The gambler's fallacy

Trader's Glossary · Psychology

The gambler's fallacy

Definition. The belief that after a series of identical outcomes the opposite outcome becomes “more due”, even though successive events are independent or nearly independent.

How it works

The brain expects short sequences to look like long-run proportions. In reality, winning and losing streaks are a natural part of every method.

Example

After five losses in a row the trader assumes that “now it has to work” and abandons the plan.

What to watch out for

Losing streaks happen even with a good method. It's worth knowing their typical length from your own trading history.

See also

Expectancy, Drawdown, Recency bias.

More in Hetman Capital Club

You'll find the full explanation with graphics, examples and exercises in the 🧘 Trader's body and mind space, and its use in the live market in the 🔴 Live Room. Both are available to Club members (in Polish).

Educational content, not investment advice.

Full article in the Atlas of biases: what this bias looks like in trading, an example and the research.