Today I stop

Hi alexfi

I totally get where you are coming from as I used to play them but stopped 3 years ago after self-excluding. I started a thread called FOBT and try to keep this active - please feel free to have a good read.

As I mentioned in the FOBT thread the other day different people find different things exciting and the more exciting we find them the stronger the urges to return for more action so we need to know how to manage the urges when they come along.

Duncs has a brilliant theory which is spot on - to enable you to play the machines when the urges come along three things have to be present:-

1. Time - well a gambler always makes time and if anything is in the way will somehow make the time through not doing other things or lying to get out the house etc

2. Money or the means to gamble such as a credit or debit cards which enables them to either get cash out the bank cash-points or fund the betting via the bookies ATM terminal

3. Something to gamble on - in your case a roulette machine.

As Duncs says, take just one of these away and you simply cannot gamble.

You have self-excluded which is great - do as many shops as you can and stick to your ban. I would also suggest you could limit your accessibility to funds which will means giving someone your cards / money to look after and not give you them to gamble with however much you ask.

I and anyone on this site will tell you that in the long term you will never ever, ever, ever win. You know this, you have tried and tried and the results should speak for themselves.

Those machines are ultra clever and the numbers you choose are irrelevant as there is no roulette ball and the winning numbers are chosen the second you hit 'spin'. You are simply being brainwashed by a video screen which just looks like a roulette wheel!

You are the only one who can stop this and hopefully this gives you some ideas. I will say it again you will never win but are welcome to keep trying. Equally you are free to cut your losses, be bold enough to say you were trying to accomplish something impossible and learn from the past.

Remember and act on these two things and you will be far happier (and much better off financially)

'I cannot gamble because I cannot stop' and

'I will not gamble today'

I wish you well with whatever you choose.

Dave

Cheers Dave.

So its been 10 days since my last gamble. I've thought about gambling, but right now I don't have the cash to. However, deleting all betting links and apps from my phone has helped loads. I used to follow a lot of gambling tipsters on Twitter, which frankly, were rubbish.

I already feel a lot happier about life and have a different outlook on life.

10 days without a bet is about as long as I've gone for about 5 years, since I was on holiday in America.

Your words help Dave, I particularly like the 3 points about time, money and something to gamble on. Makes total sense.

The big test will be when I get paid, to make sure I don;t fall into the time trap.

I'll try and keep updating now and then.

I know this is nowhere near over, but its a start.

Just another update as I approach the 4 week mark.

This weekend has been the hardest so far because of the return of the footy season. I used to spend 30-50 most weekends on footy accas, and usually lose.

My team is Norwich, and I had a real urge yesterday to bet on us to win and do a few scorecasts. I was with my GF, she doesn't have any idea how much I've lost on. Anyway, I fought the urge, and save my stake money, as they lost anyway.

The last few weeks have been a little strange really. I feel like the shackles are off, because I have cash to spend on what I want, instead of thinking about gambling.

I feel a lot better for stopping. I keep thinking about the words above, about time, money and something to gamble on, and I now look for an excuse not to have one of those 3 things.

I know it'll still be very difficult, but its getting better.

I have just registered on the site and have just read the posts. Your story is encouraging - I wish you every success and I hope in four weeks time, like you, I can say I haven't gambled. Thank you. Helen.

Hey Helen

Thanks for commenting. Quitting is not easy at all. There have been plenty of times where I've wanted to bet, but I've just stopped myself by finiding something else to do.

It also doesn;t help cause lots of my friends gamble and bet, but they control, or maybe hide it better.

Think about the 3 points made above. It makes good sense and has helped to open my eyes.

Thanks Alex. Day 3 for me and doing ok with the help of this site. I have another addiction which is becoming increasingly POSITIVE! It's called Words with Friends on Facebook! It's free - scrabble game! Definitely helps. Anything to get gambling out of my head!

Just another update, so I get paid a week Friday, and I still have 500 of my wages left, which is unheard of for me.

Anyway, the opportunity to go to the Leeds music festival came up today, so me and the missus are going on Sunday. I'm so proud that I've not gambled for a whole calender month, and can afford to do this sort of thing. Giving yourself other things to think about makes a huge difference to quitting.

Wish I was you Alex!! I failed....miserably! Gonna stick at it tho.... I have to beat this thing! Well done you! X