Gambling falls in a unique category out of all the recreational activities that people participate in daily. It is addictive, exciting, and risky, and for the gamblers majorly, profitable. Then how has it managed to become a multibillion-dollar industry? Let’s understand those 4 facts about gambling.

The answer has always been our psychological perceptions. The human brain has not changed much since the last two thousand years and gambling is the evidence you need for that.

Below there are 4 interesting psychological concepts that can be recognized when viewing gambling and the reason our brains can’t get enough of the action.

1 – Risk-Taking

To visit the question again raised in the opening section why are there so many people investing in gambling when they know that most of them are going to be unsuccessful leading to loss of money. The answer isn’t quite positive and not considered, however, it includes many different factors. The most popular of them are reward delays and risk-tendencies.

Another unique aspect of taking risks includes recognizing the factors determining the risk-taking aspects for people to take them even more. For instance, many studies have shown that being in a mood can drive many people to take more risks. Conditions like being in the middle of many constant days of nice weather or even enjoying a fan-favorite sports team win have proven to increase the chances of risk-taking.

2 – The Illusion of Control

You may not have control over the results when you go to the casino, however, you can have some control over your plays. Our way of thinking that we have control over the situation is the psychology of gambling which is not true.

Your chances of winning will be the same, regardless of whether you choose red or black.  An analogous emotion would be based on how things are going you have the choice of raising or lowering the bets. Making these decisions can be easy but they may not always result in success.

The illusion of control poses an interesting question: even having control over something, why would someone think that should result in more success? Overconfidence is the answer to that. Many people believe that if given the opportunity, they have a better chance of being successful. History shows us otherwise.

3 – Concept of Near Misses

One of the major factors in keeping the gambler invested in gambling is the concept of the “near miss”. This is one of 4 facts about gambling also. This point in our psychology traces back to a moment in our evolution when it was quite valuable to suggest near misses with decent optimism.

There is a high chance for you to hunt food if you were living thousands of years ago. A near miss in that aspect might mean that you were close enough to take a good shot however, the arrow was slightly off the target and missed the bull’s eye. You maybe even hit it, but, it still got away.

4 – Converting this idea into gambling

The Gambler’s Fallacy appears mostly in Roulette so we will now see that as an example.

If you are enjoying real money roulette and betting on simply red or black, you will take notice of the pattern of the appearance of the color many times in a row. There is a chance based on what sequence has come up recently, you might move your money back and forth. There is a good chance of you switching your money to “red” if there have already been four “blacks” in a row. It is only the logical way of looking at it.

This makes sense that red and black should appear 50% of the time roughly. It is, however, easier to see where this thought process collapses on a deeper level.

In conclusion, it is important to recognize every trial appears independently of any trial before that. For the result to be 50/50, the roulette requires infinite spins, flips, etc., to be reliable enough.

This is one of the 4 facts about gambling. The previous coin flip does not determine the next one. This decision cannot help you in making any good decisions, however, it can prevent you from investing all your money on red because it simply landed on black five times previously.

Synopsis

These are the 4 facts about gambling. When looked through the eyes of psychology, gambling can be a fascinating concept. Keep in mind that everything stated in this article, the casino already knows about and utilize to manipulate your decision making.

Even though this information might not make you more successful but it can stop you from making mistakes any further. It is also a healthy reminder that above everything else, winning or losing money while gambling is just plain old dumb luck.

Sports betting has gradually begun to establish itself in the mainstream culture. In place of antiquated policies that have stayed in place for way too long, many states in the U.S. have begun to implement contemporary gambling laws. Let’s find can you bet on sports in Canada?

This predicament had us thinking about the people in the north.

A rich history of sports betting

Since before the European settlers went on an expedition across the Atlantic towards a new world, betting on sport has a tradition in Canada.

The natives in Canada, over 600 years ago, were placing bets on events such as archery competitions and canoe racing. In the wait of action, many bookies who were the first to invade North America were standing on the sidelines.

These events did not only sharpened the skills of competitors but also entertained the locals.

The pioneers of these sports had to put their lives on the line back then for survival unlike now when pro athletes live in luxurious mansions with a ton of money in their bank account.

After the Europeans colonized “The Great White North”, many believe that the first Canadian regulations on gambling came in 1774.

Hence, for hundreds of years, Canadians could gamble and bet on sports with legitimacy. Since the introduction of the Canadian Criminal Code, all of that changed in 1892.

