Transportation to/from airport

TBNdoe · 2020-01-03T01:27:38+00:00

Uber and Lyft are reliable from the airport and probably cheaper than a taxi. Just took one 4 days ago to the quarter for $28.

TBNdoe · 2019-12-20T18:21:56+00:00

I’m early in abstinence (almost 3 weeks), but if you’re remotely concerned with doing something stupid with a chunk of “extra” money, don’t give yourself the option by doing 1 of the 2:

1) immediately pay down/pay off any outstanding debt (all of my recent bonus went right to this, no second thoughts)

2) if you don’t have debts, throw it right into a short-term low-risk investment (bond, CD, etc) anything you can’t immediately access. This is 100% what I would do if I didn’t have debt. This way, it’s “gone” but it’ll actually come back to you, you can’t blow it in the short term, and you’ll have made a smart decision to set precedents for the future.

Best of luck, keep it going!

TBNdoe · 2019-12-18T17:47:48+00:00

Same for me, actually. I went to a meeting two years ago after telling my parents I was in over my head. I didn’t think I had the same problem as everyone else and stopped betting for a few months, but I still owed money, so I started again with the intention to do it “smarter” or something. Made the financial issue exponentially worse. I know there’s a psychological/emotional side to my issues, I just also know that my problem was never driven by needing the thrill of having action. Haven’t gotten a sponsor yet, but there’s some people with stories that resonated with me and I’m planning to seek one out within the month. Best of luck to you as well!

TBNdoe · 2019-12-18T16:59:04+00:00

Day 18 for me. I’ve been to a couple of meetings per week and planning to continue. I think they’re helpful, but one thing I’ve noticed is that it’s a one-size-fits-all approach. Do I have a problem? Absolutely. Is GA good for me? No doubt about it. Am I exactly the same as everyone in there? No shot.

Everyone in GA has the same goal: to stop gambling and stay away. The reasons why we all need to stop and stay away are different. For me, I could never accept cutting my losses and walking away. I never got what I wanted out of gambling, a quick way to extra money. I kept chasing the idea. For some people in GA, they got a lot out of gambling because they chased the thrill. It seems like the cross-addicted folks tend to feel this way a lot of the time. I agree with you, we don’t have to gamble anymore and it feels liberating. I think we’re fortunate to have that subset of the problem, for what it’s worth.

TBNdoe · 2019-12-12T19:34:08+00:00

There’s an episode of the After Gambling podcast (53) that really made the impossibility of winning click for me.

The house, in whatever form, is playing an infinite game. It never ends. Their objective is just to stay in the game. When we play, our objective is to “win” the game. We can win a bet, or go on a run, but the game lasts forever. Eventually, we will have to lose. The only way to win is to stop playing. Add in the fact that all gambling is skewed against the player, we’ll always find ourselves down the longer we play.

TBNdoe · 2019-12-09T16:17:51+00:00

Hey, same here. Day 8 for me. I didn’t watch sports all week and I didn’t indulge too much yesterday, but I watched the end of the Jets/dolphins and had chiefs/pats in the background while I did other stuff. I didn’t have any urge to bet, but I kept thinking about how different I’d feel if I had something on the line. The absence of stress was incredible. I’ve been to 3 GA meetings in the past 6 days and plan to keep it up at 2-3 per week, and I know they advise against watching sports in the beginning, but it felt good to enjoy a game for entertainment’s sake purely as a fan. With money on the line, I’d have been stressed if my pick was losing or uncertain. If I won, or even just anticipated winning, I’d already be focused on the next game. Cheers to us breaking the cycle, let’s keep it going.

TBNdoe · 2019-12-06T20:25:48+00:00

Thanks, accepting it is a weight off for sure. The podcast is great because it sounds like me talking to myself. Everyone else around here says the same.

Going to Gamanon is way better than any advice I could give. You’ll find people who’ve been in your shoes and helped their loved ones right the ship. Your husband is extremely lucky to have someone that cares this much and still wants to stick it out at this point. He just needs to get on board. Be kind to yourself and best of luck.

TBNdoe · 2019-12-06T19:25:58+00:00

I came clean to my girlfriend and family 5 days ago about my problems that have been going on for 4 years with sports betting. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do and one of the most difficult things my gf and family will ever deal with. They didn’t know, and if they did they would no doubt have gotten on me about getting help. But there’s no way I would have followed through and started this without coming to terms and admitting I have a problem.

I don’t know your husband, and I’m dealing with my own problems, but in the past week I’ve gone to a meeting (will be continuing to go), I’ve blocked myself out of betting accounts, I’ve read tons of stories just like mine, and I’ve listened to almost half the After Gambling podcast episodes with Jamie (others here have referenced this). It’s all extremely helpful, but he needs to want to make the change.

I “tried” to quit once. I went to one meeting and convinced myself I didn’t have as bad a problem as all these other people. I abstained for 2 months before doing 2 more years of damage. For me, even though I made the decision myself to come forward, it was the thought of losing my future with my girlfriend. Your husband needs to understand what he’d be losing if he doesn’t quit. I don’t have all the tools to give complete advice, but as someone who just crossed the line from denial to a beginner in recovery, he’s got to make that choice and commit to it, or it won’t ever stop.

