Men vs Women: place your betsBy Angelica Malin

As a classic form of entertainment, casino and gambling-based activities date all the way back to the dawn of mankind. We’re pretty sure even the dinosaurs would have been up for a game of cards, if their little arms would let them.

Because of this, there are a lot of misconceptions that come along with the casino’s reputation, and those who choose to play casino online. If you watch any old black and white film, you’ll quickly notice that everyone who lines the playing tables is male. Whether it be a football match, race meet, or even a crowded casino scene, all you will find is a sea of surly-faced men, hedging their bets and pushing forward stacks of chips. But, sure enough, things have vastly changed over the years, although arguably people still view the pastime as predominantly male.

The internet has begun to dominate the casino scene, and with it, we’ve gathered some statistics.

• 82% of all online gamblers are male, leaving only 18% of players as female.
• It’s estimated that the average male gamer will lose around £3,709.44 a year gambling – which is equal to about three pints of lager a day.
• Female gamblers are said to lose roughly £2,659.93 a year when playing online casino games – which could alternatively buy them up to ten pairs of designer shoes.
• In their lifetime, men spend nearly 14 months on gambling.
• Moreover, women spend up to 21 months gambling, throughout their average lifetime.
• When it comes to favourite games, men will more than likely go for Roulette, with Blackjack coming a close second.
• Women prefer a more visual experience when it comes to gambling, opting for Roulette, giving them a shining, spinning wheel to watch, or Bingo. 60% of women admit to preferring online Bingo, above all else.
• Despite all this, when it comes to betting in general, sports are definitely the most important form of gambling.
• Second most popular is Bingo, with men now taking an interest in the game too.

But, why do people gamble? A total of 5% of both sexes said that they play simply for the thrill of it, with monetary gain not even factored in.

A survey was taken to see how much men and women spent on average when they log on and play casino online, and it showed:

• 8% of women spent between £1 and £10 a week on their casino activities
• Only 35.9% of men adhered to the above budget, with 25.4% of men spending between £11 and £20.
• 19% of women spend between the £11 and £20 mark when playing.

On the whole, men tend to spend a lot more money when gambling than women.

Women are seen to show a considerably higher level of caution when they play casino games, with over 70% of female players saying that they would cash out by the time their wallet hits £500. Only 9% of women said that they would use cash credit to carry on their gameplay, whereas 13% of men said they’d do the same.