I hope you don't mind me posting this here.

Graham_Devon

I feel quite bad posting this here, but this is my story.

Got myself into 27k debt via gambling, drinking and women! Started off with fruit machines etc in the pub, until I realised I could gamble from my own comfy chair at home!

Anyway, money doesnt seem real if it's just numbers on the screen, about a year and a half ago, I had my lightbulb moment and have gone without lots of things to get rid of my debt.

I had, until today, £11,300 left to pay off.

32red (online casino) did their usual after about 3 months of no deposits and deposited £200 into my account which I never shut down for this reason. Normally when this happens I just lose it as I have to play it through twice.

Until today! Got my e-mail at work, so came home and tried to win, was playing Tomb Raider slots, thinking well I aint gonna win anything, just whack it up to the maximum amount per spin for the max gains should anything come in....

...it did!

Got 3 symbols, which means 10 free spins at 3x the winnings. At £7.50 a spin, if you win, you win a reasonable amount.

Anyway, 8 free spins gone had won £300 (not that great for £7.50 a spin) and was happy in the knowledge that I could take about £150 from them and just withdraw it. Then, it happenned. Hit 4 of the symbols on the 3x winning, thats £225.00 x 3 = £675. Nearly wet myself!! Gives you another 10 free spins! So had 11. Won nothing until the last 3 spins, hit the highest amount you can get, another £675. Had a balanc of £1650 or something and had to play through another £130 to be able to take it. At this point was shaking like a leaf hoping for more! Alas, zilch in £130 worth of playing!

Took £1465.

I cannot believe it. But, the best thing is, I hit the withdraw button as soon as I could. Thats a MAJOR achievement for me. When I used to gamble, that would have just been more gambling money, i.e. keep going as "I can win more" and would have ended up losing the full 1.4k.

So, had to share with you lot. Finally, after roughly 24k they took off me, I got a win. Sure, they are still 22.5k up from me alone, but I have hit the habit on the head, and really was something for me to withdraw it.

I won't be going back at all now, as doubt I will get another load of free chips to get me to go back. So, I will e-mail them when I have recieved the money to fully terminate my account, just incase I do get the urge.

I AM NOT IN ANY WAY TELLING ANYONE TO GAMBLE!!! IT IS LETHAL!!!

So there we go, a tiny bit of justice for those of us who have gambled our way into debt.

Again, hope you don't mind me posting when I have won so much, but hopefully you will realise I'm still 22.5k down!!

Best thing, in true DFW style, I withdraw it straight to my VISA card instead of into my bank. :T

Sorry, just had to let someone know, as can't tell anyone around me I won via gambling, they will go skitso at me So had to have somewhere to get it off my chest!

leni

Well done you - always good to get some money back!

hope it's coming stright off the debt though!

halloweenqueen_2

Have you shut down the account now? They may think its worth letting you take that much on the offchance you will slip back and give them thousands more!
Good luck to you, it must feel good to get something back!

Graham_Devon

It feels great, I don't want to work out the percentage of what I gave them and what I just took back, will make it look silly!

I need to wait until the money has hit my credit card before closing. They have this silly rule where if I terminate my account, they will put the money you deposited back onto your card, and keep the winnings.

As I didnt put any money in, they will take the full 1.4k!

So yes, it's a temptation thing, they also hold it for a day or so where you can reverse the withdrawal to play with again. So have to keep myself majorly busy!!

jessicamb

you were very lucky. well done for that - can you download some of the gambling blocker software or leave your pc at your parents or something until the money is 'safe'?

tsharp

I just bet £4 in 3 bets on the England game tonight, so I hope your luck rubs off on me. I have won more than i have spent gambling, that is cos a) i hardly ever gamble, b) i only ever bet £1/£2 at a time c) i got lucky on a 100/1 bet. Incidentally, that bet was and England v Macedonia game, which is the same fixture as tonight!

Graham_Devon

jessicamb wrote:

you were very lucky. well done for that - can you download some of the gambling blocker software or leave your pc at your parents or something until the money is 'safe'?

Leave my PC at my parents house!? I would be lost!

Might have to watch TV or do some DIY or something!

I'm not at all tempted to go back. I've worked out the dent its going to make on the CC. I havent been tempted in the last 12 months, and this win isn't going to cloud my judgement now. I still think of it as a 22.5k loss.

chickadee

Well done Graham. Please don't be tempted again. They always win in the end.

Graham_Devon

chickadee wrote:

Well done Graham. Please don't be tempted again. They always win in the end.

I wasn't tempted, though the whole idea of the free £200 is to tempt you in. Done it twice now and lost both times.

So I didnt actually outlay any money. It's the sole reason I left my account open. One day I just had the idea of walking away, and never played again. I only do the freebies now, theres 4 casino's you can play for free each month and I do them. Sometimes make up to £500, but usually lose the free money. Again, something to entice you, but I can (thankfully) see past that now and find saving money, well ok, paying off the debts much much more pleasureable.

No, I'm not telling anyone where the free ones are, as it's tempation and don't want to be responsible for anyone creating themselves a gambling habit. Temptation is the only reason they do it.

I had to post somewhere and as my debt is 90% from gambling thought it apt to post here. Had to post as can't shout to anyone around me, as they know I had a gambling problem (something else which stops me from joining again, disapointing my dear mum for one who helped me out at the time!!...that one works wonders at stopping me!)

saubryn

Congrats on the winnings, and congrats even more on having the self control to walk away once the free play was over! Thats very, very impressive.

If you can honestly manage and control it then it sounds like the free play is good to do, BUT only if you can stick to just the free play!

Congrats again, and stay posting on here to avoid the temptation

Anwen_2

Well done on taking the winnings and running! Maybe you could change the password to something gibberish to stop you logging in without having to have a reminder sent? Just in case..!