Are winning players addicts?

[bkholdem]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Addiction isn't a measure of how much time you spend doing something.

[/ QUOTE ]

Right. You wouldn't call someone who pushes papers 30 hours a week a paper pushing addict. Addicts play for the thrill of gambling, which often means playing outside of your bankroll and more hands/draws than you should, which will eventually make you a loser. I think there are probably some +EV addicts out there, but they are the ones who go BUSTO sooner rather than later.

[/ QUOTE ]

If someone is obsessed with something they are also likely addicted to it. It doesn't make them a bad person but just because they are not a bad person does not make them non addicted. You can be addicted to poker or work or jogging and still be a good person.

[bkholdem]

[ QUOTE ]
What's a generally accepted definition of addiction?

[/ QUOTE ]

Here's an interesting page:

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/gambling_addiction.htm

Some of the criteria/questions would have to be interpreted differently by a competent professional as poker is an atvantage gambling game.

[yellowjack]

The definition of addiction that I've seen psoted here is not very goood imo. A better definition of being addicted to poker is playing and thinking about it whenever you have a second to spare.

This is true for myself, I play it a lot and do whatever I can in my power so that I can continue playing it. This involves bankroll management and learning how to play the game well so that playing poker online can be sustained. The losing players have the same desire, but they don't ensure that they can keep playing poker in the long run.

[tame_deuces]

I think the losing players are also addicted to winning. Or to rephrase...the winning bit is what ultimately causes the addiction.

Experiments shave shown that set actions with random payouts of reward and random intervalls is incredibly addictive even to animals (old Skinner experiments for those interested, but don't let that put you off, these are both good and very interesting).

Other than that I don't think there is much difference in being addicted to slots or to poker, just that in poker some addicts are lucky enough to find a game that actually be beaten.

Addiction is often taken as a sign of weakness or some underlying personal undesirable personal trait, which is unfortunate.

[raze]

I'm not addicted to gambling at all. I get no thrill out of putting a lot of money on the table. I've never played Blackjack for money, but I once dealt for a dude who was tired of his money.

I am, however, addicted to winning at poker. I'm addicted to reading books & learning new strategy so I can hit the tables and make even more money playing this game. When I'm losing, I get turned off the game unless I really feel I'm playing well. I can totally deal with a losing session if I'm sure I played to the best of my ability.

[chicagoY]

There is such a thing known as a "compulsive winner" which is what I believe I am. If I lose at something I give it up or eventually quit. If I succeed----heroin time! I believe David Spanier discussed this in Inside the Gambler's Mind.

[chicagoY]

My dad was--how, I'll never know.

[mudbuddha]

i have a gambling addiction

not a problem..

mabye a problem if we're talking about august...