Hi
I'm james, I'm 20 and a university student working part time in a bookmakers, and there's the recipe for disaster.
I'd gambled before starting my job but just a few quid here and there on the football. Working in a bookmakers got me into horse racing which at first wasn't a problem, I was still only betting a few quid here and there and enjoying going to the races.
The problem I think started with staying at home for uni and working, particularly considering the job I chose. I had next to no outgoings, so suddenly I'd got about a grand a month to do whatever I wanted with, with most my mates hundreds of miles away at whatever uni they chose. This was when I started staking higher, and betting every day without fail.
At this point, although it caused no real problems as I had the money to lose, I realised myself that it needed to stop. Especially when I started moving over to online slots and losing a lot of money. I decided to try and keep an interest in racing without the ridiculous spending and daily gambling, and paid into a horse racing syndicate. This was brilliant, an interest in racing without gambling and at a much lower cost compared to what I was gambling. Unfortunately, I still carried on gambling alongside this so it failed to fulfill its main purpose.
I then tried a calendar, using coloured stickers to show when I hadn't gambled, and writing on when I would be paid and what I was going to do with the money, to try to avoid gambling it as fast as it came in.
This however went out the window, and to cut an already massive ramble short, it's now just as bad, but I've also unintentionally gambled into debt, by booking holidays etc on credit cards and using overdrafts, but then spending the money that should have paid these off at the end of the month gambling.
Now I'm a few thousand into debt and have lost so much more considering what I've earned and how little I've got to show for it.
I think this is why I've struggled to stop it, as I've read a few times it's the problem of not wanting to accept defeat.
However, I think and hope I'm now ready to accept that what's done is done and what's lost is lost, and hope to put it behind me for good, get myself back on track financially and start doing a lot more with my days than sitting throwing money away.
I think my main reason for joining is so that I've put something here set in stone that I can come back to, rather than just telling myself enough us enough to find myself chucking another load of money away tomorrow, and the obvious thing of having other people to talk to also trying to give it up.
I've self excluded from all of my online accounts, and plan to try and get down to the gym and use this site as much as possible as a distraction and substitute for when I'd usually grab my phone and start betting on the dogs or horses or whatever I can find
Here's to a happier future
James
Hi James and welcome just a flyer from me as I'm just getting in ,
Read as much as you can you'll find a lot of story's will relate to yours, also attend a nightly chat when you have chance , I'll give you a proper post when I get chance but remember as they say
Out of darkness cometh light
Deano
Hello James,
My gambling history holds great similarity to yours, although I went away for uni. I didn't really know much about gambling before I started working in a bookies. When I got the job, it was meant to be a stop gap through uni. I ended up being there for 7 years. It seems like easy money, it's a very easy job so it's hard to give up when you eventually have the stresses of uni. It gives you that money each month which is useful and I was silly to think that I'd leave uni and get a decent job. The problem is, is that when you gamble and get yourself in debt, you lose that confidence in yourself and end up feeling like a bit of a failure. Then it's harder to leave and you're at the mercy of it. You think, easy money, working with sports, which no doubt you enjoy and the idea that you'll leave when you get a degree. Problem is bills have to be paid etc.
My advice to you is to leave as soon as you can, obviously it's going to be hard the fact that you're in debt, but I think the longer you stay in that job, the longer it's going to affect you. You see gamblers coming in and losing and you think, 'well my gambling isn't as bad as theirs.' All of a sudden you're betting again, it maybe small but you're feeding the habit and in time you'll end up losing control and losing a lot again.
My friend at uni got a job in a supermarket and I kind of thought that was beneath me, he ended up staying in that job and is working towards becoming a manager, there is progression there and he's earning more than most graduates that aren't professionals. My advice is, jack the job in, move on because it's a dead end job, look how it's affected you already. Don't let it affect the next few years, it's completely worthless. Obviously it's up to you but I wish I got out alot earlier. I left about a year and a half ago now and I've had hiccups with gambling along the way but I'm a d**n sight better off than when I was when I was working there. Just give it a thought mate and get applying, hoenestly, it will be the best thing for you, don't take the easy/safe option of working in an easy job, because ultimately it won't be good for you in the long run.
Hi mate,
Let's approach this with a little humour in a difficult time. As a Wolves fan you should find it easy to accept defeat!! 😉
I'm a Leicester fan and if I used them as an example of my own gambling, I'm currently a few seasons ago, struggling to stay up. 12 months on and we all know what happened.
I'm twice your age and only 2 days into stopping (again) but would've been ten's of thousands better off if I had made the choice at your age.
Save your money. Get a season ticket. Watch the Wolves go from strength to strength.
Hi
Thanks deano and I suppose if there's a motto I should be taking note of it's my city and football teams motto!
And Jez I agree, I'm annoyed at myself for letting what could have been an easy 3 year money earner into something I now probably need to get out of asap for the best possible outcome, but I have been applying.
As for the wolves, well we've got all the struggles of the Leicester story without the season of success. Before my job I used to play football of the morning of the matches with the lads I was going to the wolves with in the afternoon, and I probably do need something like that again.
As saft as it would sound to most after half a day of being on here, I've already came back to this forum in my first bit of free time rather than jumping straight on the racing post to see what I fancy today, so I already feel like I've made the most serious step towards giving up I ever have.
Thanks for all your replies, I hope you're all well
James
Your story is very familiar mate but you've got one massive thing on your side. You're only 20 years old.
I don't know the extent of your debt.. but trust me it can get worse than you'd ever imagine. If you can get ВЈ3k in debt, you can get £30k in debt. No problem.
Also it doesn't matter how long you are gamble-free, there will be times where you feel like a 'small harmless bet'. It took me long enough to realise, but these bets are absolutely lethal. (Even when you win big) - Actually winning big is the worse thing that can happen to a CG in the long term.
I know this isn't the most positive post but just trying to be real and offer advice from experience. Recognising this problem at such a young age is awesome. Just try and see it as an expensive life lesson.
Hope this helps.
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