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How to Successfully Gamble Online Using the Power of Psychology

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Betting sites often use psychological tricks to get an edge over bettors—but what if we told you there’s a way to turn the tables? If you’re eager to learn how to use psychology theories to win big on your favorite betting websites, you’re in the right place!

Psychology is all about controlling your mind and behavior. Both these factors significantly affect bettors’ chances of racking up sports betting and online casino wins.

In other words, if you want to gamble online successfully, it’s crucial to have a sound understanding of betting psychology—and this article is a fantastic starting point!

But before we dive into the nitty gritty of using psychology to become an online gambling guru, why not take a moment to learn about the best betting sites in your region by checking out Betting Sites Ranking?

At Betting Sites Ranking, we’ve listed the top 10 betting sites in over 100 countries based on factors like what facilities they provide. We also provide a fantastic online betting comparison tool that lets you cross-check the features of three gambling sites at once!

From tips on how to place successful MMA bets to a guide on how to make the most of sports odds, we’ve got it all—and if you combine it with this guide on how to use psychology to successfully bet online, you’ll be making a killing in no time!

Ready? Here’s a detailed look at 7 ways to harness the power of psychology to win big gambling online. Enjoy!

1. Positive Reinforcement

Stacks of poker chips

What Is It?

Have you ever tried using treats to teach a puppy tricks? If you give a pup a treat every time they do something desirable like sit on command, they’ll associate the behavior with a reward and learn it quickly!

This is known as ‘positive reinforcement’—and it’s one of the most relevant psychological concepts to gambling. Why? Because every time you win a bet, chances are you feel encouraged to bet more. In other words, you’re positively reinforced by the win to keep betting.

How Do You Use it to Win Big?

Set a Reward Cut Off

One of the best ways to win big by capitalizing on positive reinforcement is by setting a reward cut-off. In other words, write down how much you want to win and stop gambling the moment you reach your target.

For instance, suppose you’re playing online poker on BetUS. If you’re determined to stop playing the moment you win $20, you’ll walk away with guaranteed wins. This is far better than risking your bankroll because you’re too caught up in being positively reinforced by a series of wins!

Don’t Let Gambling Wins Become Your Sole Source of Positive Reinforcement

Imagine how distraught you’d feel if you lost all your winnings on a betting website just because you wanted to reward yourself after a long week of work. It’d be a nightmare!

This is why it’s vital to ensure betting wins aren’t your only reward source. We recommend spending time with family/friends, eating a nice meal, or doing something you love (that doesn’t involve gambling) to reward yourself instead.

These activities will prevent you from over-relying on winning bets to be happy. As a result, you’ll think more clearly when you gamble online and your chances of winning will skyrocket before you know it!

2. Gambler’s Fallacy

A roulette wheel

What Is It?

Have you ever played roulette in an online casino? If so, you might’ve noticed a section of the screen listing all numbers the ball has recently landed on. Bettors often use this list to pick numbers/slots to wager on—but this is a mistake.

Attempting to predict future events based on past events (even though there’s no connection between them) is known as the gambler’s fallacy.It’s one of the main reasons why live casino players make unlikely bets and prompts some sports bettors to ignore credible information in favor of superstition.

How Do You Use it to Win Big?

Don’t Look at Previous Events Before Placing Bets in an Online Casino

If you want to prevent the gambler’s fallacy from affecting your betting success, it’s crucial to avoid looking at previous events whenever you sit at an online casino table.

In other words:

  • If you’re playing casino slots, don’t pay attention to the previous winning amount
  • If you’re playing roulette, ignore the numbers that have already come up
  • If you’re playing blackjack online using betting software instead of a live streaming setup, remember that cards that have already been dealt might appear again

Always Rely on Statistics and Context If You Bet on Sports Online

Sports gambling outcomes are heavily reliant on how well players/teams are doing leading up to an event. This has led some people to believe the gambler’s fallacy holds if you’re betting on sports (since past events are linked to future events in the sports betting world).

With that said, we don’t recommend placing bets on athletes/sports teams just because they’ve done well recently. What you want to do instead is look at statistics and consider the context in which the event is being held.

For instance, suppose you want to bet on the North London Derby between English Premier League giants Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur FC on the 14th of January 2023.

If you follow the gambler’s fallacy, chances are you’ll bet on an Arsenal win because they’ve won more games this season than the Spurs. However, this match is being played at the Tottenham ground and it’ll take place after the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Therefore, a wiser way to win would be to ignore the gambler’s fallacy and focus purely on player/team statistics. If Spurs have more players fit, betting on them might be the way to go (despite Arsenal’s form)—especially since they’ve got the home advantage!

