gambling addiction

[lavrentis]

anyone on here had or have one?

I have just got over a poker one, gambled a lot of money away, I never knew anything like it, it gets a hold of you like nothing else. I have won at poker and although I do consider myself an alright player, it has ****ed me so many times. When it hit me was when I borrowed money and used other peoples money to gamble with, and lost. I'd say that was the worst period of my life. Then I knew I was properly addicted. When i confessed to my mum about it (probably hardest thing I've ever done) she sent me to the counselor, so I've not played since tbh.

Has anyone else got over a gambling addiction then or know someone with one?

[leicsmac]

An addiction to gambling is probably the most insidious of all addictions as there is no physical sign that it is going on other than possible outward signs of stress caused by financial trouble. No cirrhosis, no lung cancer, no emaciated appearance caused by 'hard' drugs - but it's equally destructive of lives. They don't call it the 'silent addiction' for nothing...kudos to you for getting past it mate.

I've known a couple of people with gambling habits - one used to put hundreds of quid in pub slot machines like it was nothing at all.

[AmericanScott]

anyone on here had or have one?

I have just got over a poker one, gambled a lot of money away, I never knew anything like it, it gets a hold of you like nothing else. I have won at poker and although I do consider myself an alright player, it has ****ed me so many times. When it hit me was when I borrowed money and used other peoples money to gamble with, and lost. I'd say that was the worst period of my life. Then I knew I was properly addicted. When i confessed to my mum about it (probably hardest thing I've ever done) she sent me to the counselor, so I've not played since tbh.

Has anyone else got over a gambling addiction then or know someone with one?

Thats quite a shocking story. You did the right thing and went to your mother. Glad to hear you've stopped playing.

How did it affect you emotionally? If you don't mind sharing.

[I am Rod Hull]

I knew a lad who used to do a months wages in the bookies on pay day, over a grand. Lost his Mrs, kid, car and used to sleep in a company unit off site.

There`s so many gambling sites around now, lots of people will go the same way.

Stick it out Laventis .... Stand back and see what you`ve lost.

[lavrentis]

Thats quite a shocking story. You did the right thing and went to your mother. Glad to hear you've stopped playing.

How did it affect you emotionally? If you don't mind sharing.

Well before I started playing poker I valued money a lot, I would be so tight with it. Once I was playing poker and addicted I would think playing £20 heads up games are willy nilly, although I have played much much higher HU games.

Even when I was losing, I had this fantasy about being in stacks of money, living the life with poker paying for it. I'd never known something to be so thrilling and depressing at the same time, it ****s with your emotions. 1 decent win and your feeling brilliant, if you lose you end up depressed. Poker took over my life for sure, you live eat dream poker. It's very hard to limit yourself, you can impose limits but I would just revoke them. The thirst for money doesn't end.

I used to take wonga loans out, play with it, win then pay it back. One time it went wrong, and I'm still paying for it. For me, you win and win and win until you lose when it comes to gambling.

I knew a lad who used to do a months wages in the bookies on pay day, over a grand. Lost his Mrs, kid, car and used to sleep in a company unit off site.

There`s so many gambling sites around now, lots of people will go the same way.

Stick it out Laventis .... Stand back and see what you`ve lost.

Aye, I didn't think much of them before I started playing, when I did first start playing I had self control which I soon lost and you just go in a downward spiral

[LcFc_Smiv]

I've witnessed it rip a family apart first hand, it's a horrible addiction. A fair amount of people I know at uni tend to 'enjoy' a night out at the casino, it's beyond me how any fellow student can be willing to throw money away at the casino. I am well against gambling, but then am I any better pissing money away on nights out?

On a brighter note well done mate on coming forward and admitting to the addiction! I hope everything works out!

[SOCCERROO FOX]

anyone on here had or have one?

I have just got over a poker one, gambled a lot of money away, I never knew anything like it, it gets a hold of you like nothing else. I have won at poker and although I do consider myself an alright player, it has ****ed me so many times. When it hit me was when I borrowed money and used other peoples money to gamble with, and lost. I'd say that was the worst period of my life. Then I knew I was properly addicted. When i confessed to my mum about it (probably hardest thing I've ever done) she sent me to the counselor, so I've not played since tbh.

Has anyone else got over a gambling addiction then or know someone with one?

Thank's for shareing mate

[foxfanazer]

I went through a stage of doing hundreds of pounds in the casino on blackjack. Horrible time of my life, split up with a girl I really loved and what for? Still bet on the footy but not stupid amounts. Hope u get sorted mate

[I am Rod Hull]

When I was a kid, bookies were seen as dirty dingy places and had their windows blacked out.... now its cool to gamble....

