Dilemma

Hey Evan,

Not wanting your friends to find out you have a problem is perfectly understandable, especially in such a situation as a stag do where almost everybody is going to be gambling.

Surely an ill-timed mechanical problem with your car, or having to replace the damp course in your house would be good excuses as to why you can't gamble at the moment, as you've had these unexpected expenses your money has to go on.

If you think you can manage it, just be 100% sure of that, because most of the people on these forums will have thought they could manage it....and failed.

If you decide to go down that route, I would suggest you definitely not drink, lowering your inhibitions whilst gambling wouldn't go well together, and make sure you're on the same tables as your friends, cause not wanting them to see you lose shedloads may help curb your urges to bet more or chase losses.

Good luck, whichever way you decide to play it.

Ryan

hello evan, my view for what it is worth, is that if I went to Vegas again, i would gamble big time, i won loads there last time i went and that would not be good for me because it would carry om when i got home. Can you find an excuse as leedso suggests or if you really have to go dont take any cards with you just an amount that means you cant do too much damage. I dont envy your dilemma. Vegas is my most fav place in the world :o) take care

haha mad eeee...go easy this guy is worried about it...m8t you dont have to go if you dont want to..but I would go..... as well I think ev1 on here would go...but as long as what happens invegas stays in vegas... it will be gr8t.

Good luck.

Thanks for your comments guys. I've had a big think about this one. I've spoken to one of the online support staff and my wife. I'm going to go and not gamble. I will make an excuse to my friends that I can't afford to gamble due to a large extension on the house. I haven't gambled a penny for 4 weeks. I feel that I've changed my mind set to gambling. When I drive past a bookies I think of all the losses there. When I predict a result without putting a bet on, I think that I would have 'got lucky' rather than thinking I'm skillful. I didn't gamble on the Masters or the Grand National.....I went on a boys weekend where half the group went onto a casino...I didn't go. I appreciate that Vegas will be the biggest test, especially if I'm drinking. I know this and I'm happy to take it on....I plan to walk around the casino and watch people play and see that there may be winners but the majority will lose and those that do win will play again the next day only to lose the winnings plus some more. I leave in a weeks time. Wish me luck. I will report back.

Well folks, its my last night before I head off. Its now been 5 weeks since I managed to lose £1k at Cheltenham. My wife has been really down about me going. I feel I owe it to her to come back knowing that I have survived the biggest test out there. I also feel that I owe it to all the brave posters on this site. I will be totally honest with you all and tell my story on my return. I plan to take pictures of my gorgeous family to remind me of what's at risk if I slip back. I have tried to train my brain into thinking that each dealer is the devil trying to entice me in. Crazy I know but I believe gambling is all about mind set and habit. I know what triggers the process and as such I have to not gambler at all......no little bets on the fruities....no sly bets on red or black when no one is looking. We all know that a little bet can be the start to a binge session. I think I put 'wish me luck' in my previous post....don't wish me luck as luck plays no part in anything. Determination and mind set is whats needed to beat gambling.

BTW, to any posters feeling down....you can do this and everybody on the site is here to help.

Evarno

Hi Folks

I managed it. I went 5,000 miles to Las Vegas...stayed three nights and four days and DIDN'T GAMBLE one dollar. I explained to my room mates that I'd lost 1k at Cheltenham and that I couldn't trust myself to have a 'little' friendly bet. They were surprised that I could have lost that sort of money, but they were actually supportive. When any other members of the group asked me how much I was up or down...I said that I wasn't gambling as gambling was my one and only bad vice. I felt good about being honest and actually felt the guys respected me for this. After all doesn't everybody have one vice or another?

Whilst out there I trained my mind into concentrating on all the bad aspects of gambling. For example:-

On a roulette wheel I always used to look at how many chips the players had on a winning number. I now look at how many chips are swept off a table....the losing bets

Rather than looking for the winners on the fruit machines I looked at the many people sat playing for hours and hours. The time wasted that could have been spent going to a show or going to the grand canyon etc etc.

I pretended that all the dealers on the black jack tables were devils waiting to take my money (strange I know but it works!)

