Dear all,
We are delighted to invite you to today's London Judgment and Decision-Making (LJDM) seminar!
When: Wednesday, April 29, 2026, 17:15–18:15 UK time
Where:
https://ucl.zoom.us/j/91649457497?pwd=70bahoaMpVNsUh1TlyUI8gEdcvspib.1#success
Passcode: 925091
Speaker: Andrew M Camara (University of Warwick and Monash University)
Title: The Cash Out Feature in Sports Betting Platforms: The Role of Perceived Control
Abstract: Modern sports betting platforms contain a suite of innovative features which create novel decision environments. This presents an opportunity for psychology to advance decision-making theory by understanding how these products nudge users into riskier forms of gambling. A pertinent yet under-researched instance of this is the “cash out” feature. The feature allows gamblers to settle their bet before the relevant event has concluded in exchange for a discounted but guaranteed payout, the value of which changes dynamically based on the current likelihood of the bet winning. Experimental research has found that cash out increases risk tolerance, such that people place larger bets in gambling tasks when cash out is available.
Cash out is marketed as a way for users to increase control over their bets, and research suggests that subjective control strongly influences judgment and decision-making; consequently, the current research explores whether the effect of cash out on increased risk tolerance is mediated by subjective control. Across two experiments, participants completed an online card-betting task; on some trials, cash out was available but the decision to accept or reject the offer was pre-determined by the experiment’s programming (‘automatic’ trials). Participants placed smaller bets on automatic trials relative to when they had control over the decision to cash-out. These results suggest that perceived control plays a central role in the effect of cash-out availability on bet size.
Best,
Hadeel, Joel, and Calvin
London Judgment and Decision-making Group
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Hadeel Haj Ali | PhD Candidate
Department of Experimental Psychology
University College London
Max Planck UCL Centre
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