Do you like to gamble? Have you visited the casino and played some poker or played the slots? Do you like to get together with your buddies and play cards? Do you ever play cards for fun? Have you ever played bingo? Do you buy lottery tickets? Have you ever bet a friend that such or such would happen? Have you entered the office pool for basketball or football? Believe it or not if you have not done one of these activities, you are in the minority. Many people view gambling as bad because of the consequences that can happen as a result. If you think about the basic activity of betting, there are some basic advantages that may counteract the disadvantages. Whether the act of gambling is moral or not will be left to other people to decide. Let's take a look at the benefits.
There is no question about it; there is a level of excitement when you gamble. It doesn't matter if you're playing cards with friends for quarters, buying lottery tickets for $1 or playing roulette for $10 a bet, there is an excitement to the entire process. The thrill of gambling is probably brought on by the urge to win some money with very little work. The need to be better than others plays a factor here, also. When you win, you are better than the person who has lost. The greed factor is a big reason for gambling. Where else can you invest $1 and win multiple millions, sometimes a hundred million in the Power Ball Lottery. There is no denying the emotion of excitement that comes with gambling.
Many people have reported that gambling is a form of relaxation. Many forms of gambling require no thinking. Whether you win or lose, you didn't have to have any kind of master plan. It is simply a matter of luck. As long as whatever money you spend in gambling is thought of by you as entertainment money, you can happily bet and not concern yourself with any loss.
Depending of the type of gambling you do, it's a great way to socialize. Playing cards is a wonderful way to socialize and communicate with your friends and meet new ones. Playing slots may not be the most social event, but even there you can strike up a conversation with the person next to you while you're hitting the button. Joining the office basketball or football pool is also an excellent way to interact with people at work. It's a nice conversation starter and can lead to some good discussions about which team is better and why they will win the game.
The disadvantages of gambling are well known. You could loss more money than you can afford to lose, you may become addicted to gambling, and you may become depressed about your winnings or lack thereof.
With the advantages outweighing the disadvantages, you need to develop a money plan for gambling. Since all the disadvantages revolve around money, the plan will be to set a budget for you gambling activities. Treat gambling as a form of entertainment and determine what you would like to and can afford to spend on your monthly entertainment budget. That is what you will use for your recreational gambling.