Seven years today....

[Day]

I'll never forhet at one of the first meetings I went to and a guy told about how he'd thrown himself against a wall and dragged his face down the side of it, basically made himself look battered - then told his family he'd been mugged and had his wallet pinched in a bid to hide the fact that he'd gambled it away. That's how desperate you can get. Scary.

His wife sat with him looking both lost and determined to help at the same time. I really felt for them but they were together at that moment. I focussed on that.

The sheer humility shown in a GA meet is not something I've come across since, it really shows the best in people.

Paul Merson did that, was in his book

[ossieram]

I wonder whether punters lose because they become over excited and go for for the spectacular risky wins.

If someone offered you a savings account with an immediate 14% interest return would you take it.

Well.....man city to beat sunderland at home gives the same return.

Not tonight it doesn't.

[ladyram]

Paul Merson did that, was in his book

Doesn't surprise me really. When you hear people talk about the lengths they go to hide things, I'd reckon it's pretty common.

[Scott_dcfc]

Just seen this.

Well done mate. I had a friend who never turned up to work for 2/3 months because be gambled all his wages on fruit machines. He didn't have money for fuel to get him there.

I should have noticed after spending time with him outside of work, but never realised people could get addicted to them. Luckily enough he admitted his problem to his family, and thanks to GA, he saved his job and his money.

I've had a few bets myself last year, sometimes losing 100-200 pounds a month. Others I was 100-200 up. But I realised once I lost a load, it was time to stop. Even for me that was hard with only being a minute away from a bet on my phone.

Well done to you , sir. A real a achievement. Be proud my friend.

[Phoenix]

Reminds me of a lad I used to work with in the early 1970s, didn't know how to play cards til he went on a work-related course with some colleagues.

 

After that he caught the bug and became totally addicted. It didn't help matters that one of the lads at work used to egg him on. He ended up having to sell his house in Southwell to keep the heavies at bay, and moved to Wellingborough, commuting to London. I estimated that he used to gamble the equivalent of a months pay, every month, and this was before the sophistication of online betting etc.

 

I think the enforced house-move shook him a bit but don't know how things panned out after that. He changed his name by deed poll, so that his baby son wouldn't have the p taken out of him later in life as he had done (a rather odd name) but I reckon it was also to avoid the debt-collectors.

 

The consequences can be terrifying, stick at it Mafiabob.

[Mafiabob]

Reminds me of a lad I used to work with in the early 1970s, didn't know how to play cards til he went on a work-related course with some colleagues.

After that he caught the bug and became totally addicted. It didn't help matters that one of the lads at work used to egg him on. He ended up having to sell his house in Southwell to keep the heavies at bay, and moved to Wellingborough, commuting to London. I estimated that he used to gamble the equivalent of a months pay, every month, and this was before the sophistication of online betting etc.

I think the enforced house-move shook him a bit but don't know how things panned out after that. He changed his name by deed poll, so that his baby son wouldn't have the p taken out of him later in life as he had done (a rather odd name) but I reckon it was also to avoid the debt-collectors.

The consequences can be terrifying, stick at it Mafiabob.

Thankyou Phoenix, another sad story, thankyou for everyone for sharing these stories on here, I really appreciate it and they help me greatly. I take something from every share.