I don't know about that one of the attractions of gambling is the fact that there's an unknown involved. I used to have people work for me and they all used to go to the dog track or the horse track and bet their money. Sometimes they win a few thousand, usually after they paid their bills they probably end up blowing the rest.
But the truth is, they're not going to save up anything based on what I'm paying them. Something like gambling or the racetrack might be the only way one of those guys ever get their hands on a few thousand at one time.
It's easy to see the attraction of it.
I never really understood the attraction though of gambling when you have money, what's the goal? I've never played poker or any kind of gin rummy or anything like that, I've never bet on football or gone to the track other than to a company friends and hang out.
I always bet on pool though because it pretty much made it real, without something riding on the outcome it just didn't seem the same. I also enjoyed tournament play, in fact I would be more nervous playing in tournaments then betting money.
When you're gambling you can keep playing, but in a tournament it's pretty much always sudden death and you got to shake hands and be nice and congratulate your opponent. I'd rather rack them up and keep playing until one of us quit.