Gambling and relationships have more in common than you might think, but it also comes down to the circumstances too. Sometimes there’s an ever-moving display of bluff and risk like you’ll see on the poker table, but sometimes it’s just a case of pretending you’re playing some real money slots – Spin the wheel and perhaps somehow, someway, the winning combination will reveal itself in front of you.
So what even is emotional intelligence?
Even if the aspects and practices of emotional intelligence aren’t new, the term might not be familiar to some. Essentially, it is how we perceive, evaluate, express, and control our emotions. In addition, it also incorporates how we interact with other people depending on their emotions. It’s hard to gauge IQ like traditional intelligence but it is believed that good listeners, those with good empathy and sensitivity hold a good level of emotional intelligence.
These qualities are typically sought after in a partner as they tend to lead to loving relationships. Poker players and gamblers often leak their emotions during games, there are notable aspects that can be used throughout sessions.
Self-awareness while gambling
One of the pillars of emotional intelligence is to ensure your outward character. To make your output consistently empathetic and a positive light to those around you. While it’s not possible to be a beaming fountain of happiness all the time, we should at least try to be something resembling this where possible. Being able to detect when you’re not your best self is paramount to preserving relationships and friendships so that you can change your behavior.
Gamblers are no different. If they can self-regulate their performance and determine when it isn’t working out then they can thrive on these top ranked real money slot sites because they understand you can’t win them all and know when their luck is in, whereas those who fail in gambling and relationships continue to go all in and chase losses when it’s an awful idea to do so.
Slot machines and emotional intelligence
Slot machines are, for the most part, a solo activity. You are betting against yourself and an inanimate object. You don’t have to assess any emotions other than your own. The machine won’t celebrate that you won nor will it show you empathy if you lose your life savings. Being able to understand your own state of mind while using a slot machine will ensure that you have the best chance of success on the slot. Luck however is the overarching metric with this type of casino game. There isn’t much crossover between slot machines and relationships, as aforementioned, slot machines are solo ventures.
Live poker is a myriad of emotions
Poker tables are hives of activity when it comes to emotional output. There are all manner of different people trying to convey different messages. How people react to the cards being revealed is a wealth of emotional information to dissect. If you can accurately determine their actual feelings (avoiding bluffs) you will be able to play head games with your opponents and make them uneasy for every play.
Emotional involvement within poker is so prevalent it even has its own term, ‘tilt’. This is where a poker player is emotionally affected by the state of his/her game and it has a negative impact on their performance at the table. Anyone with good emotional intelligence should be able to pick up on this as the inflicted player will be acting out of character. Equally, partners who exercise good emotional intelligence will be able to help their partners when they are suffering as they should be able to detect when they are down.
Timing can be everything
Emotional intelligence is just about the act of being there to support someone, as it is knowing when to offer said support. A good example is that if somebody you know is mourning a loved one or a relationship break-up, they might not be instantly ready to talk about it. They’ll appreciate you trying to help but it might take time for them to want to open up as they look for closure. It’s a difficult line to tread. Good use of emotional intelligence will respect their decisions and allow them to come to you when they are ready.
Poker is no different in the sense that timing can determine how successful players are. The best players neither rush in nor lag to make their plays. They know the exact times to strike with their raises, calls, etc. It’s about knowing the right time to play. Of course, there’s a bit more vigour in the use of EI here because you’re not going to wait for your poker adversary to be ready for you, you’ve got to read them and then try to defeat them – but the observational duties remain very similar.
