Out of Control

Hi John, I can relate to your story. I'm just after blowing 300 on the FOTB roulette at lunch time. I know how stupid it was and all I want to do is to stop, like I have in the past but always end up repeating the cycle.

I suppose it's down to choice. I am going to choose not to gamble anymore, you can do the same! Let's do this!

I wish it was that simple , got offered a free 5 bet at lunchtime and 500.00 later still playing away , someone must have been watching down on me and somehow managed to get back everything id put in , with a cold sweat and my head in pieces I withdrew and went for a chill

Hi John,

I know exactly how the roulette gets you addicted. Over 10 years of playing must have cost me over 40,000! Crazy!

But there comes a point when you have to say enough is enough. Im 35 and unless I drew a line in the sand I could be playing them in my 50's having next to no money.

The last time I was in a bookies was 1st May. Self excluding cut off my option to my local bookies and willpower has kept me away from entering any other bookies. I would strongly suggest you do the same if you're serious about stoping.

although over 8,000 still in debt I think i'll be debt free within 18 months. I try and not dwell on the losses and certainly cant allow to think theres a magic way of winning anything significant back... in fact winning on roulette is pointless as it just means you'll be back with extra stake money and inevitably you'll lose what you 'won'

Keep reading the stories on here... It really does help.

Mark

Oh, forgot to say im just up the road in Bradford 🙂

I think for me I will try hypnosis or ga , I used to bet a lot in Bradford but barred myself from the Manc Rd bookies , there must be something out there that can put it all into perspective

John block yourself from online gambling sites b4 you lose that money back; think about what you can do with the cash, wedding etc & what it represents. free 28 day trial of one here :

http://www.plevna.f9.co.uk/block-gambling-with-txnogam.htm

can you give your winnings to your partner when it comes through ? withdraw it in cash at the bank & give it to her - wedding etc far more important than some dumb roulette game!

Hi John. I am just after my first online relapse in a few years. Davey is right about keeping your money as cash. I recently started keeping money in the bank because I felt I was over my online addiction but it's too easy to just click it away when it's electronic. If I hadn't banked it I would still have it! Bookies close but the internet is always open and it's a temptation you probably don't need. All the best.

Thanks guys.

I did get tempted today - blew 500.00 and somehow managed to get t back "god knows how" thankfully in my hazy daze and this sounds pathetic I managed to find the strength to bank the money and get up from my desk.

I seem to be drawn into this game of roulette even moving round when the ball is spinning , knowing where the ball will drop , knowing it will bounce out of my number and onto another "usually the next number"

Every time I blow money I promise myself no more , every time I gamble I say "one last spin" but it is never one last spin , its spin after spin after spin until I realise 500.00 is now actually 50 pence and dont even have the money for a 1 go.

The feeling when you have lost is the worse in the world , I just wish I could take that feeling and remember each day before I blow more money how empty I felt when I last blew out.

If I could carry that feeling into the next day and build on it I would stand half a chance , sadly at 34 will I ever learn , I need something to drop , something to change , ive had so many lows you would think that would be enough yet still I go back to these machines.

What and how do they grip so many people and ruin lives , someone designed the machines to play with the mind and that is exactly what they do slowly draining you of everything.

I am going to use part of the money on hypnosis , anything is worth a go.

Hi john, also only a couple of miles from you myself, currently 25, in a bad situation financially and keeping it all a secret, online roulette is also my curse.

Its been a few days since you posted on this thread so im hoping you managed to avoid pumping your big win back into the bookies however much it was, i had the chance last month after winning around 5,000 back. It still wasnt enough for me as i was still in debt so i tried to push the boundary and win more, in the end i lost the lot and am now another 2k or so worse off, i kick myself everyday still and wish i could go back to that point, but the curse of the reverse got me.

I think of so many things i should have done, take my laptop to work and hide it, smash the laptop and buy another when the winnings were withdrawn and banked, booked a holiday for me and my gf...so many things. So hopefully you havn't made the same mistake, if you get the urge i recomend spending some money on something that you want, clothes, nice food and a few beers, or maybe buy your wife some flowers, anything that can give money some meaning, because we all know money in a bookies and online has no face value, until you lose.

good luck

The best thing I ever did was download a blocker onto my pc , takes away the bad habit at home which basically turns your home pc into a mini casino and the reason why all the bookies throw free bets at you when you havent used roulette for over 2 days.

I have not gambled any more of my own money however I am still tempted and use the free offers bookies send me , early days and I know I shouldnt even be doing that.

The big test will come on Saturday when im out for a few beers , Bradford centre is surrounded by bookies I can think of 20 in the space of five minutes and on any and every corner in the town now.

I have this far managed not to spend any more actual money on these things and hoping I can try and build on what I have.

Today I need to close and block any betting accounts I have so it takes away the temptation of using the free bets.

I just wish I could find a way of blocking gaming sites on my mobile , I have looked many many times and cannot find a single blocker for the i phone.

I don't live far from Halifax, I live near wakefield. My mother is a serious gambler, but unfortunately doesn't know when to stop resulting in over 20,000 worth of debt. I've been wondering if another gambler someone who can understand her might help her to recover. Would you be interested in going for a coffee with us?

If I could help her understand how it destroys lives I would.

What does she gamble on ?

I wish she could understand the stress it's bringing to me too. I'm at university and can't think straight, I get 2 hours sleep per night.

She goes on slots, into bingo, online gambling, into bookies anything.

It must be awful for everyone involved , I think you need to sit down with her and explain how this is affecting you and also let her know help is here in the form of Gamcare , you might need other family members help to make her see sense as it sounds like she is at a very critical stage and needs proper professional help.

Help is available to her but she needs to want to stop and try and get help.