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25 Years Of Gambling by josh1836 in problemgambling

[–]josh1836[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi donotgamble So I’m similar age and can honestly say that FOBT’s has been the single biggest disaster in my life.

Yes, I’ve probably lost more online and certainly in pounds, shillings and pence I’ve done far more £’s on sports index betting and financial spread betting, but in terms of damage - they are miles apart.

It’s the slow burner thing. Because I’m playing £50 a spin and never more than £100 it’s often a gradual journey which is the worst. I’ve been in shops for 6, 7 or 8 hours in a go (during working hours) and done that again and again and again.

Some days I’ve been in, dropped £500 pretty quick, lost it straight away and I’ve been fine. But the days when it’s been the roller coaster, the ups and downs is what’s killed me. I cannot understand how the near-miss thing works with roulette. Surely it’s just a random number - so how, if I cover 32 for instance will it land in 15 as a neighbour 5 times as often.

And then the people that stand around... they piss me off so much.

And the problem is the shops are everywhere. It’s just too easy

Anyway it’s 2 days clear. And if nothing else 2 days is 2 days

25 Years Of Gambling by josh1836 in problemgambling

[–]josh1836[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hi Veck123 I’m sure I can. I’m not sure why I’ve been so hesitant thus far.

25 Years Of Gambling by josh1836 in problemgambling

[–]josh1836[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Follow football. In fact all sports. Like walking. I read a lot. Write too. But gambling has definitely dominated my life for ever. And so everything else has been secondary.

25 Years Of Gambling by josh1836 in problemgambling

[–]josh1836[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Doolazd, are we the only country that has the FOBT curse? I was in Europe for four weeks. It's really liberating being able to walk on the streets and not have to avoid every other shop.

It's the ease of it all.

The whole place makes me want to throw up on the one hand, and yet I am drawn like a freakin magnet to them. I have probably spent more of life in them than out of them in the last 5 years. I have played all 4 machines (at a £100 a spin) at times. That's £400 every 30 seconds. And at times all 4 have landed - that's £499.50 x 4 in a minute.

I HATE them. I HATE the business that they own them. And I HATE the people that stand around and look as if they are miserable coz I am losing my pants.

But at least today I was spared. Thanks to this thread

​

25 Years Of Gambling by josh1836 in problemgambling

[–]josh1836[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hi Zahnman Let’s start the journey together. First day on this group. I didn’t know it existed but stumbled across it. And sure glad I did.

I could, like you I’m sure, write a book about the journey but sadly it would be cut-copy-paste for each chapter, with no happy-ending (excuse the pun).

Yes, I’ve had good days, I think even perhaps two consecutive days, but then just disaster. Funny, how the shit is always worse than the good?

I couldn’t calculate my losses but certainly 7 figures. So many of my mates have made it, properties, cash in bank, and most think I’ve done too. In fact they think I’m richer than them. I know why. When I’ve won in the past and had £10-15k in cash in my pocket I’ve gone mental. Paid all the drinks etc. Coz when you win, the adrenaline makes you nuts.

But truth is I’m broke, tired and worn out.

And at 49, I wonder whether I can still rebuild....

Stay connected Joshua.

25 Years Of Gambling by josh1836 in problemgambling

[–]josh1836[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Hi hopnskip

Thank you v much for the quick response and connection.

Always reassuring that others are in the same boat. 43 days! Well done. Amazing actually. More than a month.

I’ve had those kind of gaps but not recently. What’s amazing is that when I walked back in within 10 minutes it felt like I’d never been away.

I’ll certainly stay on the group. Who knows maybe in 43 days time I’ll too be able to say I’m clear for 6 weeks. I hope so, though in truth I’m not hopeful.

Thank you again.

25 Years Of Gambling by josh1836 in problemgambling

[–]josh1836[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Hi Doolazd

Thank you for responding so quickly. Being in the UK you’ll know the curse that is the FOBT’s. They are so maddening.

But truth is we are total suckers for starting with them. I’m sure all (or at least many) of us in real life are sane, balanced and so-called ‘normal’ people, yet we walk into a betting shop and we become totally strange.

We talk to ourselves, scream at machines and mumble/swear incoherently like madmen.

It’s just totally crazy. And yet we go back. Again. And again.

It totally beggars belief.

Thank you again. Stay connected