FOBT's

Just need to get past this regret and self loathing

I will never play these machines again. I always felt in control of gambling until I started feeding money into FOBT's. I literally went into a gambling coma when playing them. To even suggest that the roulette numbers are randomn is an insult to anybody's intelligence. These machines are highly addictive. I know that I'll miss my sports betting, but I now have to keep away from betting shops in order to avoid playing these "fixed" machines. At the start of my recovery but I know I won't be back. OK I accept I lost but no more.

It's only since I stopped (15 days) that I've realised how much more time I have .... looking forward to having more money too.

g-doggy I totally get how you are feeling.

However whats done is done and the most valuable thing you can do is learn from your error of judgement. No amount of fretting will get the money back and the biggest mistake people make is trying to win it back which just escalates the financial and emotional problem.

Micky - thanks for your post. The machines do indeed put people into a trance, Had not fallen victim to them myself I would have said it was complete nonsence but somehow they are designed to completely take over the players mind. The only way I could stop for good was self-exclusion and boy has it worked. I have no intention of playing again once my5 year exclusion expires and as it is would have to opt back in and there is no chance of that.

They are not random - there is some fixed pay out but the concept of being totally random is utter b*****ks. The coincidence of stopping next to the number you selected or coming in just after you have chosen not to back it (having done so on the previous few spins) is unreal.

Anyway - if people don't play them it does not matter if they are fixed or not.

15 days is a really good start - all you have to do it not gamble 'today' and its problem solved.

All the best

Dave

having read this post daveuk it has helped the fact you are so honest and tell it how it is, yes I,m a mug an idiot etc, I have to agree that we all have the option to walk away or not even play in first place, yet after 10 reds in a row or 10 odd numbers in a row I still come away muttering its a joke a fix etc, I have to accept no win is big enough for me, it,s always I,ll have one last spin, inevitably it loses so then the spiral starts , one more to get back that loss and walking out skint in a zombie state concoting my next lie about why I have no money, I truly hope today is start of new beginning for me

Cheers Daz - you describe the play / lose scenario very well. Yes no win is big enough and each loss feels like another punch in the stomach.

I beat them by stopping - I acknowledge I love playing them but the disappointment of losing far, far outweighs the buzz.

Next time you fancy playing put your stake money in a jar and consider it lost, then do it again the next time you are tempted - its amazing how quickly it builds up. If you are thinking that you ca't afford to put any in a jar then you clearly are playing a game you cannot afford to play!!

As I say on here time and time again, you will never ever ever beat those machines - NEVER.

I wish you well as you start making the right decisions.

Dave

Great to see you still around Dave, your post early in my recovery where fanstastic, I'm almost 8 months free of those evil machines now ..

Keep up the great work

Hi Woody - great to hear from you and your progress is outstanding. 8 months is brilliant and I bet you feel so much better.

Self-exclusion worked perfectly for me about 27 months ago and I won't go back as I know that even if I won it would all go back plus much, much more as that is exactly how it works.

I stay on the site to encourage and challenge others and hope you will to.

Really am proud of you 🙂

Dave

They say the definition of stupidity is to do the same thing over and over again, but to expect a different outcome each time.

Therefore I AM STUPID.

from just a couple of quid "bit of fun" in these machines to start with, I have gone to the brink.

Yet I still go back. Why??

Ive read your thread tonight and it all makes perfect sense. But can I guarantee I wont ever play again? probably not.

I wish I could guarantee it.

I am stressed, not sleeping, not eating properly, miserable, in pain with stomach cramps, all due to these machines.

And. Yet. I. Go. back.

these machines are awful and have ruined my life for the last 10 years but i'm going to stop.i was in the pub the other week with my friends when one of them turned round and said i use to feel sorry for you but now i think its funny how can you keep doing it when you always lose your money and it really hit home when he said that and he's right how can you keep going back on it when you always lose and when you do get a bigmwin i always look at it as a loan because in the end you always end up putting it back in with interest

I glanced in the window of the bookies as I wandered past today - same old story, idiots feeding notes into the FOBTs.

I wondered how many were selfishly deceiving family and friends, abusing their trust, would be lying about where they had been, losing money that wasn't theirs to lose or what they could ill afford to lose, stupidity thinking they would win when until now they have lost lost lost - I hope it wasn't you!!

With the FOBTS it's about give and take. You give, they take !

Hope you make the right decisions today!

I wonder how many mugs have stood in front of the roulette machines today thinking they would win only to lose, lose, lose then act like a spoilt child when they left the shop empty handed blaming everything but themselves for what they have done.

Take responsibility for your actions - YOU choose to play so it's YOUR fault when you lose.

Stop making feeble excuses, stop blaming anyone or anything but yourself and stop being a mug!!

cant stand em

Too many people blaming everyone but themselves!

It's your hand holding the note so it's your fault when you lose.