Thats Cheltenham day one done and dusted and I'm pleased to report I have no idea what went on, what horses won and more importantly I was safely in work whilst it was all going on. I won today because I didn't gamble, I really hope everyone is is going strong. Get checking in troops!!!
Checking in day 117.
Got through yesterday was really hard work and wish I could avoid the coverage instead of torturing myself with it but hey I got there feeling a little more secure today.
Well done Phil and Cheryl for getting past the century yesterday.
Keep strong soldiers
Hi all checking in on day 66, hope you all got through the first day at Cheltenham ok.
Congrats to those completing milestones this week and a big well done to you Phil getting through 100 days on top of the time and effort you put in for us all on this challenge.
Keep strong this week troops.
Scott
Freshman 247, i know im a bit late but just wanted to say something about your last relapse post. I found it interesting that you thought you could be better at Blackjack and that you could play better and that it would make a difference. Its not a question of the casinos cheating or finding ways of beating us. I too used to play a lot of blackjack, and each relapse i have had in the last few years has been in Blackjack as its the quickest way i knew to win/lose. Also, i used to play Blackjack perfectly - i made every decision correctly - which meant that my odds of winning were approximately 49%. Sometimes i was up and lost. sometimes i lost instantly. Sometimes i lost over a period of hours. But that 29% vs 51% means that if you keep playing you will lose. The people who won their fortunes on blackjack changed the odds through counting cards. This cannot be done online and cannot be done in modern casinos with regular shuffles.
What i am trying to say is that playing casino games 'better' or playing them 'perfectly' (from a mathematical/statistical sense) means we lose. Playing better just means it should take slightly longer to lose. I'm sure everyone knew this already, but always think its worth repeating. The casinos dont cheat us when we are playing the games - the odds are fixed up front and are against us. The 'cheating' the bookies do is in how they pray on those with a gambling problem. Once we realise casino games cannot be beaten in the long run, it should be harder for us to go back and play them - i say harder and not impossible because im here on this forum counting the weeks like everyone else!
Thanks Scotty and Taxi man! Its been quiet so far this week, I hope everyone is going strong. Get checking in troops!!!
Top post Gingermotty, I think a few of us will find that helpful!
And following that slight ramble, im checking in for the week. Today is going to be hard for me, though not because of the racing. I have a work event in Newcastle, which as well as being the place that my gambling got the better of me (when i lived there a few years back) is also the scene of the beginning of my last relapse in December (which brought me to the challenge). Whenever i get drunk in Newcastle i seem to end up in one of the many casinos, so i need to be extra vigilant tonight. This, for me, is the key dangre point for next few months, so heres hoping i have no issues. Luckily im a bit ill so in theory may not go out at all - we shall see!
Sorry for my absence, i have been going through a tough time. I spent £350 and won £1000 today, i transferred £300 to my mum to help her then blew the rest trying to accumulate more. I feel utterly depressed, i know my mum could have done so much with that money. Now i am pennyless again and back to day 1 tomorrow, please forgive me and accept me back into the challenge.
Hi everyone
Checking in day 15 GF, horses are my main addiction so I was really interested to see how I would feel this week as I've been to cheltenham every year for the past five years, it's unbelievable how where ever you turn this week gambling is being advertised, surly that needs to be looked at?
Any way I've delt with my urges/feelings by watching it, this might sound strange but the thought of spending a penny on gambling at the minute makes me feel sick as these past 15 days have put me in a much better/clearer place so I'm enjoying the sport for what it is and the gambling aspect just does not interest me at the minute, I'm sure this won't last for ever and I will encounter urges like I expected but at the moment I'm staying strong and reading posts in here of people hitting milestones is inspiring.
Take care guys
Dan
Day 2 of Cheltenham is now past us. Thankfully I had no thoughts about it today and have managed to find ways to avoid the majority of the coverage for it, hopefully this continues for the rest of the week as 2 days away from the big milestone :).
Hope everyone else is doing good this week loads left to check in yet
Checking in on day 82, not long for the next big milestone:-) so that's what I am focusing on at the moment but no real thoughts or urges the last few weeks ,so it has been easier.
82 Days GF today. Each and every day gets better and easier to manage. For me it's about taking me out of my comfort zone, having a goals for each day and taking responsibility for my actions. The moment I start getting comfortable with my recovery is the moment I need to start worrying. It's like dropping a stone into a pond, the stone sinks fast and the pleasure is short lived but the ripples into every aspect of my life have far and wide reaching consequences for ALL those around me.
Hopefully one day the government will wake up from this madness and ban gambling adverts so you can just sit down and watch sports with no strings attached.
Congratulations those that are reaching milestones, and those that are new best wishes on your path to recovery. Have a good GF week all.
Andy
Checking In - Day 272
9 months gamble free tomorrow.
Really believe that I am winning every time I turn down the chance to gamble - slots and bookies.
My control button no longer works.... I cannot win because I cannot stop.
I never want to go back to those dark days.
Take care all,
Suzy
Checking in !! 2 weeks!!!! I love the support and stories here. Makes me feel so much stronger. Keep it up everyone!!
Sorry to hear about your slip egfr, once you have made another post you will be added to the challenge.
Day 2 of Cheltenham safely dealt with for me, hope all my fellow troops are staying strong!
sorry to hear about your bet too egfr welcome back
keep going troops know it can get hard but keep supporting each other
it can be done
tri
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