Bet regret is a tricky subject. And it’s one of those things that everyone who has ever tried online sports betting, casino, poker or bingo has experienced at least once.
Bet regret isn’t when a bet you made doesn’t win out. It’s not about losing. It’s about placing a bet that you really should never have placed in the first place, regardless of winning or losing.
We’re going to take you through a few scenarios where bet regret can happen. And, crucially, we’re going to tell you how to avoid making that silly bet that you’ll only end up regretting in the end.
When you bet even though you haven’t budgeted for it
We should all have a gambling budget. That’s just a non-negotiable if you’re into any form of gambling. But once you exceed that pre-set budget, you’ve got to STOP betting. Any bet you make outside of your budget is a bet you’ll regret.
So simply set deposit limits on all your online accounts and keep track of your spending in offline betting environments. Employ that internal discipline so that you never end up regretting a bet.
When you lose and you think you can win that money back
Losing never feels good. But sometimes it can trigger an irrational response in your brain. If only you could win back the money you just lost, then things wouldn’t be so bad. That’s a trick of your mind though. You should only place sensible bets because you want to place those bets. You shouldn’t bet as a response to a loss.
When you’re feeling down
On a related note, don’t start betting when you’re feeling bad. Betting is never going to quell feelings of anxiety,, sadness, stress or anger. In fact, those feelings are going to make you make irrational decisions. And that’s never a good thing. In fact, if you’re using betting to make yourself feel better regularly, or conversely, if you notice that after you bet you feel even worse, all of these things can be signs of a gambling addiction.
When you’ve already spent aaaaaggges at the tables
If you’re betting session has stretched beyond what you planned on spending betting, then it’s a clear sign you should stop. Bet regret can creep in when you start making decisions when you’re tired or simply just jaded by betting for so long. Remember to set hard and fast rules about when you stop betting. Set a time limit, and stick to it. You can do this via online betting sites a lot of the time. But if you’re betting in real life, set an alarm on your phone when you know it’s time to go.
More information on responsible gambling
If you’re looking for more information on responsible gambling, the National Council for Problem Gambling is one of the best places to get it in the United States. Another solid resource across the pond is Be Gamble Aware in the United Kingdom.
We’ve also written extensively on the topic. You can find some of our articles here:
