Let's begin with a definition. What is gambling? Gambling is betting on a thing that may or may not happen down the road. Whenever we gamble, we take a risk, choose an uncertain outcome, and bet on it. Gamblers bet on casino games, horse racing, and sports where the result cannot be predicted with certainty. A lot of people will bet on anything. Remember the Seinfeld episode where Kramer bet on the arrival and departure times of airplanes at a whole new York City airport?

How is gambling different from buying stocks and bonds? Stocks and bonds will be considered investments and not gambles because we can reasonably expect to come out ahead within the long haul. They may be risky but not in the same sense as gambling.

How is gambling not the same as buying insurance? Whenever we buy insurance, we have been betting on a thing that may or might not happen down the road. We do not want to take the risk that it will happen, so we pay somebody else (the insurance company) to take the risk for us. Whenever we buy homeowner's coverage, for instance, we have been betting our house will burn down and also the insurance coverage company is betting it won't. (Of-course we hope we won't win this bet.) This is not gambling because the risk can be calculated. The insurance coverage company uses all kinds of statistics to analyze the probability of our house burning down and fixes the premium we're going to pay accordingly.

People have gambled since ancient times. Conversely, society never approved of it since it was labeled an effort to get money without doing work for it. Society considered that hard work should pave the way to financial success. It wasn't until the late 1960s that states (except for Nevada which had legalized all forms of gambling earlier) started to run lotteries to raise money for worthwhile causes.

So why do we gamble even though we are unlikely to win within the long haul? We gamble for the excitement of the uncertain outcome. Some gamble to try to make their financial dreams come true. A lot of people gamble for entertainment or enjoyment, for example a night out with friends at the casino or possibly a bingo game for a charitable organization or safe quality soccer a lottery ticket. Some think they can beat the odds and make a living out of gambling. You can find individuals that gamble because they simply love the challenge. They look at gambling as a game of skill or problem-solving and they are sure also they can win. Some like the environment or perhaps the thrill of a possible big win, or perhaps the adrenaline rush of taking a chance. Casinos allow us to socialize and pass some time. You can find no clocks in a casino; we lose track of time; we forget all our troubles. It's like a therapy session! If we have been timid, we can go to a casino and boldly take chances.

Occasional gambling might be a relaxing type of entertainment but be cautious not to get addicted. Addiction may lead to obsession. You could lose control and become so fanatical which you can ruin you life or suffer other catastrophic consequences. So if you gamble, be sure to set limits and keep to the limits you have set.