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Hey I used to do the same thing with roulette - turbo it up. It was never my prime gambling activity but wwhenever I used the casino online roulette was the game I would play. Bets would be as high as 300-500 per chip and I would use similar tactics of playing the one in three chances.

Strange how we are all so similar.

I have realised playing is actually no fun at all. It's a very unenjoyable experience watching a computer throw a ball and take our money 🙁

I think it's important not to dwell on the actually figures, I don't know how much money i have lost but i am fairly certain its a 5 figure sum. For someone that is only 20 years old i feel like it's a lot. The really frustrating thing for me is the time that i've lost gambling, the hours spent in the casino or bookmakers on my own when i could have been socialising with friends. It's important to enjoy the good things in life. However, i am lucky that i have decided to stop at an early stage before I can truly get myself in to serious debt/trouble.

Chin up, we are all in the same boat and together we can do this!

junebug1981, you are so right. What enjoyment do you get from sitting infront of a screen or table watching the establishment take all your money, absoultley none! When i think that i've actually punched a wall amongst other things after losing makes me embarrassed. If my friends or family saw me doing these things I'd be mortified. It's important to find other enjyoable acitivites.

avalon44

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MrGold, I know the feeling - I am tight with money too, will shop all over to get the best deals, never buy clothing or toys full price, know exactly how much is in my account...and managed to get £8000 in debt from gambling. I don't understand it either. I'd never spend that amount on anything!

Hi everyone,

I've managed to stay "clean" for 148 days now. My poison was mostly horses and football with a little bit of online roulette thrown in. I thought it was bad enough years ago when I lost on the horses. In those days maybe only two meetings a day and if that was abandoned in winter possibly only a dog meeting left on. If that went to the weather then nothing apart from football coupon. Point I'm making is the bookies used to hate it because if their was a prolonged spell of winter bad weather, punters would lose the gambling habit (for at least a while, anyway). Nowadays as we all know endless online opportunities to gamble online and in shops. Nightmare scenario really, especially for younger people whom get the bug. Temptation all around. Seems to me apart from online blocks etc. when gamblers with a serious problem get hold of money they should entrust it to a family member. No money - no gamble. d**n urges are a swine for a lot of people. Can't see government doing anything about gambling machines etc. I guess the gambling lobby is a powerful one etc.

People need the strongest measures in place to enable them finally to kick the habit.

What I will say to younger people is no matter how deep you in financial s**t you can climb out of it and make a new and rewarding life for yourselves. Plenty of advice on here day in and day out. I'd say above all you've got to be determined to quit for keeps. I use the 2015 challenge on here and it's great to see the gambling free days mount up both for yourself and others. I've taken up old forgotten hobbies like swimming and gym work. Walking, reading, playing guitar. I suppose it's about emersing yourself in something worthwhile and I do seem to be reclaiming back some of the "lost years" before it's too late.

Due to my years of gambling I've always had to look fot bargains in order to live. Now that I've quit gambling that aspect has helped me budget no end. Good has come from bad.

I don't want to sound as though I'm some walking saint here. Just want to give encouragement to people in deep. I've been there and it's a lonely place. For those that are very depressed you should discuss the situation with your doctor. It can help.

I wish you all well.

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