Most people are familiar with the expression “hooked on,” which is generally used to describe someone who is completely focused on or absorbed in something. For example, if you’re “hooked on” fishing or hunting, you probably spend a lot of time thinking about fishing or hunting rather than other aspects of your life. In fact, you might even become obsessed with it. Let’s take a closer look at what this expression means in relation to sports betting:
Addictive Aspect
One of the key elements that differentiates a “true” addiction from a mere hobby is the former’s ability to cause significant problems in a person’s life. When it comes to addictive behaviors like gambling or shopping, the line between “hobby” and “true addiction” can be blurry. For instance, people who are “hooked” on shopping sometimes end up bankrupt due to their compulsive spending habits. To avoid this, it is essential that you understand the difference between a hobby and a true addiction. Gambling is considered to be a form of addiction by the National Council on Problem Gambling, and the World Health Organization has even gone so far as to include “gambling disorder” in their International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11).
Hooked on betting is just as problematic as hooked on drugs or gambling. In fact, it can be even more so, due to the fact that it’s significantly more complicated to understand the odds and apply them to sports activities than it is to simply bet on whether or not you’ll get high or win at gambling. For example, when you’re betting on a football match, you are essentially placing a wager on the outcome. With drug gambling, however, there are several different forms of “hacking” that can be done to get a substance that is considered “unhealthy” by some people. In other words, there is more than one way to “get high” through betting, but with most substances, there is only one way to obtain them legally.
Tight-Lipped
Whether or not you consider yourself to be an addictive person, you definitely have a tendency to keep your feelings close to the vest. This is one of the traits that make you a good poker player, since poker is essentially a game of poker faces. You have to keep your cards close to the vest in order to get the best deal, and you do this by making the other player think that you’re just as tricky as they are. In other words, if you’re tight-lipped, you might come off as untrustworthy, and this, in turn, can cause you to lose business.
Obsessive
People who are obsessed with something are usually very good at it. If you’re obsessed with fishing, for example, you’ll probably catch fish everywhere you go even if you’re not fishing specifically for them. This makes you better at fishing than most people because you see everything more clearly. When it comes to betting, however, being obsessed with it won’t necessarily help you become a better sports bettor. After all, if you are always analyzing the betting lines or using tools to assist with your wagers, you might become too focused on the intricacies of gambling and forget how to simply have fun.
Describes A Lifestyle
Those who are hooked on betting tend to have one other thing in common: they all seem to enjoy a high degree of luxury. Whether or not you consider yourself to be a part of this lifestyle, you definitely play a prominent role in it. One could argue that being “hooked” on anything implies that you’re living the high life and that it’s something you enjoy. Of course, this couldn’t be further from the truth, as many people who are “hooked” on gambling or shopping are crippled by their habits and can’t enjoy normal day-to-day life the same way others do.
Predominant
If one of your hobbies is golf, you probably spend a lot of time thinking about golf. You might even get so absorbed in it that you prefer to take golf vacations rather than regular holidays. Being “hooked” on golf is considered to be a “dominant” hobby because it takes up so much of your mental and physical energy. It is, in fact, one of the dominant hobbies in the U.S. According to the International Fitness Industry Association, 18.2% of adults in the U.S. are classified as “overweight,” which means that they have a BMI (body mass index) that is higher than what is considered “normal.” Obesity is even more prevalent in the United States than it is in England or France. As you can see, a large proportion of the population is “hooked” on obesity. This doesn’t mean that they enjoy spending their time working out or trying to lose weight; it just means that they have a preoccupation with it that takes up a lot of their time.
Rough
Those who are “hooked” on rough play probably engage in a lot of short-handed hitting, as this type of play requires a lot of muscle memory. You’re undoubtedly familiar with the expression “burnt” when an opponent’s shot goes too far and touches the edge of the cup. When this happens, you’re usually not quite sure whether or not your opponent will call for a new ball. After all, the last thing that you want is to ruin a perfectly good ball that you spent hours practicing with. Short-handled hitting is, in essence, an expensive habit. You’ll need lots of practice if you’re going to be able to get the muscle memory needed to be a good poker player. People who are “hooked” on rough play also enjoy the challenge of adapting to changing situations. If you play poker professionally, this is something you’ll have to get used to, as your opponents will most likely be professional poker players as well.
Bored
People who are “bored” with something tend to have a rather lackluster interest in it. If you’re bored with your job, you probably don’t take it very seriously and have little interest in doing anything about it. There are numerous case studies proving that boredom can cause significant problems. For example, people who are “bored” with their jobs often lose a sense of perspective and end up doing things that they would never ordinarily consider doing. Drugs and alcohol are frequently seen as a result of boredom, and sometimes these substances can even become an obsession. There is a reason why the expression “boredom litmus test” has arisen—if you’re not feeling engaged by your job or hobby, you should probably reexamine it to see if it’s time for a change.
Lacks Depth
Those who lack depth in a particular area tend to be rather in awe of experts in that area. For example, if you’ve always been curious about cooking, you might decide to start experimenting with recipes after watching numerous YouTube videos on how to make different dishes. You could read cookbooks and online forums for inspiration, and before you know it, you’re having a virtual cooking class with a master chef. This is the beauty of YouTube—a lot of people can share their expertise with the rest of us, so if you have a particular area that you lack knowledge in, there are probably experts out there who can help you find the answers you need.
No Longer A Hobby
Those who considered gambling to be a hobby tend to lose this perspective once they become addicted to it. Once you’ve been “hooked” on gambling, it becomes more complicated to spend time doing other things. In fact, you might even neglect important aspects of your life, resulting in you losing business as a result. One of the worst crimes that you can commit as a result of gambling addiction is to “burn” a card game with your friends. This ruins the fun for everyone involved and can cause some serious problems in your friendship circle. This is why it is extremely important for those who are “hooked” on gambling to seek help; it would be wise to consult with a professional who can help guide you through the addiction and out of the lifestyle. With the right guidance, it’s definitely possible to break free from the addiction and live a normal life again.