We’ve all been there: the cricket game has just finished, but you already froze in anticipation of the next one in front of your TV or phone, hoping for the time to move faster. This is when you realize that sport has moved from the leisure category to a ritual, something bigger.
For some, informed decisions stop somewhere around here, and although they can carefully analyze patterns, odds and statistics, the elusive hope of a big win plays tricks with them, clouding the mind. Although our brain must be our friend it becomes our worst enemy, setting the traps for the cricket fan, who wasn’t playing according to the responsible gambling recommendations. In the latter case you can have a lot of fun from the games like Aviator, available at the link https://www.telecomasia.net/in/aviator-game-download-in-india/, but if you won’t be careful the cognitive biases can lure you to the places nobody would like to get without you even realizing.
The eternal comeback dream: The gambler’s fallacy
Perhaps the most well-known trap is the gambler’s fallacy. Every time your team loses a game, it feels like a personal defeat – and so begins the quest to win back what was lost. “They have to win a game soon!”, we think and put all our savings on the next game. But the truth is that every game stands on its own – previous results don’t matter. Yet this fallacy leads us to bet on completely unrealistic odds in the hope of making a quick fortune.
I’m a fan, so I’m right: Overconfidence.
Cricket fans are also famous for their strong loyalty to their team. We think our favourites are far better than they really are and convince ourselves that they can win the next match – no matter what the statistics say. This overconfidence causes us to take chances that don’t reflect the reality of the match.
First seen, last forgotten: The anchoring effect
Finally, the anchoring effect causes us to fixate on the first odds we see and ignore any new information that changes the picture. Even when teams lose their star players or the weather changes drastically, we continue to stick to our initial assessment of the match. The result? We bet on odds that don’t reflect reality at all.
To top it all off, there’s the fear of losing – we bet too much to win back what we’ve lost or to avoid further losses. And so we come full circle: our emotions guide our actions instead of our reason.
But what’s the solution? Fortunately, we can actually do something about it. By becoming aware of our biases and actively trying to counteract them, we can make more rational betting decisions. It’s about questioning our own assumptions, seeking conflicting evidence and keeping track of our results. It’s also important to accept that cricket, like everything else, has an element of unpredictability – so we don’t get carried away with emotions when unexpected things happen.
Next time you’re faced with an exciting cricket bet, remember: The mind can trick you, but you can also trick the brain. Enjoy the game!
