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Emotions test reveals: The online purchases making us 67% happier!
- On average, online purchases are found to raise our positive feelings by 56%
- Participants reported the biggest increase in happiness when purchasing houseplants – positive emotions soared by 67%
- Gaming console purchases saw the second highest increase in positive feelings (+66%)
- Trainers and fiction books are also among the purchases raising positive emotions most
- Holidays abroad came in last; participants noted high levels of excitement but also reported an increase in concern due to its uncertainty
Thanks to ‘doom shopping’, it was revealed that the UK spends three times more when online shopping compared to the global average, costing the average person a whooping £1,382 per year! Clearly these purchases keep us coming back for more, but how do we enjoy splashing our cash the most?
Interested in online shopping, money.co.uk conducted an emotions test among 2,560 participants to discover which online purchases bring us the most joy!
Participants were asked to complete a variation* of the BMIS test (Brief Mood Intensity Scale) and record the intensity of 10 different emotions after making an online purchase. The intensity of each emotion was allocated a score based on its positivity, with a maximum score of 500 points per item – the higher the score, the better. Participants were also asked to complete the same test before making any purchases to uncover the percentage increase in positive emotions when shopping.
Which online purchases make us happiest?
Money.co.uk can reveal that a houseplant purchase increases our intensity of positive emotions more than any other transaction!
Collecting 478 points out of a potential 500, moods improved by 67% after making a plant purchase. Plants are proven to invoke feelings of vitality by improving the state of mind and lifting spirits – no wonder it scores highly!
With the PS5 still proving hard to get, purchasing a gaming console is the second online transaction that makes us happiest.
As many gamers are left on the edge of their seats waiting to snatch the latest console, it accumulated 475 points out of 500, and purchasing a console was found to raise positive feelings by 66% on average.
In third position are trainer purchases. With the demand for sneakers like Jordan 1s only increasing, those who purchased new trainers reported a 64% increase in happiness, and purchases racked up 472 points.
With bookworms reported to be happier than those who don’t read, the transaction that makes us fourth happiest is a fiction book, improving positive emotions by 64% and collecting 470 points.
Due to the huge surge in personal fitness and wellbeing during lockdown, home gym equipment purchases are found to make us fifth happiest! This transaction led to a 63% increase in positive emotions and scored a healthy 468 points.
To complete the top 10 purchases that increase our intensity of positive emotions:
6. Video game: 466 points, +62%
7. Eyeshadow palette: 465 points, +62%
8. Scented candle: 463 points, +61%
9. Exercise clothing: 461 points, +61%
10. Fashion jewellery: 459, +60%
Coming in last is a holiday abroad with 393 points out of 500 (+37%). Those who plan on jet-setting this year reported high levels of excitement and happiness but were pushed down the table as feelings of worry and nerves due to its current uncertainty.
Interested in the reasons behind our vast improvement in positive feelings, money.co.uk spoke exclusively to Lee Chambers, psychologist and wellbeing consultant, to uncover why shopping makes us happy.
“Online shopping has the ability to make us happy through several different mechanisms. Firstly, even in a world of plenty, we are still evolutionarily designed to consider scarcity. Because of this, acquiring new items, especially when discounted or limited, tends to make us happy, the feeling we have satisfied a need and potentially averted a future threat.
Shopping is also an exercise in control. We select from millions of items precisely what we want, and especially in the uncertain times we live in, we know we will get exactly what we have purchased, and it will be delivered straight to us. This control of selection and guarantee of receipt is powerful, as it becomes a defined event. We also build a level of expectation and anticipation from the moment we press the purchase button, as we believe we now have ownership over the item but have a delay until it is with us physically.
From a cultural perspective, we have been conditioned to see shopping as a reward, either an investment in ourselves or for the satisfaction of others. Shopping is likely to activate the nucleus accumbens in our brain, releasing dopamine and motivating us to repeat the behaviour. Buying printed media taps into our desire to better ourselves, gain knowledge, understand the world around us and provide stories and entertainment that can take us on a journey. And let’s not forget how lovely they look on your bookshelf on a video call, as books have become a decorative symbol over the past year.
And why do we keep buying? Our brain is adaptive, and shopping can relieve stress, provide entertainment when bored and give us a hit of dopamine. The rewarding feeling will keep us finding new things to purchase, especially since our excitement and anticipation fade once we’ve received the item.”
Catherine Hilley, mobiles expert at money.co.uk, said: “Our research reveals how small purchases can increase customers’ emotions in a positive way, something we all need after the past 12 months. With an average 63% increase in positive emotions noted across all top 10 purchases, it seems that shopping online for items such as houseplants, trainers and candles are sparking a lot more joy at the moment, than booking a holiday, which comes with a lot of added uncertainty.”
For more information, please see the blog post for the full rankings and a breakdown by sex, and age: https://www.money.co.uk/mobiles/online-shopping-joy
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1spin4win, an established classic online slot provider, presents Lucky Goal, a sports-themed game that captures the atmosphere of a major football competition.
