Near Misses Feel Like Wins to a Gambler's Brain

Coming up one cherry short of the slot machine jackpot still provides a rush for a problem gambler, even though this near-win technically still is a loss. "When you look at the machine and the first two [matching symbols] come down, the excitement and adrenaline builds up for that final one," says Donna Zaharevitz, 66, a recovering gambler. "Even if you don't win, you know it's going to hit [eventually], because all the near misses keep you more entranced in the machine itself," says the...Full Story