State lotteries are the games most closely associated with habitual gambling. Serious gamblers treat gambling as one would treat a serious hobby. Serious gamblers tend to concentrate on those games which incorporate elements of both chance and skill, because those games are of sufficient complexity to sustain serious interest and because they prefer gambles in which they believe they have an advantage. Serious gambling is generally a controlled behavior, although serious gamblers may incur large losses. An example of a game in which serious gamblers typically partake is sports betting.
Obsessive gamblers partake in gambling as an escape.
Obsessive gamblers may find the real world uncomfortable, and stress in their work or personal lives may be high. Lotteries do not generally draw obsessive gamblers, because they do not provide an environment in which to escape. Games that the obsessive gambler is typically drawn to are pari-mutuel racing and casinos, because they provide an environment which allows escape from the rigors of everyday life. The compulsive gambler differs from the obsessive gambler in several important respects. Control is an important aspect of all obsessive behavior, so the obsessive gambler maintains control and usually stops before losing everything.