Gambling begins to re-integrate itself

Canada saw bingo enter back into their world during the early 20th century. However, only as a charitable endeavor. For the ones familiar with the operational mechanics of bingo halls, there are many benefits to the charities involved as well.

For those who are lucky enough to win, bingo halls can also be extremely lucrative.

1985 was a big year for Canadian sports bettors

The Canadian government, in 1985, again made amendments to the Canadian Criminal Code.

There are massive similarities between sports betting laws and their development between the United States as well as its neighbor to the north.

There were different methods to turn these changes and bet on independent games. The sportsbooks only added the option of placing 2 different bets on each team of a specific contest. This process made the opportunity for sports bettors within the legitimate laws to place over/under wagers.

Sports betting in Canada today

This is a murky pool to dive in across Canada. Under these circumstances – Can You Bet on Sports in Canada?

Just like several sports in the U.S., Canadian sports betting laws are generally outdated and are in a dire need of amendments.

The sports betting climate of the country has been completely changed due to online betting. It is still quite illegal for any company to perform any actions or business as a sportsbook or an online casino. However, there is no specific mention of Canadians betting in online gambling being illegal in the laws.

Hence, it is not quite illegal for Canada’s residents to invest in online sports betting. Offshore sportsbooks have noticed the Canadian market and have invested in it.

Every year, Sports Bettors spend billions in Canada with these offshore sportsbooks. The pinnacle of this situation is that the Canadian government is not getting any revenue from this.

There is a massive influx of cash to the local and federal governments through the legal forms of betting in Canada. The insane amount of dollars invested in sports betting online can single-handedly impact infrastructure and social programs. This is only true if those dollars were not being transferred to companies overseas operating remotely.

The government officials have certainly taken notice and there aren’t many politicians who don’t think this is a good idea of millions of dollars in tax being sent to other countries.

However, all this money generated from legal gambling to the tax can change the shape of a country.

Over the next 2-5 years, the sports betting scene in Canada should improve and reform legally. Opening the gates for punters to enjoy the addition of sportsbooks as well as bet online is one of the ways to go with it.

The Canadians would take a large cut of the situation and utilize that money for social programs.

What are Canadians betting on?

It is quite known that you cannot walk into a sportsbook in Canada and bet on just one game. We also know that billions of dollars are being invested in sports offshore annually by Canadians.

The most important question that these facts raise is what are the Canadians betting on?

The answer to it is that they are betting on the same sport as that of the U.S. gamblers. However, in terms of popularity both of them are miles apart. Let’s breakdown the sports that the Canadians are betting on the most:

1- Football

There is also no chance you did not expect the NFL to not make it big in the market of online sports betting in Canada. This league is along with the most popular leagues in the world. Every Sunday there is plenty of action which means that those who bet on sports can watch an entire day viewing their picks.

Even though the CFL might struggle in the eyes of the U.S. viewers, the NFL betting is quite big when it comes to Canadians. Every week die-hard fans will place multiple bets on the league.

2- Hockey

Hockey is a religion in Canada. The majority of the Canadians are fed to the field, stick, and puck at an early age. There have been people who were practicing skates before they could even walk!

We might never know how much truth lies in there but we can figure out the passion that Canadians have for Hockey from that statement.

There is an 82 game regular season plus playoffs provided by the NHL. This imbibes to there being at least one game every night from October to April. After that, the real action starts when the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin.

One of the most entertaining sports viewing experiences is Playoff hockey.

3- Basketball

The man who invented the game of basketball, James Naismith, was legally a Canadian. There is a huge fan following of basketball in Canada and recently that craze has only intensified.

4- Baseball

With the arrival of summer in Canada, baseball replaces hockey as the sport du jour.

In the 1990s, the Toronto Blue Jays experienced a massive spike in the sport’s popularity. Due to some recent matches, baseball betting has been solidified as one of the top sports for Canadian bettors.

Synopsis

Before the start of this article, the question was – can you bet on sports in Canada?

The body of this article consolidates the answer to it as yes. Due to the legalities of the sports betting scene in Canada, the waters are muddied. Betting on sports is free but not on just one game unless you are using an offshore sportsbook. So friend, did you get the answer – can you bet on sports in Canada?

Poker is a popular game played by many. Many players care about how much money they can win, which is fine, but there are also a lot of players that are more interested in having fun. Of course, these players would obviously love to win some money if they could, but they don’t mind losing at the cost of an enjoyable experience. We will talk about Poker Etiquette to follow and not to Follow here.

This is one reason why it’s so necessary to follow the norms and be respectful while playing poker. It is the liability of every player to ensure that other players have a positive experience.

