What Is ‘Chasing Losses’ In Gambling?

Chasing losses is a behavior commonly associated with gambling addiction. It is when you continue to gamble to recoup losses from previous bets.

It can happen in all forms of gambling, including sports betting, poker, lottery, slots, bingo, and much more.

“It just means you have made some money, you’ve lost some, and you’re trying to make it back,” Dr. Rani Hoff, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine, told GamblingHarm.org. “You’re going to be chasing losses during a day at the casino.”

Chasing losses does not mean you have a gambling problem, but it’s a significant red flag.

When to Worry About Chasing Losses

“Chasing losses is 100% one of the addiction symptoms, but not all of them,” Dr. Hoff said. “Chasing is an addiction hallmark related to difficulty cutting back and withdrawal symptoms. But you need the other two – gambling more and more, more spending, as well as gambling to avoid everyday problems; is it affecting your daily life and functioning? Chasing is a very common symptom, but that does not get you to an addiction.”

No time frame defines chasing losses. Some people try to recover losses immediately, while other gamblers might delay their loss-chasing. Negative emotions related to losing money at gambling can linger.

Some gamblers refer to loss-chasing as getting “out of the hole” or “even.”

Why Chasing Losses Doesn’t Work

While a gambler may initially be successful in recovering lost money, it’s almost always a matter of time before more money is lost.

The mindset behind loss-chasing is dangerous because you could eventually lose everything you have.

All gambling games carry a built-in house advantage. In other words, game developers design the product so you lose over time to the game operator (e.g., the casino or sportsbook).

In peer-to-peer gambling games, such as poker or so-called “prediction markets”, the operators take fees, and you will still lose over time. It’s literally just because of the math.

Academic research has proven that nearly all gamblers lose.

Gambler’s Fallacy in Loss-Chasing

The gambler’s fallacy is essentially the myth that you are “due” for a win after experiencing more losses than you would expect on average.

An example is flipping a coin five times and getting heads each time. While this is unlikely, it’s certainly possible. The five consecutive heads results do not alter the odds of the following coin toss. It’s still 50-50 every time for heads or tails.

However, the gambler’s fallacy is that tails are due after so many heads results in a row. This faulty logic can provide the impetus to continue gambling to win back lost money.

The near-miss effect, which involves the seduction of being close to winning money but still losing money, can compound the risks of the gambler’s fallacy.

How Many Gamblers Chase Losses?

Many gamblers chase losses, but how common it is can depend on the form of gambling. Among people with problem gambling, loss chasing is the most common behavior.

“It is the most universal sign that you might have a problem with gambling. All of my clients have reported chasing losses,” said Abdullah Mahmood, a problem gambling counselor at the Maryhaven addiction treatment center near Columbus, Ohio. “If you are starting to chase your losses, it could be worthwhile talking to someone about your gambling habits.”

According to a 2024 survey from Siena College and St. Bonaventure University, 53% of all online sports bettors and 61% of online sports bettors aged 18-34 have chased losses. The 2025 survey found nearly identical results.

The risky behavior appears to be more prevalent among younger gamblers who may have less experience regulating emotions while betting.

Chasing losses in sports betting is common because betting apps are addictive by design. Push notifications are one habitual-use feature, and these “dark nudges” are increasingly powered by artificial intelligence.

How People Chase Sports Betting Losses

Sports betting is the fastest-growing form of gambling in the U.S. Approximately 60% of the U.S. population lives in a state with legal betting apps such as DraftKings and FanDuel. A stock-market-style form of sports betting called “prediction markets” is available nationwide under federal certification.

Let’s look at the specific behaviors of loss chasing in sports betting.

• Gambling for higher stakes: Increasing the size of your sports wagers, despite the financial consequences, to win back your money. This can include betting your entire sportsbook account balance on a single game, or using your whole balance for a group of wagers on a single game.
• Gambling for longer & more frequently: Usually in tandem with betting bigger, it is gambling more often and for longer durations. This behavior includes staying up all night to watch and bet on sports.
• Changing bet types: Not all sports bets will bleed you dry at the same speed. For example, a sports bettor on a bad run of spread bets might start making long-shot parlays (which have a higher house edge) to win back money.
• Switching sportsbooks: Gamblers are often superstitious, so they might believe that one sports betting app is unlucky for them. This could lead to the mistaken belief that using a different book will increase their chances of winning money back.

The Danger of a Big Win

Anecdotally, many gamblers cite a big win early on in their gambling as a reason for getting “hooked”.

It’s tough to walk away from gambling after initially winning big. The big win can play tricks on your mind.

For example, let’s say you win a long-shot sports bet and profit $1,000. You continue gambling and give half of the winnings back ($500). The euphoria of the big win is gone, and it now feels like you lost $500. In reality, you’re still up $500.

You should never gamble for more money than you feel comfortable losing. But what’s also dangerous is winning an amount that you think improves your life. When you continue to gamble and give some or all of it back to the sportsbook, you could experience extreme negative feelings.

Compounding Losses

It’s never too late to quit gambling. Chasing losses can soon deplete your bank account or prevent you from fulfilling financial obligations.

For some problem gamblers, gambling losses have virtually no limit, as debt or theft could help finance more gambling. The most extreme gambling addiction stories often involve embezzlement or other financial crime to fund a gambling habit.

Many people addicted to sports betting won’t turn to crime, but it’s important to stress that chasing losses can put you on a path to rock bottom.

Chasing Losses: How to Get Help

Awareness of your loss-chasing is a big first step. Reading an article like this one to understand what’s behind the destructive behavior means you are on the right track.

If you are experiencing a crisis or need immediate help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

It’s essential to seek professional help if you think you have a gambling problem. Tell people close to you, such as your friends, family, or coworkers, about your gambling problem if you feel comfortable doing so. Confiding in people you trust can help you feel less alone in your struggles.

Outside of professional counseling, you can join a support group such as Gamblers Anonymous or use a gambling prevention/recovery coach.

What you should not do is trust the casino or betting app to help you with your gambling problem.

Responsible Gambling Tools

The online casino or sportsbook might give you so-called “strategies” or “tools” to reduce loss-chasing, such as “cooling-off periods” or self-imposed “deposit limits.” These are often ineffective tools.

Furthermore, the sportsbook might tell you to set a budget for gambling.

These tools don’t work for most people with problem gambling, and they’re part of the vague and victim-blaming message known as “responsible gambling.”

Personal accountability is always essential, but betting apps are designed to be addictive, and ultimately, the blame lies with the predators, not the “prey.”

Bottom line: Don’t look to the casinos or sportsbooks for help when you’ve gone down the dangerous path of trying to win back what you lost.