Hi,
As the title states, hopelessly addicted to gambling here. Man, do I love to gamble. Always have. Some people I know like to go to nightclubs. Some like to dance, to smoke, to drink. Me, for as long as I can remember. I have loved gambling. My poison of choice is roulette. Real roulette, in a casino, with a real wheel, real chips, real croupier or croupiere -- that way you're playing against real physics, gravity, it is the true spirit of the game. Not this FOBTs or online c**P. FOBTs Roulette is Random Number Generator. You would have to have rocks in your head to take your life savings to the bookies and wither it all away. Live dealer online roulette - tried it, and the game moves too fast for me. Lost a few hundreds on it and packed it in.
Real Roulette, hopelessly addicted to this game. There have been some highs, and many lows. I think it is such a beautiful game. As the name implies, the game originates from 17th century France, a game played by French aristocats. We have a beautiful wheel, red and black slots in the wheel, 36 numbers, and a green 0 that represents the house edge. The house has to make money to provide you with the pleasure of playing. The croupier, the pit boss, the casino has to be paid. I understand that, and do not begrudge them that. But never would I play on a double 0 roulette wheel. The game is dangerous enough with 37 numbers (36+0). The ball spins one way, the wheel spins the other way, where the ball lands is dictated by gravity. It's so visual and beautiful. When it lands on your number, you get that jolt of excitement and pleasure. When it doesn't, you grimace and move on to the next table, or worse, withdraw more money out of your bank account or credit card.
I have lost so much money on this game. Thousands upon thousands. Some of these losses haught me even to this day. I dare not say how much I have lost on one particular night. Too much. Too painful. Still trying to recover from that lost.
They say misery loves company, so here I am!!
Hi leevoltaire,
Welcome to the Forum!
It must be extremely difficult to let go of something that you so like doing.
Your account of how you are drawn to roulette illustrates very well how important gambling has become for you. In a way, you seem to be describing the love of your life. I am sure that many forum members here can relate to this feeling of yours, to the belief that the phantasy world you enter (you refer to 17th century France and its aristrocrats and the colours you notice) while you gamble is beautiful and worth the consequences.
It is a phantasy though as gambling doesn´t love you back. And the consequences of gambling are very real. You talk about your financial losses and I wonder about how else gambling has affected you over time?
It is always a good first step to acknowledge that you have a problem. Maybe this is the time to think about whether you would like to address your problem and make changes. A time for contemplation.
If you would like to talk this through with an advisor one to one, you can always contact us on the Helpline on 0808 80 20 133 or the Netline http://www.gamcare.org.uk/support-and-counselling/frontline-services/netline
Both services are open from 8am to midnight every day.
Kind wishes
Gabriele
Hi leevoltaire,
A real life spin of a roulettte wheel may seem beautiful to you but there are far moer beautiful things in life that could take your attention without taking your wallet. "You would have to have rocks in your head to take your life savings to the bookies and wither it all away." sounds like a strange sentense to be honest, does the same not apply to people who take their saving to a real casino, or gamble on stocks?? Regardless of the medium we use, we are here because we realise we need to stop.
Joe-90 wrote:
Hi leevoltaire,
A real life spin of a roulettte wheel may seem beautiful to you but there are far moer beautiful things in life that could take your attention without taking your wallet. "You would have to have rocks in your head to take your life savings to the bookies and wither it all away." sounds like a strange sentense to be honest, does the same not apply to people who take their saving to a real casino, or gamble on stocks?? Regardless of the medium we use, we are here because we realise we need to stop.
What I meant by this is that highstreet bookies are low grade establishments. Generally their clientele are lowlifes, degenerates, local drug dealers their to launder their ill gotten gains on the FOBTs - perhaps I am overgeneralising a bit here. I am sure there are ordinary folks that frequent these establishments, but many people found there are the unsavoury type.
The premises and furnishing of bookies are lowgrade compared to casinos. The staff there are habitually dealing with low bets from local degenerates. I do not have the confidence that they can efficiently pay me hard cash in the thousands. I recall winning 2k on some football bets, and I was told they couldn't pay me until the manager returns with more cash and authorises it. So I had to return in a couple of hours with my betting slip. Even then they paid me in dirty twenties. What I love about casinos is that they pay hard cash in crisp notes. They habitually pay out thousands in cash.
I've mentioned that real roulette is such a beautiful and visual game. I used the word visual because you see real physics and gravity at work. No random number generator, no algorithm, no percentage of payout -- who the hell understands all that anyhow? Real roulette = visual, you see it, it lands, you win or lose.
All that said, to expand on my original comment, why would anyone in their right mind, take their hard earned cash, to a low grade den, to mix with local degenerates, to wither away their life savings into a stupid computer game with fancy graphics and noises? If you want your roulette fix, at least go to a casino and play the real thing. That said, casinos are evil and ruin lives.
Hi Gabriele,
Roulette is a love/hate game for me. You're right the financial consequences are very real, hard and painful. I am totally gripped in this addiction. So much so that, the rare occasions that I have walked up to a roulette table and won a decent amount (couple of hundreds) on my very first spin, left me a bit sad, because I knew I couldn't play it anymore for that day, because I told myself I must walk on a decent win, even if it is the first spin. So I would go home, and just dream of returning the next day to play it.
