Not such a mugs game after all: Men willing to bet on horse-racing after weighing up the runners’ chances have higher IQ than those that don’t, study finds
- Men who risk cash after weighing up the horse’s chances could have a higher IQ
- A study found success can depend upon analysing the previous form of a horse
- This led academics to believe racing enthusiasts often make difficult decisions
Betting on horse-racing may not be such a mug’s game after all – a study found that men who are willing to risk cash after weighing up the runners’ chances have a higher IQ than those who do not.
Academics believe this is because racing enthusiasts often have to make difficult decisions, as success can depend upon analysing the previous form of a horse, unlike other forms of chance gambling such as the lottery or slot machines.
They prefer more complex punts such as accumulators while success can often depend upon analysing the previous form of the animal.
Betting on horse-racing may not be such a mug’s game after all – a study found that men who are willing to risk cash after weighing up the runners’ chances have a higher IQ than those who do not (file photo)
The study of 15,500 British gamblers by Liverpool University and the University of Eastern Finland said: ‘Compared to the average man in our sample, the average bettor has a higher IQ score.
‘It is plausible that intelligent people gain satisfaction from absorbing themselves in tasks that involving crunching numbers such as horse wagering.
‘They enjoy the intellectual challenge.’
More than 19 out of 20 horseracing enthusiasts are said to also place a bet in an industry worth around £4billion a year.
Researcher Jani Saastamoinen wrote in the Journal Of Behavioral Decision Making: ‘Bettors use knowledge and skills to make a careful judgment of the outcome of a race.’
He added: ‘Bettors use knowledge and skills to make a careful judgment of the outcome of a race and even losing bets are a source of pride as opposed to winning by pure chance.’
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