Jackpot !!!

The first time I went to a casino - I hit big.
Not big enough to retire, but enough to spend.
But was it the feeling of winning or the feeling one gets right before the win?

I had the fever - bad. REAL bad.
But what was the feeling or sensation I was trying to replicate?
Was it the thrill of winning? (Even several jackpots later - I could never get the same feeling.)
Was it the thrill of being on the verge of losing everything?
Was it just the unconscious effort and visual stimulation?

What I'm asking is; Is this what prayer is like?
Do we pray out of a hope for replicating a past sensation or result? (Is it like crack heads trying to replicate that first timer's high?)
Are our odds any better when we pray to God than when we pray to a machine, table or wheel?