Brain may dictate raising the stakes

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/2912406.htm


So here's a handy excuse to keep people at the tables- it's not their fault...;)

1. the people who commented saying they don't bet more when they lose, (contrary to the trend the experiment found) were all slot players. there is no skill in playing slots. one could argue that, since there is no skill, the people didn't trigger a 'mistake' area of the brain because they didn't make a mistake (other than playing in the first place) one could ALSO argue that playing slots is -EV in the first place, and the fact they come back week after week to play again and again is a testament to the fact that they do exhibit this tendency, it just manifests itself more long-term.


also, picking 5 or 25 isn't a skill thing. EV is even either way, (assuming both numbers are just as likely to be ther 'right' choice). going from a losing guess of 5 to a guess of 25 isn't bad odds, just higher SD. if the obvious corrolary here is tilt, and playing worse hands, or pushing hands too aggressively, it doesn't completely hold water. (but nobody made that direct analogy, so we'll let it go). but i think it may speak more to plain human nature, that we try to fix mistakes (and their results) and sometimes make bad decisions while trying to right a wrong.


just a couple thoughts...