This sick hobby (warning--quitting gambling rant)

[MrVan]

Quit gambling now and switch to mathematics!

I really think I will. I got a 730 in math (only 510 verbal) on the SAT in 8th grade and I have always loved it. In fact I think a large part of the reason I enjoyed gambling is because of all the math involved. I enjoyed figuring out how much I would win if I hit something and, well I guess thats pretty much it lol. Thanks for the encouragement!

[Cynthia777]

It is both sad and encouraging to know that others have lost more than I have, but right now I need encouragement so I will take it as that.

And you should absolutely view it as part of the encouragement.. a lot of the stories are accompanied by how the person somehow gained control/balance of their situation, letting you know that it IS possible..and there are brighter days ahead. It always feels more assuring to hear advice from people who have been there rather than being "lectured" from those who have not.

From what you've listed you definitely have a lot of positive things going for you, and many reasons to feel great about yourself, as do many of us. When I look back, I not only see the times when my gambling was out of control, but I also think about how my overall financial situation was (I was separated, a single parent, making less than half of what I make now, and my primary bills were rent, gas and electric and food - I wouldn't even be on here posting years ago, until I struggled to keep my head up and determination high, and, well... basically, went from rags to riches. And that is not just speaking materialistically...it is my overall being. When I look at what I've accomplished, I KNOW I wouldn't wanna throw that away by being too compulsive..it's definite incentive.) Yes, I still gamble, but you do learn to see the bigger picture overall and what is best in the long run.

[Addisyn]

I quit gambling in 2001 and just started up again when my husband was constantly going to the Indian casinos about a two hour drive each way from our house. I tried them once and didn't like them.

The way I quit before is I had Neteller and Click2Pay lock my accounts. I couldn't deposit, I couldn't play.

Recently I received an inheritance and I have been playing with that money. I, too, have a compulsive personality and get very carried away sometimes. I regret it when I toss away $600.00, but while I am doing it I don't know why. Guess that is an addiction.

Good luck MrVan. You are supported by us all.

Thanks for bringing this topic to the forefront. It needs to be discussed openly and candidly.

[WAYLANDER]

There were even times when I was almost in tears telling myself "DO NOT DEPOSIT ANY MORE MONEY" over and over as I helplessly watched the mouse cursor click the deposit button.

That sentence hit me like a juggernaut

It may help to get a photo of the person/persons you love most in life, on the back write how you feel when you have lost all your money and how your gambling would effect them and your relationship with them.

Put it by your computer, or in your wallet when out, when you feel the urge coming have a good look and read what you have written.

WAYLANDER

[amatrine]

Something I have done when I see myself getting out of control,
I take and disconect my computer, and put it in the closet for a few weeks.
If you need to check email, goto the library. I have a problem when I loose,
I take it personal sometimes. I am very competative, and that does not work in gambling. When I get into one of those modes, the computer goes for a while. Of course then I go through computer withdrawl, but I always amaze myself how I can actually live without my computer again. My husband has threatened to take away my internet acesss a couple of times when I go overboard on a loosing session.

If you have high speed internet access switch to dial up, it takes longer to download the games, at least for me thats enough to discourage me because I have no patience.

Ama

[vinylweatherman]