3. Theory of Reasoned Action

A football game in action

What Is It?

Have you ever behaved in a certain way because you feel right about it? This is the basic idea behind the theory of reasoned action!According to this theory, a person’s behavior is invariably affected by their attitudes and intentions as well as social norms.

For instance, suppose you’re enthusiastic about tracking the development of NCAA athletes. According to the theory of reasoned action, you’re likely to bet on college football because your attitudes and intentions are geared towards doing it and because football is a massive part of American social norms.

How Do You Use it to Win Big?

Use Your Passion Productively

The theory of reasoned action is a useful tool to explain why people bet on socially popular things they’re passionate about. But who says logic and passion can’t coexist?

If you want to capitalize on the theory of reasoned action to win big, it’s crucial to understand how to balance passion and judgment. The secret to doing this is to direct your passion towarddoing research that’ll help you capitalize on sports betting odds.

For example, let’s say you’re a massive Wolverines fan and you want to bet on the game betweenbitter rivals Michigan and Ohio State on the 26th of November 2022. Rather than placing a blind bet on Michigan simply because you hate your rivals, why not redirect that energy to looking at team stats?

This way you’ll satisfy your passion and society’s norms while putting yourself in a prime position to win big!

Don’t Let Social Norms Pressure You into Making Unwise Bets

Have you heard of the saying ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do’? This quote sums up the influence of social norms brilliantly!

Put simply, it’s common for people’s behavior to be swayed by how people/society around them behave—but in the world of betting, this is a recipe for disaster. The last thing you want is to let social norms make you ignore logic and side with whoever’s more popular or generates the most buzz!

If we use the example above, bettors who attended the University of Michigan are extremely likely to place a bet on the Wolverines to win (even if Ohio is killing it). If you’re in a similar position, stop and think through your betting decisions rationally.

Ask yourself—are you placing a bet because social norms say it’s the right thing to do? Are your attitudes toward placing the bet influenced by logic or pure passion? The answers to these questions will help you view your betting habits in the context of the theory of reasoned action so you can win big!

4. Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory

A man wearing sunglasses using a slot machine

What Is It?

When was the last time you were overcome with emotion on an online betting website? Whether you had a hot streak or lost a few hands in a row, chances are you found yourself succumbing to your instincts instead of logic. This is a perfect example of Freud’s psychoanalytic theory in action!

According to this theory, our mind is split into three parts:

  • The id—which is responsible for instinct
  • The superego—which is our moral conscience
  • The ego—which is responsible for balancing the id and superego

Giving into your instincts and making risky bets means letting the id take over. Conversely, if you’re able to keep a clear head and make rational bets, it means your ego has balanced your id and superego well!

How Do You Use it to Win Big?

Only Let Your Id Take Over If You’re Betting on Games of Pure Chance

Are you familiar with roulette odds? Depending on which version you play, there are either 37 or 38 pockets for the ball to land on. Unfortunately, there’s no way to predict where the ball will land on the next turn—even if it landed on black ten times in a row!

How does this relate to successfully gambling online using psychology? The answer’s simple—it’s worth knowing which part of your mind to give the reins to depending on the game you’re playing.

For instance, if you’re playing roulette at an online casino, let your id take over. Why? Because it’s impossible to sway things in your favor using logic. In contrast, if you’re playing online poker with friends, your ego will have more of a role to play—so control your id.

If you can grasp this idea, you’re more likely to have funand attain successgambling online because you won’t feel stressed out if you lose games based purely on chance—and you’ll be level-headed when it is time to use logic!

Recommended Reading: “Top Five Crypto Roulette Casinos”

Don’t Let Passion Override Your Ego

Remember how we said the ego is responsible for balancing the id and superego?

Unfortunately, you’re more likely to follow your primal instincts and make questionable betting decisions if you’re emotionally invested in something. Therefore, if you want to become a successful bettor, don’t let your passion override your ego.

In the Michigan Wolverines vs Ohio State example we mentioned in the previous section, if you’re an Ann Arbor local who was raised to despise the Buckeyes, chances are you’ll always support the Wolverines ardently whenever the two sides play.

In these situations, we recommend taking a step back and understanding how your id, ego, and superego are interacting with one another. Prioritize your ego, keep your id in check, and you’ll be well on your way to winning big.

5. The Near Miss Effect

A person wearing a cap holding their head

What Is It?

