Emotional gambling

From Conservapedia

Emotional gambling is investing one's emotions in the uncertain outcome of an otherwise meaningless event, such as a sports contest. It is similar to gambling except no money is at stake.

Emotional gambling can also consist of exaggerating the significance of the outcome of a meaningful event, such as a stock price or a political race, and investing one's emotions in the exaggerated significance of the uncertain outcome. Emotional gambling, like other kinds of gambling behaviour, is highly addictive and can threaten the addict's capacity for a normal, healthy life.

Strong emotional gambling by sports fans may lead to rioting and acts of vandalism, when the results of games or sports events are or are not what they hoped for.