I gamble mainly because of the rush it generates. I started young, my Dad would spend hours on horserace gambling, studying form, making and discarding systems - He still does it at 75! He doesn't bet high though, 20p to 50p bets mostly. Naturally, he did not discourage me from playing arcade machines from the age of around 6 or 7. I didn't have them where I lived though, so it was a case of save up all year and play for one or two weeks in the summer seaside holiday.
I went "professional" so to speak when I had transport, I could get to the places far more easily.
I began gaming online in 2004, and the lure was indeed all the "free money" that was offered, and the websites that sprung up about "easy money". Well, it may have been early on, but nowdays it's a myth, bounses and promotions are NOT easy money, just take a while to do the math and you will see than many have a negative expectation dressed up as a guarantee of winning something. The main problem I have had online is the lack of feel for the money, after all it's just numbers.
Recently, we started having Australian style slot machines here, up to £2 per spin and £500 Jackpots. Playing at £2 a spin using coins and notes and it really notices when you go through £50 or more and find the wallet bare, but spin Thunderstruck and see the numbers go down and the effect is much less, and it is easy to forget how much has gone through long term.
I have kept a record of my position at every single casino, so I can see how I am REALLY doing. This puts big wins, and great runs into perspective, also, the totals column makes for bigger numbers, and when they are red (negative), it makes more of an impression.
I have found that I am better off playing at many casinos, sharing the money round, rather than piling in at a few, and chasing into what seems to be a locked in negative run.
My biggest blunder, due to shameful lack of self control, was to win £20,000 one day in an amazing run, only to lose it the next in the hope of repeating the process, I then won £10,000 back the day after, but instead of recognising that even clawing £10,000 back was an astounding result, I continued till it had gone, the result was that I was right back where I started from, instead of having £20,000 in my Neteller for further promotions in other casinos.
Now, if I have that kind of run, I fire the money out of Neteller into my bank, leaving what I would have had if I had just had the normal run of luck. I can still play in the promotions and tournaments, but cannot go overboard as the money goes into banking limbo for at least a week, and can only get back into casinos by putting it through credit cards and a single debit cards, and these have strict transaction limits unlike Neteller.
One way to control things, short of quitting altogether, is to uninstall large numbers of casinos, or even all of them, and then spend a while tidying up the PC, and anything else that needs doing, and reinstall casinos from scratch based on what they are offering, but bear in mind they will make it sound better than it is.
Another way that helps is to celebrate a win by bying something you need, followed by something you want, thus locking in the upside, (ever tried depositing an LCD Digital TV at a casino for play )
If this doesn't work, then spend time discussing the issues on a forum such as this, or with friends, I can be on my PC, yet not actually gambling by doing this.
I have been considering building my own PC for the next one, and this will involve, above all, TIME, time spent in an activity which is not gambling, and could take some while, at least the first time. The payoff will be the opportunity to sample the casinos as they are meant to be enjoyed, but will also allow me to at last use my iPod, and archive my old camcorder footage, even preserve my old vinyl record collection.
I can still play in the Casino Action tournaments by letting Thunderstruck run at 9p a spin all day with the sound turned up while I build the other PC!

[liquidsoap]

Why Gamble?????????

Its one thing I do really enjoy. I not only gamble online but I love to go to the horse track, and casinos realitivley near me...

I would like to quit gambling but as silc said but I really dont just want too.
I have had some great times with friends and some bad times, but I really do enjoy it..
When I first started I Would play once a week, deposit $50 here. And that was it, then it turned into an addiction, where I would play everyday of the week.

I have soon wisened up, and can only play what I can afford... Some times it might be multiple times a week, sometimes once a month. But I can honestly say, I have changed for the better.
I would personally like to thank all of you guys for these responses, to see that I was once not alone...
I would also like to thank Bryan himself, with out this forum I might have been in gambling debt.

Sure seeing the winners screenshots gives me the itch to play, but being in this "gambling community" gives me something to look foward everyday that is not spinning the slot machine or the dealing of cards. I often find myself smiling, and saying way to go out loud as if I had a big win myself when I see some of the winners screen shots. Or find myself cussing up a strom at some of the screen shots that suck.

There are certain members of this forum that I would like to call my friends even though I have not the people personally.

That being said, take car Mr. Van.
I know its tough to change/quit, but keep at it!
Good luck in the future!

[spearmaster]

1. Golf! (too bad it's winter lol)
4. Play Xbox 360 (mostly just the racing games and Tiger Woods)

Golf - come work for me in Thailand and you can review about 150 courses or so... no kidding!

Xbox - wait for Playstation 3 - then join or start up a review site comparing both products...

I have been considering building my own PC for the next one, and this will involve, above all, TIME, time spent in an activity which is not gambling, and could take some while, at least the first time. The payoff will be the opportunity to sample the casinos as they are meant to be enjoyed, but will also allow me to at last use my iPod, and archive my old camcorder footage, even preserve my old vinyl record collection.

Now THAT's a damn good idea...

[EasyRhino]

Van, I also want to wish you luck in quitting. I think that's probably the best choice for you. Heck, you can still come back to the forums and chat (just don't look at the winners screenshot page!).

And I think you nailed it: gambling is - at its best - a fun waste of time (like playing video games or going out and drinking or whatever). And at worst, it's a ruinous waste of time.

[jetset]

Play Station 3 is on a couple of ambitious Christmas lists presented to me, but I was reading this week that the damn things are priced at around $600?