Gamblers Synonymous

So what is it exactly that most gamblers have in common? Do you yourself possess the personality of a typical gambler? And what compels folks to frequent these land or online casino sites and assume all the risks when they know very well that the chances of winning are stacked against them? After all, you know what they say, "The house always comes out ahead." So, are these personality traits inherited genetically or the result of environmental conditioning?


Estimates suggest Americans alone wagered over $100 billion on gambling in 2005, betting through lotteries, sportsbetting, conventional brick and mortar casinos, poker rooms, and of course those new kids on the cyberblock - Internet gambling Web sites. Approximately 80 percent of US residents will gamble at sometime, while presently 80 million Americans are playing poker. Poker has become so popular that it's now considered by many to be a "sport" and enjoying massive TV exposure.


And who's getting fat? A TIME magazine report suggests the estimated 5 billion dollars in profits from Native American casinos would place them amid the top 20 of all Fortune 500 companies. Whoa, talk about honoring a reservation!


The Making of a Serial Player

So what exactly motivates gamblers to return again and again? Perhaps more importantly, the question should be: What are the casinos, both online and land-based, doing to reel in these players?


Well, as Robert De Niro's character in the 1995 movie "Casino" put it, "The rule is to keep them playing & keep them coming back. The longer they play, the more they'll lose. In the end, we get it all."


Though tons of people place wagers on mega sports events like the Super Bowl and World Cup Soccer, casinos cannot rely on these big matches alone for profitability. Instead they depend on repeat clients and attracting them requires doing everything casino operators can to identify those people most likely to gamble regularly.


Food for Thought

Because understanding a player's likes and dislikes translates into big bucks, casinos spend huge sums of money and resources in their quest to target these prospects. Each year, in fact, more than 50 million Americans bet away over 36 billion dollars at casinos. A recent government commission concluded that US citizens spend more cash every year on gambling than they do on grocery shopping.


Various studies have resulted in identifying certain characteristics which make-up a gambler's profile. The results might shock you. A typical gambler is a middle aged female with a household income around $50,000. That's 20 percent greater than the overall U.S. population. These prime players may fling big money away at casinos, while in most other situations they can be surprisingly thrifty. Get this: 55% clip coupons and 62% admitted to being bargain shoppers. Wagerers are 11 percent less likely to visit a place of worship (other than a casino) than people who do not gamble. Folks working in higher risk professions or contending with lots of uncertainty in their jobs, like sales people and owners of small businesses, are said to be more prone to gambling.


Risky Businesspeople

Also fitting the profile are risk takers such as individuals active in extreme sports and people having a greater propensity to experiment with alcohol, narcotics and tobacco etc. As well, older people whose children have left the nest and thus have more disposable income and time on their hands are also considered ideal candidates.


And there you have it; some of the most common personality traits possessed by both land-based and online casino gamblers. So, are you game?

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