What is Going “On Tilt?”

There is a popular phrase in the gambling world that applies as much to sports bettors as it does to poker players and other online casino gamblers.  You know those moments when you lose—or win—a bet, and suddenly it feels like you have become unhinged from your entire emotional axis?  Your thoughts and feelings seem to spin out of control, and you feel like someone has lit a fire in your mind.  You feel a compulsive, desperate urge to wager, even if it doesn’t make any sense.

If you have ever experienced this phenomenon, you know what it is to go “on tilt.”  You also know that going on tilt generally results in momentous losses.  Worse, they can build and build, because going on tilt can turn into a vicious cycle.  The more you lose, the angrier you get, and the less control you have.  Pretty soon, you have blown your entire betting account.

If you are wondering where the phrase “going on tilt” comes from, you may be surprised to find out that it doesn’t come from casino games at all.  It actually is a reference to pinball.  If you have played pinball, you know how frustrated you can get when the ball is not going the right direction.  In a moment of desperation, maybe you tried to shake or “tilt’ the machine to push the ball in the right direction. 

What happens?  Generally, the opposite of what you want.  You have tried to take control of the pinball game again, but instead, the ball may fall straight through to the bottom, and you end up losing a round you might have won.  This can lead you to make even more bad decisions in future rounds since you want to get back to performing right.  You continue trying to tilt the machine, and you keep losing round after round.

This is a perfect metaphor for what goes on when a sports gambler or casino gambler tries to seize control in a moment of panic, anger, conceit, or fear.  You feel like you are out of control, so you try a desperate gambit to get that control back.  Rather than actually empowering you, this move causes you to lose even more control.

What should you do when you feel yourself spinning out of control like this?  Whatever you do, don’t cave into whatever your compulsive urges are demanding you do!  This will only make the situation worse.  The best solution is to walk away from the computer for a while.  Only come back to your UK betting site when you feel like you at least have your emotions under control again.  Only then can you start taking back control of your account.