[m00nie]

as someone mentioned earlier. loads of ways to gamble online now, transferring money online you can get carried away as your not physically handling it at the time..

my first job in the morning is to check the paper for the horses n stick a bet on..

[Rincewind]

I have two brothers and a nephew that play poker online but they know what they are doing. My elder brother is a mathamatician and his son is pretty good at his math too. My brother would not have let him take irt up if he wasn't. My younger Bro does mainly tourneys and does OK at them.

They all play the odds which is you do not make a bet unless it is your favour. I tried it for a while but cannot do the calculations needed when playing a hand. I know the fundimentals and when I played regular I was beating the other players but not the rake which meant that I was seeing too many flops or calling too much (Holdem)

Since being out of work when passing a bookies I have thought how easy it would be to go in and try and make a few quid when I am short but I have resisted because I am aware that there are no poor bookies. I think my experience playing poker has taught me a little about gambling or bad gambling.

Its strange when you see some of the top poker players, they have mathamatical brains when playing yet they will make silly bets on the golf course or on the flip of a coin.

[Rincewind]

There are a lot of bad poker players. They see the game on TV and think that is easy. They do not have the correct bankroll do not know when to fold or when they are beat so whatever they have is taken away from them by sharks. Very grateful sharks who encourage the losers to come back 'Never mind you had some bad luck i am sure your luck will change, put another £100 into your account and play me again.'

[Lcfcman2010]

I personally have had issues with Poker, got stuck to playing online for hours and ending up with only 2/3 hours max sleep then going work which effected that. After that i decided to take on the players in live situations at DTD, Gala and any other forms including pub poker. I've always bankrolled myself and have kept to limits I've set myself but it can and does take over your life. Many people play poker now and whether you are good at it with bankroll management or not, it effects your life in so many different ways!

I do still play but not as much as 12 months ago. My ROI % is 56 roughly for MTT's. I hate cash games with a passion, too many people with huge bankrolls multi-tabling on short handed and small blinds. No matter how good you think you are, there's always someone better than you.

It's a good game and very enjoyable. I've had the joys of playing with some top online pros and GUKPT EPT and SPT live events but for anyone thinking about starting to deposit and play or go out playing live, just take a look at the bigger picture. It can and does ruin lives, i just have a very understanding missus who loves to spend the winnings on our kids and us.

Good work on sharing your story. I know exactly what you are on about. Poker's a strange one, its all about being better than the next person and living a dream. I just hope others can be able to admit to the problem before lives get ruined.

[Gold Coast Fox]

There are quite a few people with serious gambling problems living in the gold coast, all thanks to a giant casino called jupiters casino, it even has its own monorail running 24/7.

Personally i hate the place's and refuse to go anywhere near them after seeing what it can do to people, good on you for fighting back though, many people never get the help they need until it's too late.

[trabuch]

The odd (and scary) thing I find about gambling is that I almost seem to get the bigger thrill through losing. It's like it's the point of it.

[Alexikokopops]

When I was a kid, bookies were seen as dirty dingy places and had their windows blacked out.... now its cool to gamble....

There's a Will Hill between my house and the tube and it's a proper classic dingy place. Seeing some of the guys go in and out of there has always made me slightly afraid of gambling! I still haven't dared venture in

[hairy]

I know the owners of a chain of arcades. When you see how much money they have made you realise there are only one winners, no matter how good you think you are.

I also have a friend who would put thousands in the slotties. He ended up declaring himself bankrupt.

[MrSpaM]

The only people who get rich and famous off gambling, are already rich and famous in the first place. It's a complete mugs game. I've seen it ruin countless people, people who couldnt even afford to do it in the first place, but took the next step after sitting on 'free' gambling sites for months. As soon as you start piling money into it that you never had in the first place, it's a downward spiral.

You've also got to think outside the box a bit as well, there are people out there that can and will take your money wether your good at playing or not. Would you feel comfortable playing poker against someone like Derren Brown? (The guy that does all the crazy mind tricks), now think how many people are out there that are using the exact same tricks for financial gain instead of fame, he's not the only person in this planet that can do that. Sooner or later you are going to get completely screwed by someone like this.

[hairy]

The only people who get rich and famous off gambling, are already rich and famous in the first place.

Not true. The people I know where gypsies froma travelling fair ground.

[MrSpaM]

Not true. The people I know where gypsies froma travelling fair ground.

Every Gypsy I’ve ever known has had more money than most of the people I know in full time jobs, it's a common misconception that because they live in a caravan or similar home that they don’t have money, most of them choose to live like that, not because they cant afford to buy a house.

