Unpredictable Payoffs: Learn How You Might be Affected
Variable ratio reinforcement may sound like a fancy psychology term, but what it means is simple – you never know when you’re going to win in gambling, making the payoffs unpredictable. Of course, the possibility of winning can be very appealing. Knowing that every play gives you another chance to win can sometimes make it hard to quit. Many gamblers get caught in a pattern of telling themselves, again and again, “Only five more minutes,” but are still not able to leave. One of the best ways to avoid this trap is to set spending and time limits before starting, and leave any extra money and bank cards at home.
Short term results in gambling are always going to be unpredictable. The best way to introduce some predictability is to set spending and time limits before you start, then stick to them.