There are so many ways to gamble and people all over the world do it on a regular basis. The adrenaline rush that the regular casino gambler (someone who goes 4-5 times a week) gets is what drives them. An adrenaline rush is your body activating a heightened state of physical and mental alertness. As long as it’s not sustained for a long period of time, that burst of human energy can be a good thing. Besides the regular gambler, there are plenty more who enjoy the occasional trip to Vegas or the local casino, or placing a bet on a big major sporting event.
Overall, there are definitely more people out there who think gambling is a total waste of money and time. So be it. Every single person is allowed to have their own opinion and gambling certainly is not for everybody. I certainly don’t believe in encouraging someone to gamble if they don’t want to gamble.
I’m hoping to reach those who are intrigued by the thought of gambling and whether or not they should try it. Perhaps I can enlighten you on the aspects of gambling you weren’t aware of, and by doing so, you can make a more educated foray into it or definitely stay away from it.
Of course, it’s impossible to give a concrete answer to whether or not gambling is ok. You’re absolutely going to find people on both sides of the fence about gambling being worth it or not. It’s going to depend on who you ask!
I’d just like to provide you with some information to help you determine the answer for yourself. I’ll go over the obvious pros and cons, plus other factors you should consider.
Full disclosure though: I absolutely believe gambling is ok! I’m not a professional, but I enjoy the heck out of it! LOL!
PROS
- Possibility of winning money
- Entertaining and fun
- Easy to do
- Big variety of ways
With the conscious awareness of keeping this article relatively short, I’ve only listed 4 pros, but of course there could be many more. These four are most important in my mind.
Without a doubt, the possibility of winning money, no matter the amount, (though more is better) is my number one reason for gambling. It’s possible for anyone, even a complete beginner, to win money. You just need to have some good luck!
I am totally entertained by gambling. I probably don’t look very entertained when I’m sitting at a blackjack table, but on the inside, the adrenaline is rushing and I’m excited about the possibility of beating the dealer and winning money! I think it’s a great form of fun. In terms of pure excitement, what other pastimes can compare with the opportunity to win money? I can’t think of any.
It is easy to get started with gambling, that’s a good thing. You don’t need much knowledge to play at a casino or place a sports bet. There are a few basic concepts you should understand, but nothing is overly complicated. If you want to be a more serious player, you’ll probably want to learn more, but as a beginner you can easily enjoy gambling with just a little bit of knowledge.
Last but not least, let’s consider the various types of gambling available. Casino games and sports betting are the most popular forms of gambling, but there are other types, like bingo, scratch tickets, poker and the lottery, to name a few. With so many to choose from, chances are there will be one that you’d enjoy.
CONS
- Possibility of losing money
- Consistency of winning
- Approval from others
- Can be addictive
There are absolute downsides to think about. Let’s honestly take a look at these, in order to make an informed decision about getting involved with gambling in general.
The biggest con of gambling is of course the fact that it’s possible to lose money. As a matter of fact, you’re almost guaranteed to lose in the long run with some gambling. The “house edge” of casino games is the best example of this. As mentioned in the “pros” section, luck is needed, allowing you to win frequently, but the overall odds are against you as a player. Over time, you are most likely to end up a loser.
Winning on a consistent basis can be difficult. I don’t think anybody can say they’re lucky all of the time, so regularly making money gambling is not a given.
If approval by others concerns you, (many people don’t approve of gambling), it could keep you from doing it. My thought is that it’s my money and I’m going to spend it however I like. I can’t let others approval or disapproval of what I am doing concern me. I just don’t mention my penchant for gambling to those close to me whom I feel may disapprove!
The last con I’ve listed is probably the biggest reason people disapprove of gambling. It can be highly addicting, and cause major problems and potentially even ruin lives.
Making Your Decision
So I’ve listed what I consider the main pros and cons of gambling, and now you can make your own decision as to whether gambling is okay or not. These are the things I thought about it in deciding whether gambling was okay for me. I can’t tell you either way what’s good for you, but I can point out some facts to help you make that decision.
Please carefully consider the pros and cons that were outlined above. Whichever side outweighs the other in your mind, should be your answer.
If you’re still not sure, you might want to consider these additional questions for clarification:
- Are you okay with risking losses for the chance of winning?
- Do you really think you would enjoy gambling?
- Do you have money you can afford to lose, to spend on gambling?
- Would your friends and family approve of you gambling?
- Do you think you could gamble responsibly?
If you answered yes to all of these questions, then I’d say gambling is something you should try for fun.
I can answer yes to all of them and as I stated earlier, I totally enjoy gambling. If you answered no to any of them, then, in my opinion, it may not be okay for you.
I’m not a professional gambler, but I do go to my local casino on a regular basis and believe that gambling can be an extremely enjoyable pastime if done responsibly. However, I also understand and believe that it isn’t for everyone.
I hope my website is filled with information and advice that will help people have the best possible experience gambling. I can only guarantee that you will not win all the time, that’s the nature of the beast!
I’ve never been much of a gambler but I know a lot of people that love to gamble. One of the biggest cons to gambling for me has always been the fact that so many casinos allowed smoking inside. That’s changing now, but that was a huge drawback. I have severe asthma and don’t exactly look for was to constrict my oxygen intentionally. 😉 Now that a lot of casinos are becoming smoke-free, I might try slots or something. I hear that’s a fun way to start. My friends tell me to just go in with a certain amount of money and quit when it’s gone. Seems reasonable. My husband has been to Vegas several times for conferences. I’ve never been there, but it’s on my list to do someday. Thanks for the article. It’s fun to see things from someone else’s perspective.
I certainly agree about the smoking as well. I enjoy slot machines too. Even with many casinos offering non-smoking areas, sometimes the table or machine you want to be at is in the smoking section. I just get up and go to another machine if a smoker sits down next to me, even if they do seem to make the effort to blow the smoke in the opposite direction. Yes, going in with a certain “bankroll” is the best idea, you don’t want to lose more than you can really afford to lose. You just want to go in with whatever amount you won’t mind losing.
What a nice post you wrote! I really enjoyed reading it and I could not be silent about your post so I decided to leave my comment here and say Thank You! For sharing this quality post with others.
Actually this is exactly the information that I was looking for about if is gambling ok and when I landed to your website and read this post, it answered all my questions in details.
So I’m happy that you decided to write about this topic and share it with people. It’s very useful and can definitely be used as a great source for gambling.
I will come back to your website again for sure and I’m looking forward to read your new posts.)
Thanks!
Thank you for your response. I’m so happy you found it helpful, as that was my intent. As mentioned, I enjoy gambling but definitely know it’s something to be done responsibly and it can be great form of entertainment if done responsibly.
Thank you for such a great article. I have never gambled in my life due to the fact that I have never taken the time to see how varies games work in the casino. I only do activities which I can be able to control my risk….well its different strokes for different folks if it works for others I am happy for them.
Thanx again
Glad you enjoyed it. You’re absolutely right about different strokes for different folks. There’s nothing wrong with NOT being a gambler!