisonment.

The need to recapture that dream, and perhaps maintain it this time if a mega-million prize can be snatched, keeps the gambling industry thriving and the promises of dream fulfillment entice us all, most especially the poor, into one more venture, one more ticket, one more chance.

Virginia Bola is a licensed clinical psychologist with deep interests in Social Psychology and politics. She has performed therapeutic services for more than 20 years and has studied the effects of cultural forces and employment on the individual. The author of an interactive workbook, The Wolf at the Door: An Unemployment Survival Manual, and a monthly ezine, The Worker's Edge, she can be reached at http://drvirginiabola.blogspot.com

---

Slot Machines - Good and Bad Locations

Although no one will ever truly know where the casinos... Read More

States Lottery Basics

For those who dream of quitting their jobs and being... Read More

How To Choose A Reputable Online Casino

With literally thousands of online casinos on the internet, it... Read More

Win Every Single Time You Play Poker, Chips Or No Poker Chips, Guaranteed

Having played many, many poker games in my time and... Read More

The Secret of Put Bets

Pssst...! Wanna know a secret?How about the secrets of making... Read More

The Secrets of the Big Numbers

Pssst...! Wanna know a secret?How about the secrets of the... Read More

Useful Gambling Tips, Tricks & Secrets

The general idea of both land-based gambling as well as... Read More

Insider Tips For Finding A Great Online Poker Room

Even though they look pretty much the same and they're... Read More

Online Bingo - Internet Craze

Traditional Bingo has been a popular pastime for many years... Read More

Would You Bet on Your Brand? - Three Strategies for Winning at Brand Poker

It seems you can't turn on the TV without seeing... Read More

Poker Tournaments for Beginners

As the game of Poker is scaling new heights, casinos... Read More

Poker Fever

Big blind with my jack-three off suit, I found myself... Read More

A Beginners Guide to Poker Chips

Poker is one game that has influenced almost whole of... Read More

2005 World Series of Poker -- Complete Report

Over 29,000 poker players came to Las Vegas from 40... Read More

Gambling History of United States

Against the popular belief, gambling did not originate in the... Read More

Maximizing Your Blackjack Earnings Without Counting Cards

Blackjack has some of the best odds in the casino.... Read More

Playing Low Limit Shorthanded Holdem Online

When it comes to playing shorthanded games online, one size... Read More

Slot Machines - The Basics

Slot machines are by far the easiest - and one... Read More

Wisconsin Casinos, The Top Three

I have been gambling in Wisconsin since I was 16... Read More

World Series of Poker Mania

The popularity of the World Series of Poker gained tremendousmomentum... Read More

Addictions To Gambling on The Rise!

Over the past five years addictions to gambling have grown... Read More

Online Poker Tournaments -- Time to get aboard

Online poker tournaments are skyrocketing in popularity due to reasons... Read More

How to Play Online Roulette

Maybe you haven't played online roulette before, or you are... Read More

The Adventure for Poker Gold

From the drama TILT made by ESPN to the deal... Read More

The Concept of Value in Sports Betting!

In sports betting you need to make sure that your... Read More

The Secrets of Laying the Fives and Nines

Pssst...! Wanna know a secret?How about the secret of laying... Read More

A Game For All Seasons

An overall review of online casino software has led me... Read More

Texas Holdem Poker Legends

Stu Ungar is considered by most to the greatest No... Read More

Spider Solitaire: A Strategy Guide For Beginners

Spider solitaire is a well-known solitaire game, which has gained... Read More

Roulette System: 4 Most Important Factors To Beat Roulette at Online/Offline Casino

In this article, you are going to learn about the... Read More

Four Tips for Online Poker ? Tells, Mixing it Up, Preflop Rasies and Changing Gears

Tip One: Mix Up Your Play: Once you have mastered... Read More

Why Use an Internet Sports Book to Make Wagers?

Although I started using online sportsbooks almost ten years ago,... Read More

10 Tips That Will Give You Unfair Advantage At The Poker Table When Playing Texas Holdem Poker

Playing poker and winning is a very difficult task to... Read More