[Guest Bilo]

Having worked in a bookies for a number of years, I saw plenty of people clearly battling with addictions and losing.

There was one guy in particular who would be knocking on the door at 10 to 9 in the morning and I was having to remind him we were closing at 9pm as he was still punting. Mostly on the roulette machines as well, which in my opinion are the most irresponsible bits of kit ever introduced on the British High Street. Since they've been introduced; calls to Gamcare have absolutely skyrocketed because people will literally spend hours on them, not to mention obscene amounts of money.

My advice to anyone struggling with gambling is to get in touch with Gamcare immediately, they're a great organisation who will do all they can to help you. You should be able to fill in a self-exclusion form at any bookies too, which effectively bars yourself from the shop for a set period of time up to five years after which it is reviewed.

[Unabomber]

I was addicted to poker for a few years, would win a grand then lose it etc, so overall when I got over it I would say I was maybe down a few hundred on the whole, which isn't too bad. I got over it with relative ease and it doesn't sound like I was anywhere near addicted as lavrentis, but I hope it all works out for you.

At least you are aware of a problem which is the biggest step in overcoming it.

[adam1]

I have had extensive experience of the gambling industry from working on course (from 15/16) to working in (and managing) a betting shop. This was by the time I was 21. Being the other side of the fence has certainly helped me. I bet. But I don't bet often. I certainly don't have an addiction. I don't have an addiction because I understand what gambling is and why a bet is to be placed.

A bet is when you disagree with what the bookmaker has said a horses chance is. You can apply this to all types of bets. You may have heard the phrase 'value.' Value means that the price is substantially higher then the horses chance. i.e. a 12/1 chance is priced 20/1. Whereas a 12 chance might win one every 13 times thus making a loss, a 20 chance winning once every 13 times returns a profit.

So the idea of 'value' is to end up in profit. Not every horse will win. I recognise this. I understand that I will have more losing bets then winning bets. But I will make a profit over all. This is the second problem. People do not know how to lose. They cannot deal with the emotional and mental challenges that losing runs bring. They therefore start 'chasing their losses.' You can now see how this applies to poker etc.

People also don't realise gambling requires some intelligence and hard work. There is no such thing as luck. An American academic expert/gambler once wrote: the harder I work the luckier I get. For Joe Public gambling is often seen as a get rich quick scheme. This isn't helped by the advertising on tv - especially the bingo adverts. I think that gambling problems will become more prevailent in the next few years.

I have seen people with addicitions to gambling and it is hard to get over. I think posting it one here is helpful as it may help one or two others who may be in a similar situation.

[The Year Of The Fox]

Its crazy how easy it is to spend money at the bookies

I've never been addicted either, but just through casual use gambling is scary. We're pretty short of money at the moment due to Christmas and not long owning a house. I have an online account with William Hill where the minimum deposit is £10. Last month I wasted £40 on it, with no return. I hadn't realised I'd wasted so much. I know that that figure will seem minimal to someone with an addiction, but its still a lot of money to throw away. What really scared me was that my mate had given me a tip on this 'dead cert' horse. Now I know that nothings 'dead cert' in gambling/horse racing, but my mate probably wins double my weekly wage each week on his wiining he's that lucky. I nearly lumped £100 on it which would've been enough to get me out of the overdraft. Decided against it and the horse finished 2nd!

I limit myself to £5 a weekend now on goals galore. Though I'll probably nip down tonight and stick some one as its a full fixture list

[whoareyaaa]

used to put 100's in the Roulette every couple of days and once your down you are forvever chasng that money back you will never be up in the long run no matter what happens, you will have some good days but they are far a few between the losses, one day I said to myself is this really worth all the trouble and with a lot of will power managed to come off them and have not played one for about 2 years now, you see people in their throwing money at them everyday which is pretty pointless as its possibly working on the same mechanics as a bandit even so your odds are 36/1 which is shocking as it is.

Poker however is a different story I have been playing for over a year now and won about 5k on Pokerstars came 2nd in one tournament bagging just under 2k, just last week I won £500 while being 11 places away from 13k. If you know how to control your limits and are good at working out odds and are willing to sit there all day then money can be made but again I wouldnt recommened it to anyone as I have seen people lose thousands on live games something I do not really play. I stick to cheap torunaments and Sit and Gos.

But well done for getting away from the problem is a hard thing to do but you will be very grateful in the long run, just stick a tenner on the football each week I found this was a good way to get away from the Roulette addiciton.

At the end of the day its all about having strong will power and realising you will never be UP.