Near miss

Recovery language

Definition

An outcome that looks close to a win but is a loss — two jackpot symbols and a third one line off, a parlay where one leg failed. Near misses trigger reward responses in the brain similar to actual wins and are engineered into product design rather than occurring by chance.

Preferred phrasing

safe to use as written.

Source

https://www.1800gambler.net/facts-fallacies

Cite this

Betttr. "Near miss." The Gambling Recovery Glossary. https://betttr.net/glossary/near-miss/ (accessed 2026-09-20).

Last updated: 2026-09-20.

Corrections: support@betttr.net