Explaining the performance of online sports bettors

This article reports the results of an online survey conducted among a sample of 161 online sports bettors in which their return-on-investment (ROI) performance as computed on the basis of their last 20 bets was used as the main dependent variable. A regression analysis showed that the online gamblers' ROI performance is positively associated with their experience in sports betting, the degree of information search and analysis performed prior to betting, and their propensity to consider that events that happen in their life are the results of chance forces. These research results are discussed in the context of a general theoretical model where gambling performance is seen as depending on four types of determinants: the gambler's experience, personality, motivation and cognitive abilities.