The latest release transports players to the night of the big final. In Lucky Goal, the stakes are higher than ever — the outcome of the game will decide who takes the 1spin4win Cup home. Taking the role of the team’s star striker, players enter the 4×4 pitch to lead the attack and chase winning combinations worth up to x1500 of the original bet.
When the match starts heading towards a draw, Coins can turn the score around. Once three or more of them appear on the reels in one spin, their values combine to boost the payout and bring the team one step closer to victory.
The storytelling behind Lucky Goal is supported by a vibrant, themed visual design. The game is set against the backdrop of a crowded, neon-lit football stadium, while the 4×4 layout features symbols closely associated with the sport, including a football, goalkeeper gloves, a referee’s whistle, and the 1spin4win Cup itself. The music further enhances the atmosphere, resembling iconic football anthems.
In addition to its rich visuals and engaging gameplay, the new release delivers fast load times and uninterrupted performance across all devices, even on weaker internet connections. For the convenience of a broad international audience, Lucky Goal also supports multiple fiat and cryptocurrencies.
The focus on accessible, high-performing content is part of 1spin4win’s broader approach to global growth. Today, the provider continues to expand its network of over 1,000 partners, working with renowned iGaming brands such as STAKE.MX, 1win, LevelUP, BitStarz, gg.bet, WinSpirit, mBit, Pin-Up, 1xBet, PlayAmo, and others.
Olga Bogdanova, Art Director at 1spin4win, “For us, Lucky Goal is an exciting project, as it marks our first sports-inspired release. We wanted to keep the slot true to 1spin4win’s signature style, with straightforward gameplay and a strong math model, while bringing more life to the theme through animation and sound effects. We’re happy to join the football season with a release that helps players immerse themselves in the high-spirited atmosphere of a major sports event.”
About 1spin4win
1spin4win is an established game provider founded in May 2021 by ambitious developers with over 15 years of experience in the gambling industry. Since its inception, the company has expanded its portfolio to include over 200 classic online slots, all characterized by quality mathematics, transparent mechanics, and well-balanced gameplay — key factors that drive strong player retention. The studio aims to release an average of four new games each month in 2026 and offers effective promotional tools for casino operators to help them enhance player loyalty.
Leading sportsbook platform Altenar has been named ‘Sportsbook Supplier of the Year’ at the SBC Americas Awards 2026, held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The award recognises Altenar’s continued commitment to delivering high-performance sportsbook technology that enables operators to grow across the diverse and rapidly evolving regulated markets of the Americas.
Bringing together stakeholders from North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, the SBC Americas Awards celebrate excellence across the betting and gaming industry, recognising operators and suppliers that are driving innovation and raising industry standards throughout the region.
The latest recognition reinforces Altenar’s position as one of the industry’s leading sportsbook providers, trusted by operators across multiple regulated jurisdictions for its flexible, scalable and data-driven solutions.
The award comes during a period of significant momentum for the company in the Americas.
Earlier this week, Altenar announced that it had received approval from the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC), enabling the company to provide sportsbook solutions in Alberta ahead of the launch of the province’s regulated online gaming market.
Charlie Williams Commercial Director at Altenar, said:
“Winning ‘Sportsbook Supplier of the Year’ is a tremendous achievement for our entire team. The Americas have become one of the most dynamic and strategically important regions for our business, with opportunities emerging across both established and newly-regulated markets.
“What makes this recognition particularly meaningful is that it reflects the work we are doing across the entire region. From North America to Latin America, operators are looking for technology partners that can provide flexibility, reliability and local expertise. Our focus remains on helping them succeed with sportsbook solutions that are tailored to their specific commercial and regulatory requirements”.
Through its award-winning platform and continued investment across the region, Altenar is helping operators unlock sustainable growth and capitalise on the significant opportunities emerging throughout the Americas.
BetConstruct AI will exhibit at Peru Gaming Show (PGS) 2026 on June 17–18 in Lima, Peru, at Stand N.56.
The company is framing its presence around real-time operator execution during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which it says will already be underway when the show opens. BetConstruct AI said it will demonstrate “tournament-ready solutions” including Special Bets for live market management and Bet on League for tournament deployment without development work.
BetConstruct AI also plans to show its wider AI Suite, listing CRM AI, Umbrella AI, AI Game Recommendation System, and Betting Mate AI. The company said these tools target churn prediction, unified risk management, personalised casino experiences, and conversational sportsbook engagement.
On platform scale, BetConstruct AI cited “140,000+ pre-match events and 90,000+ live matches monthly,” plus “45,000+ casino games from 350+ providers via a single API.” It also referenced its Affigates Affiliate Ecosystem, which it said includes “7,000+ vetted affiliates and AI-based scoring.”
The company added: “New partners unlock exclusive commercial terms on setup!”
The post BetConstruct AI sets Peru Gaming Show 2026 showcase around live World Cup betting appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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