Stimulants when gambling: Do they help or hurt your game?

How do everyday stimulants affect your mindset and bankroll at the tables or slots.

Do you notice that you play differently, make riskier bets, or pull longer gambling sessions when you use everyday stimulants like caffeine, nicotine, or chocolate (theobromine)?

Do you use them to stay sharp, or avoid them completely because they impair your play?

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Moderation should be observed when drinking coffee, eating chocolate, or consuming any other stimulant. I didn’t used to consume much of any of these things when I was gambling, and I don’t smoke either, which in my opinion is always a habit to be avoided... Sometimes I play poker while eating cookies and drinking tea, but in moderation. Good luck to you!

DPoker33 said:

Sometimes I play poker while eating cookies and drinking tea,

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So you admit to using performance enhancing cookies and tea during the Casino Weekly games? It's all starting to make sense.

nasty bent gorilla said:

So you admit to using performance enhancing cookies and tea during the Casino Weekly games? It's all starting to make sense.

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Yeah, sometimes the cookies and tea are great, other times they're pretty bad, lol (JK)!

For me caffeine is a double-edged sword. A normal amount can definitely help me stay focused during long poker sessions, especially late at night, but too much starts pushing me toward impatient and more impulsive decisions. I notice I play faster, bluff more aggressively and sometimes convince myself to chase losses longer than I normally would.

Nicotine is similar in a way сause some people say it keeps them calm and concentrated, but I’ve also seen players turn into absolute tilt machines the moment they’re overstimulated.

Slots are probably even more dangerous with stimulants because they already trigger that “just one more spin” mentality. Add caffeine or nicotine on top and sessions can last way longer than planned without even realizing it.

So I wouldn’t say I avoid them completely, but moderation matters a lot if bankroll discipline is the goal.

I’d have some kind of energy drink, water, some chips, and what I’ve found to be a better stimulant than coffee — an apple.

bol said:

Nicotine is similar in a way сause some people say it keeps them calm and concentrated, but I’ve also seen players turn into absolute tilt machines the moment they’re overstimulated.

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Yeah, nicotine is no joke, I used to micro and mega dose tablets; constant small amounts made me more confident in arguments and more aggressive in poker. Keeping your blood vessels narrowed for long periods is also not clever.

I never gambled on a mega dose as it chilled me out.

I try to limit myself, although sometimes it's hard. Especially when it comes to coffee or sweets. But without a cup of coffee, starting the game is contraindicated for me because I will definitely fall asleep during the next break.

Ruslan L said:

I try to limit myself, although sometimes it's hard. Especially when it comes to coffee or sweets. But without a cup of coffee, starting the game is contraindicated for me because I will definitely fall asleep during the next break.

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Absolutely, crashing during a game is a nightmare!

Contraindicated is a new word for me, will be using liberally!