# Are women more conservative gamblers? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 15, 2010, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-more-conservative-gamblers/546734 "2010-07-15T01:13:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nom\_de\_Plume](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/85f322/32.png) [@Nom\_de\_Plume](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nom_de_Plume)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-more-conservative-gamblers/546734/1 "2010-07-15T01:13:35Z")
On tonight’s\* Jeopardy\*, a young lady had a substantial lead going in to final jeopardy. All three contestants got the answer right, but a man, who bet a significant amount, won. My wife said that, in her opinion, women tend to be more conservative in their bets on _Jeopardy_ and in other games that involve gambling. I’m not sure if I agree. What are your feelings? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-more-conservative-gamblers/546734/2 "2010-07-15T02:16:01Z")
There may be something to that, just going by what I’ve observed in casinos. Discounting what I call “tourists”–ie, people that don’t regularly gamble, just there on a lark, not many women seem to try to count cards at blackjack. They seem to prefer to play basic strategy, and play pretty tight. I’ve only played in one live poker tournament, but the women don’t seem to bluff as often as guys do. ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-more-conservative-gamblers/546734/3 "2010-07-15T02:31:43Z")
I could believe it, if only because women appear less risk-taking in other areas of life as well. (Fewer work in dangerous jobs, for example, or do things like entrepreneurship which have a significant boom/bust spread.) ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-more-conservative-gamblers/546734/4 "2010-07-15T04:19:27Z")
Women in general are more cautious, less willing to take risks, so it’s to be expected that if they gamble at all they’d be more careful. That’s only on average of course, addicted/compulsive gamblers male or female aren’t cautious at all. ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-more-conservative-gamblers/546734/5 "2010-07-15T04:58:38Z")
Just want to say that “conservative” betting should not be confused with “timid”. The woman’s bet tonight was timid but not conservative, as it did not conserve anything real. ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-more-conservative-gamblers/546734/6 "2010-07-15T12:20:07Z")
I can’t speak as a woman. My observation is that it’s generally true they are more conservative. However, this can be reversed when it is clearly not their money they are risking. (Some sexism coming into play there?) I know women with gambling problems and they are high risk takers. Again, it may not be their money. The one I know used stolen money to gamble. Excessive risk taking is a disease and some women catch it. Women buy lots of Lotto tickets and fill the casinos. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-more-conservative-gamblers/546734/7 "2010-07-15T14:12:11Z")
Although the OP’s starting point was a TV show, the question seems to be about gambling in general, so I’m moving the thread to The Game Room. **twickster** , Cafe Society moderator ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-more-conservative-gamblers/546734/8 "2010-07-15T14:49:35Z")
> [@AppallingGael](#): > > Just want to say that “conservative” betting should not be confused with “timid”. The woman’s bet tonight was timid but not conservative, as it did not conserve anything real. Yeah, assuming I’m reading the story correctly (haven’t watched this show yet), she had a lead going into Final but didn’t bet enough to win if she got it right? That’s not conservative, that’s stupid (unless she had a very strong feeling she’d get it wrong, then it’s just timid). “Conservative” is having a big enough lead to not be caught and then betting zero rather than the amount you can lose and still not lose the game. “Conservative” could also be observed in Daily Doubles, if women tended to wager smaller amounts in those (although again, game situation comes into it). I do tend to believe that women are much more likely to wager the max bet on the board or smaller (i.e. $1000 or less in the first round, $2000 or less in the second) than men are. But that could be confirmation bias on my part - it’s a pet peeve of mine so I tend to get irate when it happens. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-more-conservative-gamblers/546734/9 "2010-07-15T15:03:05Z")
Not at all. Lady Godiva put everything she had on her horse. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-more-conservative-gamblers/546734/10 "2010-07-15T16:38:27Z")
It’s been observed before that women make better fund managers in a depressed market. When circumstances punish risk-taking, risk-aversion is the superior strategy. (The articles I’ve seen don’t generally go on to conclude anything about fund management in a buoyant market.) ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-more-conservative-gamblers/546734/11 "2010-07-15T20:08:54Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > Yeah, assuming I’m reading the story correctly (haven’t watched this show yet), she had a lead going into Final but didn’t bet enough to win if she got it right? That’s not conservative, that’s stupid (unless she had a very strong feeling she’d get it wrong, then it’s just timid). I agree. The topic of this thread is an interesting one, but I don’t think the OP’s example fits the topic. If you’re leading going into FJ and get it right, there’s no excuse for not winning the game. Failing to wager enough to ensure this is actually _more_ risky… or, yes, just stupid. ---
**Author:** ![ekweizn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7c8e57/32.png) [@ekweizn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekweizn)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-more-conservative-gamblers/546734/12 "2010-07-16T07:30:02Z")
Possibly confirmation bias, but I have noticed that groups with one or more females in them are less likely to go for the video bonus question on Cash Cab. Also, in my experience with quiz bowl competitions (when you can interrupt the question), females tend to be less aggressive on the buzzer than males. This suggests to me that women tend to fear being (or appearing to be) wrong more than men do. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-more-conservative-gamblers/546734/13 "2010-07-16T07:49:16Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > If you’re leading going into FJ and get it right, there’s no excuse for not winning the game. Failing to wager enough to ensure this is actually _more_ risky… or, yes, just stupid. This may not be clear. Suppose the banks are A: $1000, B: $900, C: $400. A might bet just $99 if she thinks the category will be difficult for both A and B. Betting $801 runs the risk that C might win even if he misses the question! Determining best strategies in Final Jeopardy may be an intriguing math problem, even with simplifying assumptions. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-more-conservative-gamblers/546734/14 "2010-07-16T12:21:22Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > This may not be clear. Suppose the banks are A: $1000, B: $900, C: $400. > A might bet just $99 if she thinks the category will be difficult for both A and B. Betting $801 runs the risk that C might win even if he misses the question! > > Determining best strategies in Final Jeopardy may be an intriguing math problem, even with simplifying assumptions. I see what you mean, but I still don’t think relying on somebody else to miss is a viable strategy. Perhaps it isn’t the no-brainer I assumed, however, and might fit with the thread topic after all. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-more-conservative-gamblers/546734/15 "2010-07-19T13:33:39Z")
Women are undoubtedly more conservative poker players. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-more-conservative-gamblers/546734/16 "2010-07-19T17:57:00Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Not at all. Lady Godiva put everything she had on her horse. For the win! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Trom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Trom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trom)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-more-conservative-gamblers/546734/17 "2010-07-19T18:21:38Z")
Testosterone levels in financial traders have an effect on their risk-taking behavior. This study looks strictly at males, but it seems plausible that women, having less testosterone, would be more risk averse. [Cite.](http://www.pnas.org/content/105/16/6167.short) > [@Abstract](#): > > Little is known about the role of the endocrine system in financial risk taking. Here, we report the findings of a study in which we sampled, under real working conditions, endogenous steroids from a group of male traders in the City of London. We found that a trader’s morning testosterone level predicts his day’s profitability. We also found that a trader’s cortisol rises with both the variance of his trading results and the volatility of the market. Our results suggest that higher testosterone may contribute to economic return, whereas cortisol is increased by risk. Our results point to a further possibility: testosterone and cortisol are known to have cognitive and behavioral effects, so if the acutely elevated steroids we observed were to persist or increase as volatility rises, they may shift risk preferences and even affect a trader’s ability to engage in rational choice.