| If
gambling is becoming a problem for you, you are not alone. Research
shows that 1.1% of the adult population in the U.S. and Canada has
had severe problems with gambling in the past year. Also, another
2.2% of that same population has had at least some problems with gambling
in the past year. Based on a recent U.S. Census, in total these estimates
represent 7 million people in the U.S. alone. |
| Sometimes
people who gamble tend to think that eventually it will be their turn
to win, but it’s probably not. Here’s why: gambling is
based on chance, probability, and randomness. If you have a 50-50
chance at winning a game, it doesn’t matter how many times you
have won or lost in the past. The next time you play, your chances
of winning are still 50-50. |
All
gambling is risky to some degree. Games that have a quick turnaround,
such as video lottery, slot machines, and scratch tickets, are typically
more risky. However, gambling problems can develop by playing any
type of game.
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| Systems
And Strategies |
Many problem gamblers believe either that they have
found a way to “outsmart” the
system or that they have an ability to beat the odds. Even
if you were able to handicap a
race or count cards, there are
still many factors that could change the outcome of an event. As a
result, it is not likely that you have turned the odds in your favor
or even affected them in any substantial way. Gambling is gambling
—
the outcome is always unknown,
and there is no way for a gambler to affect the odds of
the game. |
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