The final straw

But losing was in truth the better outcome, it's lead you here.you would lose it eventually mate.

Can I ask why just 6 months?  I take it you aren't ready or wanting to quit?

This is a familiar story for us all

Winnings are never winnings really. Just borrowed money until it is given back. 

Nobody who gambles regularly stops after a big win or indeed any win.  Why would they?

Top up your exclusion to 5 years. Then when that ends do another 5 etc. 

All the best for whatever you decide my friend. 

Hi, don't beat yourself up. You made a mistake and you excluded which is good. Quiting gambling isn't easy  so putting stops in the way is a great way to start. I'm at 3 weeks again after being four years gamble free. It can be done but it takes time and effort. Goodluck!

It is true, it is very rare for someone to stop gambling on a big win.

Most I ever won was around 3 k, I abstained for a while but it all went back in.

Most people who stop, stop on a loss.

Take it what you will, think about the money as never being yours, and it is true. Most people who win large amounts typically save most if not all of it. The money might be in your bank account, but do we ever spend it on something useful?

welcome to the forum, it sounds like as u would have been able to buy soo much with the win that you are gambling at large stakes, with this in mind you can cause yourself a lot of damage at high stakes and lose a lot more than a car.  Lets both stop this gambling for good and not be in any financial trouble.

Very true what people have posted here re: the money won is never really ours to spend. Even though I'm sure that most of us really feel we are owed money from all that we have lost. It makes us angry and frustrated to think that the money we worked so hard for has gone, with nothing to show for it. But we must change our mindset in order to put gambling behind us and move on with our lives.

Thank you to everyone for all the replies and for the advice. It's just so hard to accept what I've done even though I've done it many times before. It's wierd how we can win so much, sometimes more than we could realistically hope for, and yet all it takes is for one small insignificant loss from these winnings for us to lose our minds and all sense of self control. We start betting bigger and bigger until before we can even stop and think, it's all gone. On many occassions, despite a small loss after winning, I have still been up by a lot, and yet feel like I have to get this loss back even though it's not a loss because it is money I had won! Baffling! Our though processes are so messed up!

The problem is, part of me wants to just exclude myself for life from all gambling sites and be done with it, but at the same time it's so hard to even contemplate doing this. Gambling is something I have been doing, and have loved doing all my life! Even as a kid I loved the trips camping with my family just so I could go to the amusements and play the fruit machines. I would secretly save my pocket money all year for this. As I got older, the addiction obviously became more severe and destructive by betting on football, online slots, roulette and blackjack. The trouble is, like all of us, I love it and it's such a great way to take my mind off everything. The destruction and devastation it has caused however as well as the negative effect on my life, mental health and finances is a whole different matter. I guess I feel trapped. Anyway thanks again. 

Also, yet again I now have to try and stop thinking about it and move on whilst walking to and back from work when I could have bought a car. I keep thinking about stuff I could have bought myself to make my life better had I not been so stupid! With regard to self excluding for life, I also worry that I would regret it.

You still dont seem to realise that the money won from gambling goes right back to the casino. Its not about the money. The chemicals in our brains make sure we put it all back! So the car you would have bough would be sold, if not, in the course of x time, the value of the car would go back in, in form of x money that day and x money that day etc. 

When we win, we get that safe feeling that we are now up. Therefore we feel like we have "safe" gambling from there. But soo  the winnings are spent and we panic that "he had so much, now we lost it all" and the chasing of illusory money starts. Its twisted as s**t!

Sign up to gamstop my friend. Online self-exclusions are useful but there is always another casino. Its the only way really once your ready to stop. Am not preaching by the way. Ive been deluding myself for 25 years and still struggling, but can't dwell, must move forward to a better and gamble free life. take care.. S.a