You need to follow etiquettes involved in poker. You need to know some unwritten rules which display what you should and shouldn’t do and breaking these will likely alienate your fellow players.

Poke Table Etiquette to Follow

Here is the rule of etiquette that you must follow at the poker table:

1. Be Polite

If you play live poker for a long time you’ll probably encounter many players who don’t follow this rule. It becomes very easy to stick to yourself and there’s no excuse for not being polite and courteous to your fellow players. You just have to stay quiet, but using good manners isn’t hard to do and it’ll create a better and welcoming atmosphere at the table.

2. Make Your Actions Clear

Clearing your action will not only make your life easier but your opponent’s life also.  Shoving a few chips into the pot and mumbling “raise” or “call” doesn’t give you the benefit and it’ll simply annoy your opponents. You can even slide a neat stack of chips in front of you and declare your actions with clarity. It will avoid all confusion and it will ensure that you are not trying to gain an advantage by misrepresenting your actions.

3. Keep Up With the Play

You must pay attention to what’s happening at the poker table while you’re playing and it becomes more important to know when it’s your turn to act. You must also ensure that you post your blinds and antes on time and that you avoid acting out of turn. Do take much time to make a simple decision and keep players waiting while you order a drink or something to eat.

4. If You Show One, Show All

This is the rule of this game. If you win a hand without a showdown, what you cannot do is show them to just one player. This will give that player an unfair benefit, as they have information that no-one else has access to. Although it may not be that helpful to them, it’s the rule of the matter that’s the real concern. If you show one, you must show it all. This rule applies if you decide to throw away without showing.

5. Be Stable in Defeat and Victory

Being a poor loser or a poor winner is not a sportsman spirit. So you should always try to be gracious in both defeat and victory. You may display a little bit of distress following a particularly crushing defeat, but you won’t gain any respect by going showing a massive rant every time you lose a hand.

The same is the case with a victory. A small celebration after winning a big pot is perfectly acceptable. Celebrating too loudly is just going to agitate your opponents and gloating about how brilliantly you played a hand is equally annoying. If you want the respect of your opponents, then you should act with some degree of humility.

Top Five Poker Table Taboos

Poker etiquettes are not only about what you should do, but it’s also about what you should NOT do. The following points are the top five taboos that you should avoid while playing poker!

1. Talking About a Hand You Are Not Involved In

Discussing something during a hand that you aren’t involved in, definitely goes against poker etiquette. No one wants to hear your views about what each player may or may not have, what they need to do next, or what you think is going to happen. It is annoying to the players that are involved in the hand. It may also distract their concentration.

2. Criticizing Your Opponents

You must not criticize the way any of your opponents have played. That is not your say. Whatever mistake they might have done. It’s simply not the way to behave at a poker table. Everyone has the right to play how they want. Moreover, why would you help your opponents improve their game? When they make mistakes, it improves your chances of beating them, so please keep that in mind.

3. Revealing Your Cards during a Hand

Showing your cards during a hand, regardless of whether you are still active or not, is very poor poker etiquette. It passed on the information to the table that may provide benefits to one player over another.  

There is more than one way to reveal your cards to the table. You may not tell about your cards but you need to be careful not to reveal your cards accidentally too. Carelessly throwing your cards away when folding, can easily result in exposing them. If you exclaim in frustration when you make a great hand, then players would be able to determine what exactly was in your hand to some extent.

5. Slow Rolling

It is about describing a few different circumstances, but it would apply when you know he has the best hand at showdown and takes a long time to turn over his cards to build up suspense. It could also apply when a player takes a long time to call an all-in bet, despite knowing that they have the best hand at the table.

Slow rolling is one of the worst etiquette breaches. It only winds up other opponents and irritates them after you won a big pot. Often some players slow roll deliberately to put down their opponents, it’s not recommended.

4. Blaming the Dealer

Poker dealers are there just doing their job. They have no control over what cards are dealt. Abusing or attacking a dealer because you’ve suffered a bad beat is not acceptable. You must be ready to get some bad luck from time to time. This is the nature of the game and it’s your responsibility to learn how to deal with the irritation and stop yourself from taking it out on the dealer.

Synopsis

Moreover, you may also tip more often the dealer. A dealer who has dealt fast and efficiently, with a friendly and pleasant manner deserves a decent tip than a dealer who continuously made mistakes and wasn’t that friendly. So, by now it would have been clear as to what Poker Etiquette to follow and not to follow.