Hello there my name is Aaron im 19,
I started gambling around when i was 15 i used to get £5 pocket money every week which my dad let me use on his account to place football accumulators.
This is when i used to enjoy betting when i was placing £1 accas etc.
Soon as I 18 my first thing I did was go the bookies and place £20 on a dog to win at 5/1 which won. I instantly thought this was easy and enjoyed betting i hardly had money as i didnt work so i could control my money when it came to gambling.
A year later down the line i landed my first proper job earning a regular income but now this is where the problem has started...
Every saturday i watch horse racing at home and bet, when i won i used to be happy and kept winning every week but then it got to the point i wasnt happy winning £20/30 if felt like pennies cus i knew i would bet it again. i had to win over £100 to feel good So i started staking £10/£20 on horses to try and make over that. but when i lost i always chased my loses and recently have staked £50 and £100's and when i lose i feel so down and get angry with myself I used to go to bed thinking of strategies to win money it came on obsession.
strategies such as placing big money on favorites and end up losing there was times i couldnt win and felt like i needed to do something about this which led onto the following....
I started paying people for tips over social media i was that desperate to try and win big money it came on obsession. Used to be about 10 tips daily and everyday i backed them in multipiles trying to win big money. of course in that time i won £100+ but i never was happy i always wanted more.
Social media does play a massive part in gambling and you get easily lured by enhanced prices etcc and that will get even worse with chelteham a week away...
I keep saying i will control myself but with cheltenham around the corner i fear i will lose my savings.
people say to me dont worry your young your new to this it will wear off but what if it doesnt ????
Well done aaron for realising a problem has begun and you are willing to do something about it.
I started gambling like yourself when I was around 15,I'm now 41. It started with the same way the footy coupon,the old *** pink coupon I recall it. I soon progressed to horses,and over time,after leaving school having regular money for the first time gambling consumed my whole life,it still does to this day 26 years later,its not something you grow out of unless you do something about it.
I've been bankrupt once nearly twice,gambling has brought me nothing but misery throughout my life. I've tried every tipster system there is- the trouble is they don't work because you can't win cos you can't stop- there is no end game.
Bookies love punters like you and me,multiple bets on favourites,the odds are stacked in there favour,even if you had golden b*****ks for a month,the greed and urge to win more will eventually lead to losing your winnings,and eventually more losses that you have to chase- its a vicious cycle.
You seem like a clued up chap,wish I could turn back the clock and have the help that is avaliable today when I was your age,make use of self exclusion etc,give up.
Forget about cheltenham,its impossible,not the fact you have to deal with changing ground,mixed irish and english form - there's so much you don't know- but the main reason is you can't win cos you can't stop!!
All the best.
Hello Aaron knock it on the head now it doesn't get any better only worse bigger bets more lies more hurt trust me I'm speaking from experience you will end up hurting everybody that is close to you I wish I had the balls at 19 to say I had a problem instead of letting it ride do something about now son forget about what you've done and lost in the past its gone focus on the long happy future ahead of you good luck
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