The Three R's of Intelligent Gambling
There are many factors that get in the way of a gambler's success; the game's odds, the house cuts, cheating, and so on. But the fact is, gamblers are really their own worst enemy. Lots of times, they get into trouble of their own accord, brought down low by their own tempers and passions.
It is said that the love of money is actually the root of all evil. Certainly, it is the feckless gambler's desire to win lots of money that is the root of their folly. So consumed are they with the thought of winning that they never think of exercising thrift in the amount of money that they bet away.
And it's not as though they are such good players that they can afford to spend so much of their bankroll since they'll be winning back several times more money than they have lost. If only it were so, but more often than not they would be as impulsive in their manner of playing as they are with managing their funds.
Gambling games may essentially be games of chance, but one should not gamble solely on gut instinct. Gambling should always be approached with a certain level of restraint, rationality and responsibility. In short, the 3 R's.
A smart gambler doesn't just know how to play, they must also know exactly when to stop playing. A good amount of restraint has to be practiced. If one has reached a satisfactory level of success in a game, it is wiser to quit while the going is good rather than to keep pushing their luck and running the risk of it turning bad. One should just be content with winning enough money; wanting to win more might cause one to lose a lot more instead.
As it is governed by chance, gambling is unpredictable by nature. Therefore, one should not fall for erroneous and completely illogical gambling strategies that profess to do just that. This is where rationality comes in. Probabilities cannot be quantified; there is no set number of times that a certain outcome will recur. It is best to adopt a strategy that woks within the parameters of the chosen game and those of normal logic.
And finally, gambling should not be an excuse for shirking responsibility. Even if one is such an excellent player, one should not take up gambling as a full-time career. Even though there are many expert players who have successfully broken into professional gambling, no one should readily assume that they would be lucky enough to do the same. And even so, there's just no telling how long one's luck would last.
In a field where so much money is at stake, gamblers cannot afford to be foolish. There is nothing really wrong with being bold and taking chances, for that is the nature of gambling. But every gamble made should always be tempered with wisdom. Otherwise, irresponsible players will have no one to blame but themselves for their loss.
