Cover brother Gambling will catch up to you

Just from experience, been gambling on and off for 10 years and just hit rock bottom ! I have heard and seen similar stories and just warning you to gamble responsibly. Never though it would happen to me, but in a blink of a eye , things can go sideways. The stress and anxiety and the work it takes to cap games , is not worth it ignoring time with family and friends. I¡¯m still ok and didn¡¯t get to a point where I have nothing , I just stopped right on time. But hearing stories , seeing people I know , and online stories , some individuals have not just lost money , they lost family, friends, business, homes, and have become homeless. Gambling is an addition and I wish the best for all of you. Officially retiring from the gambling word !

Good Luck

God Bless 

God Bless brother!  You have made the right choice.  Gambling is an insidious disease.  It is fun at first and then can rip your life apart.  I applaud you for walking away from this Demon.  I think I may just walk out with you.    

@GOODCHOICEMAN

 Good post and I completely agreed with you on everything. 

It¡¯s a rush won tons of money , but also lost a lot , and I came back to it every time . This time is different because I don¡¯t want to lose everything I have and own. May story is just I lost a lot of my saving and ended up in small debt. It¡¯s just hearing worst stories than mine, where people have got hurt , lost everything, and even people committing suicide. 

First it¡¯s started as a hobby and extra money, but it consumes you and get worst where you wager more and more until you spiral out of control 

God bless 

Perhaps this is a sign in my life. I have also been gambling for approximately 15 years and just continuously raked up debt. As I have a well paid job it was not so bad at first. But I kept losing much more than my income and it has now come to a point where I am have so much personal debt that my salary does not cover my monthly payments to the financial institutions. I have not lost family yet and I need to stop now. I don't know what I will do next but I think I have no option but to come clean to my family as I need help. It is an addiction and I believe it is time to speak to professionals and go to meetings as I need to stop. It is an addiction. Thank you for posting this message and letting me type this out. No one in my life knows as I feel I cannot admit it to anyone for the fear of disappointment it will bring. 

I agree....

It's an addiction....

I'm one of the lucky ones who's made a few last couple years but MANY YEARS of losing and chasing....

Today....l control it...it doesn't control me.

It's not for everyone....gambling responsibly is easier said than done. 

I took nearly five years off from all of it...I mean a grand total of 8 dollars gambled in nearly five years...

Not even a friendly hockey pool....

Last year....came back...

Up roughly 20K since but it doesn't wash away the 2plus decades of pain associated with losses.

My story is rare....

Key for me is sobriety....

Staying sober equals responsible and profitable gambling....

Staying drunk and high .....

You know the rest..

Bol to anyone who does what we do and more importantly...

Bol to one who has the gambling addiction and wishes to STOP...

Peace.. 

Even if I win week after week it comes at the expense of ignoring things that should be important bc of all the time and paying attention it requires. Then if you go cold you just want to read the Owen Wilson ¡°don¡¯t jump¡± book from Wedding Crashers. When it¡¯s like that you know it¡¯s not worth it. I envy those with disciple and self control lol 

Good posts everyone. I really enjoyed reading your perspectives. For me personally, I am not doing too bad, but gambling consumes so much of my time to a point that I need to quit as well. 

I think it¡¯s important for anyone that has a gambling problem to let their close ones know that you¡¯re gambling. Also it¡¯s important to know when to step away and when to stop whether you¡¯re up or down big.

the key is to maintain your ego.

there is no wrong in losing. It¡¯s the chasing that gets you down the hole deeper into a hole of misery.

I¡¯ve had a good week and tonight I wagered a game that I quite frankly shouldn¡¯t have wagered. I lost and cashed out while I¡¯m still up a good amount before I lose it all.

I will continue to look at games from a far for a couple of days. But I won¡¯t force it. 

I¡¯ve only been gambling for 3 years.. I was one of the lucky ones to start off hot but have had my shares of slumps. Key is to always walk away either to take a break or you walk away for good.

I'll lay you 3-1 that you're all gambling within a week.

@GOODCHOICEMAN

Hope you find the help you're looking for. Here are some useful resources for overcoming gambling problems. Be safe. 

USA

National Council on Problem Gaming (NCPG)
https://www.ncpgambling.org/Purpose: To serve as the national advocate for programs and services to assist problem gamblers and their families.

