How come people get addicted to slot machines and continue to play hoping to win, if it’s obviously a game designed to make you lose (it gives you back less money than what you put in)?
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Almost winning gives a rush. Not as much as winning, but enough to be addictive. That’s why the machines are so complicated. No one would play a game where you press a button and a light says “you lose” slightly more often than it says “you win”, but slot machines, roulette, dice and cards all do exactly that, except in an exciting way.
Also, actual addiction is more about the problems that the excitement brings a temporary relief from. If your life is filled with constant worries, it can be extremely freeing to get rid of those once in a while. If the activity or substance you attach to causes even more worries in the long run, you have even more reason to escape, and if you’re not careful you get trapped in a feedback loop.
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