Why do non-gamblers not gamble, what tells them not to?

common sense, i suppose.

maybe self-control too.

basically i don't gamble for the same reason i don't smoke -- fear of addiction.

the money not thrown away on either vice is a bonus...

I am not a gambler although I have gambled on a rare occasion.

I guess it is two reasons; common sense and lack of interest. Common sense is I know that the odds are not in my favor, why else would casinos be so profitable? So I realize that the odds are stacked against me so I only gamble what I can afford to lose and what I would deem is worth losing for entertainment purposes.

The second is lack of interest. I only gamble as entertainment and I get bored after about an hour of gambling. So the few times I've gone to a casino, I've played some slots and played roulette and I forget what else. And then it gets kind of boring to me. I honestly get more interest watching those that are gambling.

With the rare exception of a Megamillions or Powerball lottery ticket? Maybe one or two tickets for every 3 or 4 months? I disdain gambling. Even if money wasn't an issue, I think throwing your money into a bonfire that is gambling at a casino or even the casual bet at an informal card game? Is pretty stupid.

I'm very comfortable not paying the idiot tax.

I'm with you. Very rarely and my max is $20. I could count on one hand the times I've gambled. And I'd rather watch than play, too. But I heartily dislike casinos so never go. I find them sad.

Gambling is one of the few vices I don't have.

You're Not James Bond making baccarat with the Queen's £MMs?

Hardly, more Brooke Bond with a digestive.

LOL What ARE your vices, then? Do tell!

Stamp collecting and whistling tunelessly in Supermarket queues.

Gambling will eventually lead to loss of funds sooner or later. Luck doesn’t stay around forever. The adrenaline rush of winning can and will cloud judgement.

Personally I feel that I’ve worked too hard to piss the money away. Then there’s what I learned as a kid: put money away in a rainy-day fund. If that rainy day comes (such as poor health or an eeected expense) I’m covered without a sacrifice . Be prepared for unforeseen circumstances. I like the feeling of being independent.

For me, it started with PacMan and the realization that these machines made more an hour than I did.

Slot machines are same.

At the same time, I will go to a horse track, get a Racing Form and look for likely long shots and bet $20 over four or five races. Add a hot dog and a Coke, its a fine afternoon for less than $30 and I usually come out $5 or $10 ahead. It's no way to make a living or get rich.

Common sense I suppose and also setting a limit. I would never go above $20 -
which can go a long way though. I spent about 4 hours in Las Vegas losing those 20 bucks. I won a few times, lost some, regained my momento and so on...
I finally won over $300 and stopped - that was the amount of my hotel room and a sign for me to use ist for that.

I think it's like drinking or any addiction. Gamblers always believe they will win enough to cover the loss, but they can't recognize the real losses. It's an inability to recognize the moment. Like drinking, you feel good after one, but why not stop there...for those with this issue, one continues to drink because feeling good can't stop. I gamble and drink, I have lost more than I should have and won when I should not have, but luckily I have stopped when it gets crazy, but I can totally see where the line is and how easy it would be cross to it

1. When I go to the self wash car wash, I put a five dollar bill in a machine and then 5 dollar in coins
are dispersed.

2. I thought I had won 5 dollars, until I realized that it was only a change machine.

3. All kidding aside, I rarely do any gambling.

4. If I gamble, I only gamble very small amounts.

I don't gamble because, for one, I'm very bad at it. And I don't believe I'm unique

I heard a gambling casino owner make the claim that the only way to win in a casino is to own it.

I saw an interview of professional golfer John Daly. He had vast millions of dollars from tournaments and endorsements and he loved gambling. He said his accountant told him one day that he had won 45 million dollars over the years. It sounded good at first, but then he told him he had lost 100 million dollars over the years for a net loss of 55 million.

The other thing is a casino can ban you for any reason (other than discrimination from a protected group), so if you win too much, the casino will simply ban you. So if you are good at, the casino is still protected.