gambling getting out of control

DavidF

Well done for taking the 1st step...in making this thread in your heart and somewhere in your head you KNOW you have a problem Even winners can be seen as having a problem. I "won" approx £50000 over 2 years at online poker (true story) but I was a complete hermit. Led the most unsociable and unhealthy lifestyle. Was up all night and sleeping a lot through the day to keep in line with my american time table......winning was nice....leading an upside down life which required me to be attached to a laptop for in excess of 12 hours a day was far from nice. Online poker got me too places that I would never have been...but in the end it was all too much. It has been 4 years or so since I even logged into a poker site. I actually get emails from them telling me that I have $50 in my account ect ect.....but it's better for my mental health that I just don't bother doing that stuff.
As for being "Good at gambling" as pointed out there isn't really any such thing. Infact I would go as far as to say that the few people who find an edge against the house be that casino/bookie or whatever are pretty quickly ASKED to take their business elsewhere. Also lastly you talk about the analysing of data at your fingertips. Do you not agree that even the shortest priced favourite can and does loose ? Even the biggest dog has his day....and it's that "day" that can and will break you.

As already said by creating this thread you have put into writing that you know something isnt right...only you can decide if you REALLY need the PAIN before getting out of this.

mountainofdebt

The other thing that might help you in dealing with your issues is the recent football match fixing scandals.

Before you place a bet ask yourself - can I be 100% sure that no-one involved in the match won't have taken a bribe - or be told to throw a match .......it always amazes me that people still bet on F1 racing even after hearing, with their own ears, drivers being told to let someone through so that the other driver can 'win'

Tiddlywinks

CaptainAmerica wrote: »

People have no will power nowadays......just stop doing it simples.

Aw, if every addict could just get a pep talk from you then they'd be sorted... no more gambling, drugs, cigarettes or whatever.

Yep, you are definitely onto something there :cool:.

Savemesomemoneyplease

Tropez wrote: »

Generally they're pretty clever. They have a basic understanding of psychology as well as usually possessing a reasonable knowledge of mathematics allowing themselves to make educated decisions on whether to play a hand or not based upon formulaic outcomes. Clearly, it isn't an exact science but there is a lot more skill involved in being a professional poker player than the vast majority of other bets out there.

Pro poker players, when they get to the stage that they can call themselves pro, aren't actually gambling. Their sponsors buy them in to all the tournaments so it isn't their money that they are playing with.

I have a female friend who plays online poker as her 'job', she is mathematically gifted and has over £300k savings at 23 so it can be done.

sassyblue

pe1998 wrote: »

I have just downloaded a list of my deposits and credits and there is so much potential liability there, and in pressure and stress, it's unhealthy.

What you've 'won' is irrelevant as it's been reused for more gambling hasn't it?

The only figures you need to look at are your deposits and all that has gone.

I agree with the others you are in denial, why do you think others like you don't seek help? It's because they don't think they have a problem either.

theoretica

pe1998 wrote: »

I think I get more from being proved correct than the monetary gain.

So you don't need to put any money on it, do you?

ABARKIE

**professor~yaffle** wrote: »

Put it this way mate, did you ever meet a broke bookie? :think:

Gary Wiltshire

Luvbet

Cashmans bookmakers in Cork

Pagebet

barba

Most mortgage lenders ask for bank statements as part of application process.

With so many gambling deposits they would decline without a doubt......

Tropez

Savemesomemoneyplease wrote: »

I have a female friend who plays online poker as her 'job', she is mathematically gifted and has over £300k savings at 23 so it can be done.

I don't recall saying it couldn't...

hazyjo

Some people have a 'weakness' (or 'love'!) for things like gambling. It nearly always gets worse. If my BF had money, it would be another possible addiction. He's bipolar and get pretty much addicted to anything (although abstaining from it all at the moment thankfully!). When I last left him, he sold his laptop and put about £90 on the grand national. He has done the most ridiculous things where he's been utterly convinced he'll win. He now puts a bet on say once every three months (less than a fiver). He rarely wins. When he doesn't put a bet on something he wanted to, he does bang on for a while about missing out on X amount of £s. I say to him he should do a bit of 'free' betting for a while. Make a list of everything he'd have bet on over a month, then weigh up all those ones he'd have lost (as well as the rare few he'd have won). Try that over several months.

Since he's been more emotionally settled with no real stress, the urge to do anything even emotionally addictive has gone.

His son (21) bets. Mainly football matches (obscure ones). Raked in a couple of grand the other week, £800-odd quid last week - but then we don't hear what he's lost, and whatever winning streak he's on definitely won't last forever. We can say all we want 'til we're blue in the face, but I think this one has to be his lesson to learn. He knows what we think - and his GF of 4 years does keep an eye on him (although I think that means he does a lot of it behind her back).

If people get to the stage they're stealing/borrowing, or lying to those they love about what they're doing, then they definitely have a problem. We don't tell people things when we don't want to hear those things are wrong. Deep down we know they'd be right with all they say, so we choose not to hear it. Please don't let it get to that stage.

If it's something you know is getting worse, something you know you do when drunk, or something you are likely to or have lied about to anyone you love, it will end up harming those people as well as yourself.

It's not physically harmful like drug or alcohol addiction, but, believe me, it can be as destructive. I've seen it all.

Jx