We often measure gambling losses in dollars, but the most valuable asset you lose is Time. Spending 15 hours a week on slots is equivalent to working a part-time job—except you are paying them instead of getting paid.
This Reality Check Calculator helps you visualize the full impact of gambling on your life by calculating the Opportunity Cost of the hours you invest.
The Hidden Cost of “Grinding”
Even if you are a break-even player (neither winning nor losing money), gambling consumes massive amounts of time.
Example:
- You play 10 hours/week.
- You lose $50/week (a modest amount).
- Your hourly wage (Opportunity Cost) is $20/hour.
The Annual Cost:
- Cash Lost: $2,600.
- Time Value Lost: $10,400 (520 hours x $20).
- Total Life Cost: $13,000.
This perspective helps shift the mindset from “I only lost $50” to “I spent a huge chunk of my life on this activity.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is “Opportunity Cost”?
Opportunity Cost represents the potential benefits you miss out on when choosing one alternative over another. In gambling, it is the money you could have earned working, or the skills you could have learned, during the time spent betting.