Hi all,
First time posting. I have seen many posts on here where people's addiction has started from matched betting. Same as me, mine is with the slots.
In the beginning when i first joined, April 2018 time, I stuck to the matched betting rules (low stakes, stopping when the offer/wagering is complete), and i made a decent steady but slow profit. A big win on a low stake made me greedy and since then I've sunk into this dark place where I just want to win my losses back 🙁 I have gambled away all my profits and my own money. Two of my three betting exchanges iare empty and so are most of my bookie accounts where I had £500-£1000 balance.
I have told myself, the start of a new month. Do things properly, deposit again and start afresh. Stick to the rules and I will slowly but steadly make my losses through the risk free/low risk offers. I don't know if I can trust myself though. I think I can do it, and I hope I have the will power to do it but I'm also scared.
I know it is do-able. I am on a couple of MB chat groups where we all discuss casino offers and share our wins and profits at the end of the month - many of them seem to be playing everything by the book so why can't I?! I know there must be some which do gamble as well but I am sure there are some which profiting well by stopping when they should.
Anyway I am rambling.
Hi ALN, thanks for the reply.
Sorry, I probably didn't explain myself properly. But yes, I have gambled, gambled a lot of money, the profits I made then my own hard earned money. And I would like to stop, I believe in myself and I believe I can do it. But I was wondering, as per my post subject, if anyone in a similar situation to me has managed to continue their matched betting.
Hi
With respect ALN is right. We care about you so you will get some tough talking. This is a recovery site and the way you have worded that its clear to me that you are confused. I hope you are or will soon be ready to free your mind. What you seem to need is a matched betting tips site.
Anybody that gambles money that they cant afford to lose has a real problem. Whether they deal with it before its too late is a decision only they can make. This decision is clouded and countered by an addiction which wants more and that is the tragedy of a gambling addiction.
This is what gambling addiction does...it wraps you up in a delusion where you think you can control this. When you understand the power you are dealing with it takes over our minds for its fix. Its effectively the same as a substance craving...you are craving a substance because the mind reacts to the chemicals of expectation and what it considers a hit
The last time I looked, gambling was not a slow and steady income stream. It never has been because the gambling dens would be out of business and every punter would be making a reliable income however small. Oh "it could be you" has caused so much misery and heartache because people get hooked on something they dont fully understand and cant control. Compulsive gamblers get carried away and soon start making even more crazy bets to get a stronger fix.
When you open up cosmopolitan and really face the problem, we can help. Gambling creates a zone where you still think you can handle the pain of financial loss. I had no food in the cupboards but I was back gambling on the next pay day. The real issues are deep within your soul.
This may sound too heavy for you if you are just looking for betting tips.
I hope you do stop gambling and look for the real meaning in your life
Best wishes from everyone on the forum
Matched betting is a gateway which allows the bookies to showcase their more lucrative (for them) wares. Controlled betting is a fantasy for a CG.
Do you want to stop gambling or just stop losing?
You’re using betting to self medicate, in the same way as any other compulsive gambler uses betting to self medicate. You can’t win because you can’t stop, just like any other compulsive gambler. And just like any other compulsive gambler, you have an emotional problem with financial consequences.
The help is there but you have to want it.
CW
As Lethe has said, matched betting is too close to betting. Do yourself a favour and stop completely. Its like going into the bookies to do a cheap promo/bet. You will get tempted into donig other things. it isnt' worth it.
Cosmopolitan wrote:
I know it is do-able.
It's doable for some people. But it's not doable for me because I know I can't controle myself and will inevitably chase my loses and lose all self-discipline if things don't go my way. Or if I'm having a bout of depression/extreme boredom or whatever and decide to up the stakes.
I can't. Matched betting messed with my head badly, but I thought I could handle just keeping one account open and only do the one easy 365 inplay offer every couple of weeks. Nope, even that set my urges off badly. I also wanted to keep an exchange account open, but exchanges now terrify me as the stakes on there are essentially unlimited, and I had nearly got to the point of putting £20k single bets (unmatched). One slip of judgement, one moment of anger, and that's a life ruined.
Basically it's not worth the risk. Matched betting is hard enough work as it is, without the massive danger that comes with trying to do it as a CG. Please consider signing up to Gamstop and putting an end to the internal conflict of whether or not to do it. It's been the only way I've managed to set myself free. Peace of mind is invaluable.
We are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. You can also contact us for free on 0808 80 20 133. If you would like to find out more about the service before you start, including information on confidentiality, please click below. Call recordings and chat transcripts are saved for 28 days for quality assurance.