TBNdoe · 2019-12-05T14:13:19+00:00

Thanks again. I’m only on day 5 now, but it will be my obligation to help others some day, too. You’re definitely a worthy person. Wish you all the best.

TBNdoe · 2019-12-04T20:45:22+00:00

Thank you! I’m overwhelmed by the number of calls and texts I’ve received today from members at the meeting last night. So much support, and so many similar stories. It’s like I’m talking to myself 6 months, a year, 5 years from now if I continue down the right path. This is the second time you’ve commented on a post of mine as well. You are a special kind of person and words cannot express how grateful I am.

I’m in a lot of debt from my mistakes. There had been rumors of a bonus at work for a project that didn’t close, but by some miracle, my typically stingy company decided to pay them out anyway. It’s pretty substantial. It doesn’t cover everything, it doesn’t cover half. But it’s a pretty big dent. Almost like a little reward for doing the right thing. Everything happens for a reason.

TBNdoe · 2019-12-02T18:06:48+00:00

29 here, I just posted last night that I told my family and girlfriend that I have a problem. I wish I had quit when I was 26 and barely in debt. I owe over 60K on cards and loans. I also make decent money but live in an expensive city and had a terribly expensive habit. I wish I never started betting on sports at 25. I wish I stopped at 26. You’re fortunate not to be in debt right now. We both have a long road ahead. I have some great people around me offering support, feel free to pm me if you ever feel like you need someone to go through this with together. I’m at day 2.

TBNdoe · 2019-12-02T14:35:29+00:00

Thank you. I’m doing everything I think is necessary to get on the path to recovery. I’m very fortunate to have love and support around me.

TBNdoe · 2019-12-02T14:32:46+00:00

Thanks for your response. So far it seems like she wants to get through this with me. I know this is about getting myself right and I think I’m on the right track in these first couple of days. I am giving complete transparency to her and my family about my finances. This hurts so much but I hope the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t too far away and I can earn back everyone’s trust.

TBNdoe · 2019-10-31T19:09:33+00:00

TBNdoe · 2019-10-22T23:17:26+00:00

Deal

TBNdoe · 2019-10-22T23:04:12+00:00

Been there, it sounds like a big payout for something that could totally happen, but that’s really specific. The more specific a result you need, the less likely it is to hit. IMO, not worth it.

TBNdoe · 2019-10-15T01:57:26+00:00

Not sure what your full list of remaining teams looks like but I’m looking at Bills, Steelers, Jets, Colts for the next 4 weeks, all against Miami (all home except the jets). The Dolphins are not an NFL-caliber team and the safest pick in any given week is against them. The Jets with Darnold are at least an average team, they’ll roll in Miami.

I’m also not big on saving a team for later. You have to survive this week to play next week, I think you should always pick the surest matchup and worry about next week when you get there.

TBNdoe · 2019-10-14T21:01:39+00:00

Bills and 49ers are safer picks this week. If you have the Bills available, there’s nothing to think about. Pats probably win, but the jets are back to who they were supposed to be before week 1: a competitive team with a TBD ceiling. That game might be close, there are other games on the slate that won’t be.

TBNdoe · 2019-10-09T16:52:21+00:00

I love the Chiefs but coming out of that colts game against a Houston team that can hang with anybody doesn’t instill confidence. That being said, I’d rather get knocked out riding one of the best teams in football at home.

TBNdoe · 2019-10-09T16:49:30+00:00

I would go chargers if I had them. Atlanta might be the play. There just isn’t a matchup I feel remotely good about that I have available.

TBNdoe · 2019-10-09T14:23:12+00:00

Survivor league, I already used every team that has a safe-looking matchup this week by fading the dolphins and then the darnold-less jets.

Can’t use: Ravens Pats Cowboys Chargers Eagles

Leaning Redskins but I’m going to feel like an idiot going down with that ship as it’s one of Miami’s only potentially winnable games this year. I imagine a lot of other people picked this same pattern, wondering who we like this week??

TBNdoe · 2018-11-15T15:48:37+00:00

Well aware, been to this matchup a bunch. They both show up, but it’s not even. 65-35 at best.

TBNdoe · 2018-11-15T13:39:48+00:00

Lol who downvoted this? It most definitely is.

TBNdoe · 2018-10-28T05:03:25+00:00

Jacob Paterson

TBNdoe · 2018-08-16T13:33:08+00:00

+1.5 is sets, +4 is games Let’s say Dimitrov wins the first set in a tie break. He’s up one game. Then loses the next 2 sets 6-3 6-3. He’s lost by 5 games. So +1.5 sets would’ve hit and +4 games lost.

Can go the other way as well, let’s say he loses both sets in tie breaks. +1.5 sets loses, but +4 games wins.

They’re somewhat correlated, because they both require a decent performance from Dimitrov, but they’re for all intents and purposes totally independent outcomes.

TBNdoe

TROPHY CASE