Picture this: you’re playing casino slots on one of the best betting sites in your country. You say a little prayer, tap the spin button, and you come agonizingly close to winning the jackpot. What do you do next?

If the first answer that came to your mind is ‘spin again’, you’ve just experienced the near-miss effect! As the name suggests, the near-miss effect is the idea that bettors who almost win big tend to see it as a sign that they should keep playing.

How Do You Use it to Win Big?

Understand Which Games are Designed to Capitalize on Near Misses

Did you know some games such as casino spins are designed to entice gamblers through near misses?

Research shows that game designers use near misses to condition bettors into making bets with low win outcomes. When near misses occur, the bettor’s brain is overcome with signals that spur them on to bet more.

A great way to counter this is to understand which games are designed to make you suffer near misses frequently. Slots, roulette, and blackjack are particularly reliant on near-misses to keep bettors hooked—so if you’ve made decent winnings on these games and start to experience near misses, we recommend walking away to protect your earnings!

If You’re Playing Online Casino Games, Treat Near Misses Independently

One near miss in a game like slots is enough to make you want to keep betting—but what if you experience several of them in a row? If this happens,it’s important to remind yourself that near misses have no bearing on each other.

In simpler words, treat each near miss as a standalone event instead of getting frustrated simply because you’ve experienced several of them in a row. If you want to stop betting, do it for a credible reason like protecting your bankroll, and not because you keep enduring near misses.

6. Humanism

A woman smiling while using a laptop

What Is It?

If you believe every person is unique and ought to be treated as such, you’re a humanist! According to this psychological concept, every bettor has different assumptions/beliefsand is motivated to fulfill their full potential (psychologists call this ‘self-actualization’).

In other words, if you want to attain success gambling online, it pays to look inwards.Ask yourself—how many objective facts do you know about betting? How many things might be assumptions? What drives you to bet online?

The answers to these questions will help you gain an understanding of your betting persona and (hopefully) help you to maximize your wins!

How Do You Use it to Win Big?

Challenge Your Assumptions and Beliefs Through Research

It’s common for bettors to try to protect their bankroll by placing bets that match their unique assumptions/beliefs. Sit at an online poker game for a few hands and you’ll quickly see this in action as players fold, call, and raise based on their assumptions about others at the table!

But how do you know whether your unique assumptions/beliefs are correct? What if they’re wrong, but you stick to them because you enjoy being unique—even if it means losing your bankroll in the process?

In this situation, it’s vital to do as much research as possible so you can constantly challenge your pre-existent beliefs and assumptions. The more resources you check out, the better you’ll become at placing bets to win rather than for other reasons like showing off your personality.

Understand How Your Betting Habits Factor into Your Desire for Self-Actualization

It’s normal for people to want to realize their full potential and develop their abilities as best as possible—but have you considered where betting fits into all of this?

Unless you’re adamant on making a living as a professional bettor, we don’t recommend treating betting as your source of self-actualization. Treat it as a way to have fun instead—it’ll help you feel less stressed, make better decisions, and win more in the process!

7. Affect Perseverance

Fans cheering in a baseball stadium

What Is It?

Has your heart ever told you to continue making a specific type of bet even though your brain says stop? This is known as affect perseverance—and it can be quite damaging if you’re not careful!

Affect perseverance affects sports betting aficionados that have an emotional attachment to the teams they’re betting on. It also occurs if someone bets on an underdog and ends up winning out of pure luck. In such situations, bettors mistakenly stick to one choice irrespective of odds.

How Do You Use it to Win Big?

Take Breaks Irrespective of Hot and Cold Streaks

One way to avoid affect perseverance is to take breaks irrespective of whether you’ve won or lost several bets in a row. This will help you to protect your earnings by not becoming emotionally attached to a specific team/outcome.

Think Bets Through if They Involve Teams/Players You’re Passionate About

We all want our favorite players and teams to win irrespective of their odds. But risking your precious bankroll to back them just because you’ve been hooked by affect perseverance is a recipe for disaster!

That’s why we recommend thinking carefully about betting on teams/players you’re passionate about. If you don’t trust yourself to be objective, we recommend placing bets on other events you’re not emotionally invested in.

Casino chips on top of a laptop next to dice, cards, and a roulette wheelWith the tips we’ve mentioned in this article, you’ll be using the power of psychology to rack up betting wins in no time. But what if you’re unsure what betting websites offer the best terms or where to find high-quality betting resources? If that’s the case, we invite you to browse through Betting Sites Ranking!

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