Ways Your Money Habits Make You Sick: Being a Casino Regular

Losing money in Vegas doesn’t just sting; it can cause actual emotional pain, according to British researchers. Study author Ben Seymour, Ph.D., recorded activity in the striatum, the area of the brain that records pain, in participants who suffered gambling losses. You may not feel sharp pains in your stomach if you lose $30 in the slot machine; instead, losing money triggers “a sense of loss, the inherent unpleasantness of hurt or pain,” Seymour explains.

Solution: For starters, steer clear of the slot machines and roulette wheels. If you’re in Vegas and want to gamble, learn blackjack, which has the best odds. Decide ahead of time how much you are willing to spend (ahem, “lose”) — and write it off as entertainment cost.

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