National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG)
https://www.icrg.org/The National Center for Responsible Gaming is the only national organization exclusively devoted to funding research that helps increase understanding of gambling disorder and youth gambling and find effective methods of treatment for the disorder.

Gamblers Anonymous
https://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/Gamblers Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other so that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from a gambling problem.

Gambling Therapy
https://www.gamblingtherapy.org/Gambling Therapy is a global service offering free practical advice and emotional support to anyone affected by problem gambling.

Self Exclusion
Self exclusion is a way to press pause if you feel like you need a break from gambling as you will ban yourself from casinos, gaming properties, and online gaming apps. Self-exclusion programs are run on a state-by-state basis and can usually be found on a state government¡¯s website.

Canada

Gamblers Anonymous
https://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/Gamblers Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other so that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from a gambling problem.

Canadian Partnership for Responsible Gaming
http://www.cprg.ca/The Canadian Partnership for Responsible Gambling is a collaboration of non-profit organizations, gaming providers, research centres and regulators working to find and promote effective ways to reduce the risk of problem gambling.

Responsible Gambling Council (RGC)
https://www.responsiblegambling.org/The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to problem gambling prevention.

Self Exclusion
Self exclusion is a way to press pause if you feel like you need a break from gambling as you will ban yourself from casinos, gaming properties, and online gaming apps. Self-exclusion programs are run on a province-by-province basis and can usually be found on a provincial government¡¯s website.

UK

BeGambleAware
https://www.begambleaware.org/BeGambleAware provides information to help people make informed decisions about their gambling. Find out more about gambling and what safer gambling means, understand and recognise problem gambling, and find out where to go for further information, help and support should you need it.

Gambling Therapy
https://www.gamblingtherapy.org/enGambling Therapy is a global service offering free practical advice and emotional support to anyone affected by problem gambling.

Gamblers Anonymous
https://www.gamblersanonymous.org.uk/Gamblers Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other so that they may solve their common problem and help others to do the same.

GamCare
https://www.gamcare.org.uk/GamCare is the leading national provider of information, advice, support and free treatment for anyone affected by problem gambling. Their expert services are confidential and non-judgemental.

GamStop (Self Exclusion)
https://www.gamstop.co.uk/You will be prevented from using gambling websites and apps run by companies licensed in Great Britain, for a period of your choosing. This is a UK Self Exclusion tool.

The beautiful thing about life is everyday is an opportunity to change it all around. You¡¯re in control, make good decisions. Come back and post in a year how it¡¯s going, you¡¯ll be amazed at how good life is without gambling, the world is a big place with lots of good opportunities. Best of luck!

good choice man...

Yeah¡­I feel ya.  The amount of energy and concentration needed to keep up with the NBA is definitely not worth it. Hell I¡¯ve been sitting on a three million dollar opportunity trying to figure out if Embiid is playing or not¡­stupid. Lol¡­BOL.

So who you guys got for the games tn?

Pay up before you quit 

Agree 100%! Sports gambling is the worst of all addictions b/c it¡¯s the only addiction that can reward you with money unlike alcohol drugs food etc. I¡¯m very afraid of what our society will be like in the near future by all these states legalizing sports gambling and what it has done to my life in the last 30 years. Even 100% bonuses couldn¡¯t make it profitable for me over the years. I would never recommend it for anyone who just started. Thing about it I would never play a scratch off ticket or alot machine or a table game. It¡¯s only sports gambling that chews me up and spits me out. 

@buffer

 I swear bro

Very awesome post! I have also hit rock bottom and trying to work my way out. It's kinda weird, like when I lose its like take that you stupid bastard! You deserve what you get! Kinda enjoyable in a really screwed up way...

Im also very guilty of this.  Noodling over bets when I should be working on biz projects 1000-10,000x larger.  Wife thinks Im a total idiot lol.

Yardman wanted to increase my weekly yard maintenance from $50 to $60 and I started bitching at him meanwhile I¡¯m losing dimes on games! What¡¯s wrong with you my wife asked! 

Good words here guys 

@GOODCHOICEMAN

 Just signed up 5 minutes ago to say that I relate to what everything you said.  Congratulations on moving on . I been betting over 15 years win some loose some..no problem. .. 3 times have I ever gotten in trouble betting and that's having a BOOKIE.. I go to Lake Tahoe n place bets 5 or 6 times a year and it's fun.. but when I was able to find a local.. I spiral out of control.. as not worth the stress, being upset .. 1st time I see someone post something like this..