Finally had enough

I am probably not the best person to answer as we are both in a similar situation, I have tried setting the limits but normally end up cancelling them and away I go again. I had outstanding bets but have excluded myself from the sites as I know I will lose far more than that waiting on them resulting.

I'm not going to say what is right for you but I need to go cold turkey and have tried to cut it off completely.

Good Luck

If I close my account what do I do about outstanding bets?

I just let mine go, don't know what happens to them.

Suppose it depends how much they are for an how much control you have.

I don't trust myself enough to have the option of cancelling the limits.

I have just woke up and still determined to beat this.

One solution STOP! and STOP forever.. No IFS and BUTS, just STOP!

Hi Big Man and welcome.

First off you have admitted having a problem with gambling so fair play to you. As for setting limits and only betting X amount, from experience it simply doesn't work. I used to think after long periods of abstinence that I could control it and only do a fiver here and there. No matter how much you try and convince yourself you can control it, eventually it will spiral out of control. That's what compulsive gamblers do! I think by being here you actually realise this.

Believe it or not the money you have lost isn't your biggest problem, it's everything else. Time wasted gambling, relationships destroyed, work suffering, unable to sleep, lost/gained weight, mental torture etc etc. We are experts at lying to ourselves and saying we're not as bad as the next guy and that somehow we're different than the other CG's.

As for the open bets you have they still stand even if you have excluded. Any 'winnings' will be paid out but personally I'd just forget about them coz it's an open door back to the madness. You would likely lose more than those open bets would pay anyway!

All the best

Thank you for your advice.

Youve got to join us gamble free Big Man

I promise you that its a much better feeling of calmness and serenity.

You have to focus on what gambling really is and what its done to you. With strength and in a strong moment you just shut everything down and I mean everything. Many gamblers just want to stop losing in the early stages of realising a problem.

However its a losing game as soon as you started. Gamblers ignore the odds. Its not an income scheme of I will just win a bit today. Its a random mugs game with everything stacked heavily against you.

You are in the best place because you wont be able to justify any gambling behaviour here. Together with people close and counselling you will get a healthy mind again and wonder why you ever did it.

With reading you will learn how the addiction works and controls your mind

Gamble free is a lovely feeling. Every pound is mine and the goodies are rolling in. More importantly, I have focus about the meaning of life and what fun really is.

Best wishes from everyone on the forum

The 'every pound is mine' comment is something I am going to keep hold of. That will help me stop.