Feeling the Flame: When Winning Feels Inevitable
Mine was with live NBA games — I’d catch one good call early in the night, and suddenly I’m stacking parlays and boosting bets like I’m invincible. That hot hand feeling is straight-up addictive. But here’s what’s wild: your brain literally rewires when you win in streaks. It starts creating these patterns that aren’t even real, but feel super convincing. I read this piece on the psychology behind it — I’ll drop it here, it's the one I use when I feel that rush kicking in again: https://lawbhoomi.com/hot-hand-why-bettors-chase-winning-streaks/. It explains how the brain connects recent wins with skill, even if it’s mostly chance. I remember thinking I’d “figured out” 3rd-quarter totals based on coach behavior, like I invented some secret formula or something. In reality, I was just on a lucky stretch and got overconfident. My advice? Set a limit on how many bets you'll make in a row and stick to it no matter what. Even if you feel invincible, don’t chase the flame. Take your wins and step back — easier said than done, I know, but it saved me from spiraling more than once.