"Generally their clientele are lowlifes, degenerates, local drug dealers their to launder their ill gotten gains on the FOBTs"... given a site for people to try and get help stopping surely you realise a large number will use bookies on a frequent basis so pretty insensitive comments. I'm confused by your posts are you actually trying to stop or are you just here to tell everyone how great casinos are ? Hopefully to stop as it doesn't appear you have much luck and are struggling to come to terms with your loses so regardless of whether it's online, in the bookies or down the casino you need to start to take steps. You make it seem like a dreamland .. despite saying you've lost thousands there I'm sure you would rather have spent that money elsewhere on something tangible.
Hope you find the help you clearly need to get through and I wish you luck.
You're right, gambling is gambling. It's just I detest FOBTs with a passion. Not everyone in bookies are bad people, it's just, not a place where one would find the most exemplary examples of humanity.
I do wish to stop, it's just, I don't know what I would do with my time if I did. I tried sport, swimming and gym, but I am a bit lazy and unfit, so that hasn't worked. Financially I cannot keep going.
I don’t detest FOBTs leevoltaire but they bought me to my knees & landed me here so I owe them my life!
I’m not exactly handbags & high heels but I’m an ok gal in a very responsible job & I can assure you, I didn’t start out as a lowlife, gambling reduced me to a degeneration & I’ve never taken or dealt drugs in my life...I also understand money laundering to be turning dirty money into clean not giving it all away! Self exclusions from the marginally more classy establishments of the bingo halls & gambling shops without any other measures drew me to the bookies & I imagine you wouldn’t have to go too far to find someone with your exact story a few years down the road, inhabiting similar such haunts. The progressive nature of compulsive gambling takes us to places that once upon a time we would never consider possible...Those lowlifes you refer to are me & you!
You are indeed gripped in the addiction, living the fairytale, convinced that you are not as bad as everyone else...My ego insists on telling me that from time to time too until someone with an equal level of arrogance looks down their nose & reminds me what a snivelling mess I became. Lazy is my middle name although fortunately I have good genes & have a high natural fitness, my spare time now is spent sleeping but I’ll take that over where I was & I’ll take recovery from anywhere so thank you for the reminder. My suggestion, get to GA, read the Orange book & if you can hand on heart convince yourself that it isn’t about you then you’re not ready to stop...@ the moment it sounds like you just want to stop losing. I’ve walked in your shoes & they're not a sound investment.
Get out now while you still have your pride - ODAAT
Hmmmm.
A lowlife, degenerate (ex) FOBT player here who bows down to your posher casino style of gambling.
By the way its not all about physics and gravity. I think there might be a bit of house favouring going on.
Right sarcasm over and i will ask one genuine question.
What steps are you.taking to deal with your gambling addiction?
It seems to me tt the fact that you realize that you have a game addiction is already a step ahead. As soon as you confess to yourself: "Yes, I have a problem", you can start looking for the most suitable way for you to get rid of it.
If you feel weak and incapable of dealing with this scourge by yourself, you can seek professional help: go to a rehabilitation center, start visiting a psychologist, seek support from close people.
I think you will succeed.
Dear Leevoltaire
You have very honestly described how you feel about roulette and how you feel about FOBTs. I am sure there is no love for FOBTs among forum members here, but please remember to consider how your comments might make others feel.
Thank you all for your support of Leevoltaire. As some have already observed, everyone's here for the same reason, to work towards recovery. Everyone has to start from where they are.
Leevoltaire, why not give us a call on the GamCare freephone HelpLine 0808 8020 133, or chat to us on the NetLine? You've said you wish to stop, and you've already begun thinking about other ways you can fill your time. We can discuss other strategies and methods with you, and if you're interested, we might be able to offer free, 1:1 counselling to help you work out how gambling came to be a problem for you, what your goal is, and how you'll get there.
Best wishes all,
Deirdre
Forum Admin.
leevoltaire wrote:
The staff there are habitually dealing with low bets from local degenerates. I do not have the confidence that they can efficiently pay me hard cash in the thousands. I recall winning 2k on some football bets, and I was told they couldn't pay me until the manager returns with more cash and authorises it. So I had to return in a couple of hours with my betting slip. Even then they paid me in dirty twenties. What I love about casinos is that they pay hard cash in crisp notes. They habitually pay out thousands in cash.
I've mentioned that real roulette is such a beautiful and visual game. I used the word visual because you see real physics and gravity at work. No random number generator, no algorithm, no percentage of payout -- who the hell understands all that anyhow? Real roulette = visual, you see it, it lands, you win or lose.
All that said, to expand on my original comment, why would anyone in their right mind, take their hard earned cash, to a low grade den, to mix with local degenerates, to wither away their life savings into a stupid computer game with fancy graphics and noises? If you want your roulette fix, at least go to a casino and play the real thing. That said, casinos are evil and ruin lives.
Hmmm, comes across as you think you are somehow better than other complulsive gamblers. You ask why would anyanyone in their right mind go into a 'low grade den' - the same could be asked of yourself as to why you go into the casino! Sure it looks nice and all but all that means is they are taking in even more profits in the casino than those low grade dens, so who's the real mug here?
Get that ego of yours in check, you are no better than anyone else here just because you gamble in what could be descibed as a glizted-up bookies. If you are serious about wanting help with this addiction then you are in the right place, just step down off the pedestal and you have a chance.
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