I agree with how OP separated luck-based casino games from more skill-driven options like sports betting or poker. I’ve dabbled in both, and in my experience, sports betting at least lets you apply some logic and research to come out ahead once in a while. I’ve had a few wins by spotting underpriced odds or betting early when the odds were better, especially with team news or injury info that wasn't public yet. Still, even then, it's easy to go overboard thinking you’ve figured it out.
With casino games, yeah, strategies like Martingale can be "fun" to try, but they never gave me the edge I wanted. That’s why I stick to short sessions and only play when there’s something extra to make it worth it—for example, I hunt for casino bonus codes to get no deposit perks or a bunch of free spins. Adds some value without staking a lot.