P.s. think it might be 67 days gamble free now - if you have just decided to quit, believe me after the first 8-10 days, they soon start adding up and it feels fantastic to be 67 days free!!
Hi Dan,the results of this years gambling prevalence survey are released on the 14th of this month,i'm pretty sure that the big bookmakers will be pressing ahead with a plan to have 5 fobt's per shop,these plans are very advanced now.
Well done on reaching 67 days mate.
Seano.
scary stuff, but we all know that on here dont we,
wish I could (financially) dedicate my life to drumming up publicity against all this (I can't afford to not work and my job would be in jeapordy if I exposed my own story, as I'm expected to be financially stable)
I guess the sheer number of books out there from ex gamblers should have gathered enough publicity already really but there is simply too much money involved
I might try writing to louix theroux, I reckon he could cover the subject pretty well
seano, many thanks for that, its really interesting, I like the summary that we, in playing those machines are immediately paying 30% to the bookies, then trying to 'win' money off of each other, so on one day or another I have had your money in my pocket... only to then return the following day to give the bookie 30%, and pass the other 70% onto someone else, then the circle repeats itself.
I find it disturbing that we as a human race have people that spend so much time and effort in creating programmes that are designed to basically take money off of others.
Even worse is that, as a fellow human, I felt the right to take money off of others, in return for nothing.
I always gambled in bookies or online thinking I was betting 'against the house' - the reality os far from that, I was actually betting against the person stood next to me.
Following on from a link seanostars posted on my diary about FOBT's I just wanted to post myself a note about how the money would be 'spent'.
In my scenario I am going to start with 6 'players'
They each enter their local bookie on Monday am with £100 each.
1) £100
2) £100
3) £100
4) £100
5) £100
6) £100
Bookmaker/BM) £0
each pays the bookmaker 30%,
1) £66
2) £66
3) £66
4) £66
5) £66
6) £66
BM) £198
one 'wins' the others lose
1) £396
2) £0
3) £0
4) £0
5) £0
6) £0
BM) £198
Tuesday sees them return, having refreshed their balances
1) £396
2) £100
3) £100
4) £100
5) £100
6) £100
BM) £0
30% cut to bookie
1) £264
2) £66
3) £66
4) £66
5) £66
6) £66
BM) £297
one 'winner', 5 losers
1) £0
2) £594
3) £0
4) £0
5) £0
6) £0
BM) £297
and so on, being CG nobody completely walks away with their 'winnings'
another way of working out the sums would be those six players using £100 each per day for a week, so £600 x 7 = £4,794
30% to the BM = £1,598
the 'pot' is £3,196
and so the circle continues
I cannot win, because I cannot stop
Dan,
Good to see you going strong. Interesting the way different people deal with recovery in different ways. You are like many who build a strong anti-bookmaker or anti-fobt personality to get you through.
I'm more along the lines of not wanting to even engage in analysis of gambling or discussion on the industry in case it drags me in. Both ways work and I find it interesting seeing it working for you. Best of strength to you and keep it up.
I do get sick the thought of my 'ex' local bookie, who is a total w*****r buying a new car for himself with my hard earned. I wonder if he misses my monthly lodgements ?
You are doing great. Keep it up.
Brian
Brian, thanks for posting, although 'angry' at the whole system I don't have as much dislike for the bookmakers as I do for that side of my own personality that led me to gamble.
If I wasn't greedy for a quick, instant pound then the bookmaker would not have made any money out of me, at least not enough to remain in business.
I am also more 'angry' towards the goverment, who create/allow the gambling industry to grow at such a fast rate.
I'm probably also more jealous of the bookmaker, who is basically far more astute than myself.
The 'financal industry' also frustrates me immensly, I like so many others on this site have made repeated, duplicate transactions within minutes, with no call from the bank. If I used four different cash points in a row, my card would be temporarily blocked, If I hit the shops and spent £50 in four or five different shops within minutes, my card would be flagged up
I should never have been able to access 7 different payday loans at the same time, monthly income around £2,000, 'payday' loans, monthly interest repayments of £1,800, the 'total' debt was £3,000 yet I only get paid 2/3rds of what I was able to borrow. At no point could I get a 'sensible' loan - I was deemed unable to afford the repayments.
I find your point of not wanting to discuss the industry a valid stance, so this post is more for myself, I am just finding that by creating an 'image' in my mind of how much I actually paid when I placed a £1 bet, very sobering.
I now park 20 minutes further away from work, to save a couple of pounds - I buy reduced food, to save a couple of pounds, I brought a 'refurbished car tyre' - to save a few pounds
yet I used to refuse to think about how much I was spending when I withdrew £200 on a credit card.
Sadly there will always be a place for gambling, thankfully not everyone becomes addicted and for some I see it as a reasonable thing to do, those 'old boys' who sit on the middle table, in the same chairs having a chat with their mates, spending a few quid whilst the wife has her hair done, spending a couple of hours in the bookies, never losing more than they can afford and occassionaly 'winning'.
For those greedy people like me however, I hope that the habit is a thing of the past.
I've said it many times already, but I really am loving my life without gambling.
I cannot win because I cannot stop
I will not lose because I do not gamble.
a new game,
you go to the pub sit around a table with your 5 mates and call over a complete stranger,
you and your mates take out 10 x £1 coins each, you each give £3 to the stranger and the other £7 from each person goes into a hat
the stranger then pulls out a handful of coins and gives it, randomly, to one of the 'players'. then he takes the remaining coins and gives them, randomly, to one of the other players.
the stranger then walks away, £18 richer
£42 is shared between the two 'winners'
four of you have nothing left.
doesn't really sound like great game to me, yet that is effectively what I chose to do, every time I played a FOBT
Cheers for the post mate!
I like your post....It actually sounds like a great game for the stranger....Also, I must add what pub is this game played in?
Take care m8t!
Easy li£e
68 days since i last gambled.
feels great if slightly unbelievable to be typing that 'already'
Hi Dan.
Thanks for the post on my diary and well done to you on 68 days!
There is a long way to go for us both before we can consider ourselves to truly be ex-gamblers but it sure is great to be walking that road!
I'd say i'm on about 42 days now. Don't you ever let me catch you Dan!
Keep it up mate.
another day, another non gamble day, well I say I didnt gamble but I did forget to pay for my car park ticket (which I can do by phone) and somehow 'got away with it' - I hope that doenst actually count as gambling?!
anyway, just checking in quickly, have my second counsellor meeting tomorrow, which I'm looking forward to.
well done to all those that continue to battle against their addictions succesfully
10 weeks tomorrow,
2nd day of counselling today, some good stuff to think about, will post a bit more later, I'd be interested to get some others feedback
Hi Dan, I've been reading your posts. I find your diary really interesting. I think you're a pretty smart individual. Your posts are thought provoking and often spot on. Well done on your efforts thus far. Russ
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