Responsible gambling

Most people who bet lose money. That is how books stay in business. The average LoL bettor on a regulated site loses roughly 6 to 10 percent of what they wager over a year. If those numbers are a surprise, this page is for you.

The honest math

A 4 percent vig on every bet means you need to pick winners 52.4 percent of the time just to break even. Most recreational bettors land closer to 47 or 48 percent. The gap is why operators can offer "bonuses" that still net them money.

None of this is an argument against betting. It is an argument for betting inside a budget you can afford to lose entirely, as entertainment, not as a second income.

Warning signs

• Chasing losses. Adding another bet because the last one lost.
• Hiding the extent of your betting from a partner or family.
• Betting with money set aside for rent, food, or bills.
• Staking a materially larger amount than usual when losing.
• Feeling restless or irritable when you cannot place a bet.

Any one of these is worth a conversation. More than one is worth a call to a helpline.

Helplines

• United States. National Council on Problem Gambling: 1-800-522-4700. Text 800GAM. ncpgambling.org.
• United Kingdom. GamCare: 0808 8020 133. gamcare.org.uk.
• Canada. Problem Gambling Helpline by province. responsiblegambling.org.
• Australia. Gambling Help Online: 1800 858 858. gamblinghelponline.org.au.

Deposit limits and self-exclusion

Every regulated operator offers a deposit limit setting. Most bettors never touch it. Setting one takes 30 seconds and protects you from yourself in a way that willpower does not. If limits are not enough, use the self-exclusion feature, which locks you out for a set period. It is stronger than closing the account.

In the US, this list of state-by-state self-exclusion programs is the most complete we have found.