I'm clearly not an expert and I can only talk about what works for me (It is HAS worked) but I firmly believe that if you change your mindset then you have the starting blocks to succeed. The next most important thing is to be totally honest with loved ones. I've included my wife on everything. I make sure she sees monthly statements etc. Don't be afraid...its better to tell them rather than them finding out in another way. A change of habit has worked for me. Saturdays are no longer betting days....I now longer look at the horses...amy triggers have been taken away. Stop any superstitions you have......there is no such thing as luck. You make your own way in life. Lastly, read as much as you can and keep the diaries going. It all helps.

I will continue to do all of the above and not become complacent. I've realized that I cannot gamble AT ALL. I've accepted this and moved on.

I hope you can all overcome whatever gambling issues you have.

All the best

Russ

Congratulations mate I read your story and thought absolutely no chance...what can I say..you've proved me well wrong,There's still lot of work to do but am impressed mate 🙂

Thanks Winning Post. I started by thinking I could go there and gamble. I then thought I could go there and gamble in moderation with my friends. I then decided that I had not control if I started and as such decided not to gamble at all. It was a case of accepting that any amount of gambling is not acceptable. Once one comes to terms with this then the process of not gambling becomes easier.

I appreciate your comments and I agree that there is still a long way to go. I'll continue to read and post when appropriate.

Well done mate --as the post says I did not think you had a cat in hells chance of not gambling so if your story is correct I have the utmost respect for anybody who can resist such temptation as I know that even at this stage of my recovery I would not have been able to say no.

Cheers Stumper....it's 100% true. The closest I game was putting one dollar into a $1m dollar fruit machine....I was thinking 'a jackpot like this happens to people who don't gamble'. This type of thinking was exactly what has got me into a adult life of gambling! As such, I realised this and refrained.

I did think about looking at the odds for the general election....a clear sign that work still needs to be done to change the way my brain works!

Good post and well done, i liked your methods used in las vegas! Man i dont think i could have trusted myself on the las vegas strip, so i congratulate you, keep up the fight. Mr K.

Just a quick post. I've finally shaken off the jet lag from the flight to vegas.....I've never had it so bad! I took the decision this weekend to give up playing cricket in order to spend more time with the young family. It was a pretty tough decision but one I feel is right. Giving up two of my favorite activities in the space of two months feels pretty tough!

I had my usually.....oh I would have predicted those football results today. What I need to remember is that there is always one bet that wrecks the coupon....plus the coupon always leads to 'other bets'. Well done Chelsea and my team Everton who have had another over achieving season. Lets hope the England cricket boys can keep up there form even without KP. I will be cheering on Westwood this evening...lets hope he does it.

Have a good week folks

R

I thought I would post a quick update. After a week at home on holiday I'm back out working. I've been away on Monday night and Tuesday night. Previously these have been danger trigger times for me. Time on my own in the evenings etc etc. I'm pleased to say I didn't gamble.

Part of me thinks 'bloody hell, if I can go to Vegas and not gamble then why the hell should I pop into a bookies or play a fruitie?' Some of my old thoughts came back into my head....just put 20p in and see what happens....oh this is the service station with the bookies in it!' I believe these thoughts are just 'habit' thoughts and as such will slowly pass as I change my habits.

I like my view of the new *********** advert....its strap line is 'I Will'.......I Will LOSE more like!! Mindset continues to be the key for me.

I'm really starting to enjoy sport for what it is now rather than for the betting aspect. Come on Fulham!

Monday afternoon after the weekend. Pleased to say that I didn't gamble. I feel like I dispelling my old habits. Life seems so much less stressed. I'm much more calm and relaxed. This has rubbed off on my lovely wife who seems to be happier than ever before.

I still believe Vegas was massive for me....even more so now I'm back at home. ANy temptation can be shut out with the thought 'if I went all the way out there and didn't then why the hell should I waste that effort and gamble here'.

I listened to an interesting interview last night from a Professor of chance at Cambridge uni. He was talking about how the mind tricks us into thinking we are skillful with matters of 'chance' i.e on a roulette table. Its all a matter of chance....you may have a good run of luck but eventually everything reverts back to mean.

All the best

Russ