Matthew Tom, PhD is an Associate in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and a Research Data Analyst at the Division on Addiction, Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital. Dr. Tom received his PhD in statistics from Cornell University in 2003. After graduating, Dr. Tom taught mathematics and statistics at The University of Montana in Missoula and then at Emmanuel College.

At the Division on Addiction, Dr. Tom is working on a Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment-funded study to predict the behavioral patterns of problematic gamblers.

Dr. Tom is interested in gambling behavior, both from the points of view of economics and psychology. His primary research project is studying the strategies and playing tendencies of online poker players, particularly those who have problems with gambling. His plan is to use descriptive statistics derived from players’ actions at the virtual poker tables to identify players who are at risk of developing problems with gambling in the future.


Current Projects

Lead Investigator: Using Blackjack Hand Histories to Extrapolate Players’ Strategies: Creating a Novel Simulation Program to Inform Online and Land-based Gambling Risk Detection 

Multidimensional Loss Chasing in Online Gambling: Considering the Importance of Optimal Cutpoints, Temporal Reference Points, and Coming in Hot for Improving Predictive Ability

Responsibility, Research, and Resources: 2024 Plan for Responsible Gambling Activities


Selected Publications

2023

Edson, T. C., Louderback, E. R., Tom, M. A., McCullock, S. P. & LaPlante, D. A. (2023). Exploring a multidimensional concept of loss chasing using online sports betting records. International Gambling Studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/14459795.2023.2276741

Edson, T. C., Louderback, E. R., Tom, M. A., Philander, K. S., Slabczynski, J. M., Lee, T. G. & LaPlante, D. A. (2023). A large-scale prospective study of big wins and their relationship with future involvement and risk among actual online sports bettors. Computers In Human Behavior, 142, 107657. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2023.107657

2022

Edson, T. C., Tom, M. A., Louderback, E. R. Nelson, S. A., & LaPlante, D. A. (2022). Returning to the virtual casino: A contemporary study of actual online casino gambling. International Gambling Studies, 22(1), 114-141. https://doi.org/10.1080/14459795.2021.1985581

Tom, M. A., Edson, T. C., Louderback, E. R., Nelson, S. E., Amichia, K. A., & LaPlante, D. A. (2022). Second session at the virtual poker table: A contemporary study of actual online poker activity. Journal of Gambling Studies (ahead of print). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-022-10147-1

2021

Edson, T. C., Tom, M. A., & LaPlante, D. A. (2021). Examining player engagement with and attitudes toward a gambling play management system. Journal of Gambling Studies, 37(4), 1313-1334. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-021-10002-9

Edson, T. C., Tom, M. A., Philander, K. S., Louderback, E. R., & LaPlante, D. A. (2021). A large-scale prospective study of big wins and their relationship with future financial and time involvement in actual Daily Fantasy Sports contests. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 35(8), 948-960. https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0000715

Nelson, S. E., Edson, T. C., Louderback, E. R., Tom, M. A., Grossman, A., & LaPlante, D. A. (2021). Changes to the playing field: A contemporary study of actual European online sports betting. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 10(3), 396-411. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2021.00029

2020

Ching, F. Y., Wiley, R. C., Tom, M. A., Wong, R. H. Y., Shaffer, H. J., & Chan, E. M. L. (2020). A brief comment about sample size and response rates for clinical research: A multi-site case example. International Journal of Mental Health & Addiction, 18(5), 1335-1345. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-019-00146-6

Tom, M. A., Williams, P. M., Edson, T. C., & LaPlante, D. A. (2020). Understanding the relation between social behaviors and daily fantasy sports risk behavior. Journal of Gambling Studies, 36(3), 921-935. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-019-09911-7

Wiley, R. C., Tom, M. A., Edson, T. C., & LaPlante, D. A. (2020). Behavioral markers of risky daily fantasy sports play. Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 44(4), 356-371. https://doi.org/10.1177/0193723520919819

2019

Nelson, S. E., Edson, T. C., Singh, P., Tom, M., Martin, R. J., LaPlante, D. A., Gray, H. M., & Shaffer, H. J. (2019). Patterns of daily fantasy sport play: Tackling the issues. Journal of Gambling Studies, 35(1), 181-204. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-018-09817-w

2018

Nelson, S. E., LaPlante, D. A., Gray, H. M., Tom, M. A., Kleschinsky, J. H., & Shaffer, H. J. (2018). Already at the table: Patterns of play and gambling involvement prior to gambling expansion. Journal of Gambling Studies, 34(1), 275–295. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-017-9711-5

Shaffer, H. J., Tom, M. A., Wiley, R. C., Wong, M. F. Y., Chan, E. M. L., Cheng, G. L. F., Lo, C. K. M., Ma, E. K. Y., Wong, R. H. Y., & Lee, M. (2018). Using the Syndrome Model of Addiction: A preliminary consideration of psychological states and traits. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 16(6), 1373-1393. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-018-9952-2

2017

Shaffer, H. J., Tom, M. A., & Braverman, J. (2017). When criticizing others it is helpful to focus on actual behavior: A comment about Auer and Griffiths. Journal of Gambling Studies, 33(4), 1035-1037. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-016-9667-x

2016

Tom, M. A., & Shaffer, H. J. (2016). Devil in the details: A critical review of “theoretical loss”. Journal of Gambling Studies, 32(3), 865-875. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-015-9584-4

2015

Braverman, J., Tom, M. & Shaffer, H. J. (2015). Tilting at windmills: A comment on Auer and Griffiths. Journal of Gambling Studies, 31(2), 359-366. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-013-9428-z

Gray, H. M., Tom, M. A., LaPlante, D. A., & Shaffer, H. J. (2015). Using opinions and knowledge to identify natural groups of gambling employees. Journal of Gambling Studies, 31(4), 1753–1766. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-014-9490-1

2014

Braverman, J., Tom, M. A., & Shaffer, H. J. (2014). Accuracy of self-reported versus actual online gambling wins and losses. Psychological Assessment, 26(3), 865-877. doi:10.1037/a0036428

Tom, M. A., LaPlante, D. A., & Shaffer, H. J. (2014). Does Pereto rule Internet gambling? Problems among the “Vital Few” & “Trivial Many”. Journal of Gambling Business & Economics, 8(1), 73-100.