I just quit gambling... and happy new year to all of you :)

powerball

Non-Gambler
Joined
Mar 11, 2007
Location
Norway
First off, I had second thoughts of making this post, I mean, if everyone made posts like these, this forum would be run over by whining and other depressive stuff. But I still feel like sharing my thoughts around this subject.

I consider myself a fairly smart person when it comes to gambling, but my desire to have some fun, has been higher then my ability to be smart :p

I have therefor played the slots on and off for about a year now. It has been fun, but the last few weeks had me thinking. Why do I throw money into a machinery that has a 5% edge over me? And the more you start thinking about it, the more ridicilious it sounds.

But we knew that all along, didnt we? Well, yes, ofcourse I did. But you always think and hope for the day when you win big. Well, that is what I have realized. It is almost imposible to win "big enough" for it to be worth the risk. Let me further explain what im thinking. Lets say you sit down for the night, planning to deposit 50 and have some fun. You play, lets say 50p a bet. A decent bet for that deposit. And you start playing. If you are lucky, you get a 100x win, if you are extremly lucky, you get 2 100x wins without dropping your balance that much. But how often do this happen? Not very often. But how often do you end loosing your whole deposit? This might sound as babbeling. But my point is, what I realy feel im doing, is grinding away with 5% edge against me, in the hoping of maybe doubling or trippling my deposit. For it to really make up for all the times you loose your deposit, you need to hit something like a 1000xbet hit once in a while.. But I have played for over 1year, and I have never seen that happen.. Infact, I think the most I have been able to pump my balance up is 3-4 times my deposit.

Now, whats the point of all this babbeling? I have come to the conclusion that it isnt worth it. For it to be "worth it" (meaning you could hit som really big wins now and then) the slot would have to bee extremly high varriance. Now, the problem with extremly high varriance is that, vell, it is extremly high varriance the other way around aswell.. So you may be bound to loose 20x50 deposits before you, maybe, hit something like a 1000x win. I E, it still isnt worth it. (In my eyes)

What you could do tho, that wouldnt be 100th of the amount of stupidity that I feel playing slots is, is playing a game like videopoker. If you play optimal strategy the house edge is 1\50th of what slots are. 1\50! that is mind boggeling. Yes, the varriance is extremly big in these games aswell, but you can hit that 1000x bet I talked about, making it "meaningfull" to try and hit. If you play with bonuses aswell, it could even be +EV. But until you hit that royal, you wil still be grinding against the house, with your deposits flying out the window. But in my opinion, if you have to play something, you should play videopoker. It is 1\50 the stupidity of playing slots :p

Now, you might be thinking, why did you play slots when you have this opinion? Well, because slots are funny, lets face it, it is funny to see the lights flashing and see the scatters, free spins starting etc. But what I have come to realize the last few days, is that the best I really could hope for, is doubling or trippeling my deposits. I have then come to realize that it just isnt worth it.

I will always bee a gambler in my heart and my soul, I am not an addict, but, the desire to have some fun wil always be there. But from now on im gonna be smarter. When I want to play, I wil play sportsbetting. I have a fairly good knowledge of odds, betting and.. soccer. At worst, I might be an even bet against the bookies (i use tools so i always place bets where i have the highest odds)

So, why do I post this here? Well, it is sort of my manifest of what I feel right now. Many of you have probably been where I am, thinking of what you are doing, why you lliterally throw money away, for, best of, doubling or trippeling your deposit. (Ofcourse, if you pump up your bet after each win, and you are incredibly lucky, you could win big, but most of us dont got the stomach for that) My goal and hope is that with this post, I could maybe help others to realize this. For me, I just hope I could hold on to the goal I have set myself. There are so much more usefull things to use money on, than grinding it away with a 5% edge against you... What about spending all the money you planned spend on gambling on stocks\stock funds instead? That way you easily have a positiv expectation on your money.. Or what about buying your wife something lovely each month? :p Or save up some money and go for a nice vacation every year? In my ears, it sounds better than grinding it away with 5% against you, hoping to just double or tripple your deposit.

I for myself plan to buy a unicorn darts-board and some high-end unicorn darts, and start practicing. Then you have something to do when you are bored aswell :p

Happy new year to all of you, take my adivce, cut down on the gambling, if you have to play, play something like videopoker. Or hell, just delivery your lottery-cupon each week. You might win big someday :cool:
 
Sounds like you've got a handle on it, powerball. :thumbsup: Practice up with those unicorns (mind the wall ;) ).

You have a great new year ahead of you. :thumbsup:
 
we've all been there and i'm sure have all had the same insightful thoughts. i myself used to play $5 and $10 spins on slots regulary because i could afford it, but after quitting for a while, i realized it was the same "rush" playing low limits. slots are fun...period. when they are no longer fun, it's time to think about it again.

with every new year comes new opportunities and choices and i hope the ones you make are right for you :D

happy new year to you as well!!!
 
Good post

good post powerball.

Quit gambling is hard, because we all used to it.

I registered a world of warcraft account, hope this can get me out of that blood sucking slots.

best wishes to both you and me.
 
good post powerball.

Quit gambling is hard, because we all used to it.

I registered a world of warcraft account, hope this can get me out of that blood sucking slots.

best wishes to both you and me.

before you do that, watch the southpark episode "make love, not warcraft"
apparently, it can be just as addicting and unhealthy too!! :D
 
Good post PB, it made sense without having to use too many numbers. Sounds like a good 'aha!' moment for you. Best of luck:thumbsup:
 
PB, I appreciate your post. I am in the same mind frame as you are. I am quitting also. Not because of any one thing, just a lot of little things that have happened that made me see the 'light'. I think that after you play certain slots for a period of time, you see what is actually happening. Don't get me wrong, I have cashed out several times in the last few months but not anywhere close to what I have spent. I love slots but it has gotten too stressful for me. Not that I have gotten in a financial bind because of it but just because it has gotten to where I feel like they are waiting for me to deposit so I can just lose it.

I deposited $100 tonight at a certain casino and got a free spin bonus once. Played several other slots there and nothing. Whereas I use to get the free spins at least once in every $10-15 played, now once in every $25-30. It's really not the winning (great to do, no lying about it) but I just like to play and want to play more than 15 minutes before I am bust. It doesn't matter if I low roll or high roll, still nothing. So I am hanging it up. Am going to find a new hobby that certainly costs less with at least a small amount of return.

Not bitching, just stating facts.
 
Humor :)

I have a new hobby :D People can 'deposit' to one of my ewallets, and I will rarely and randomly send them a pretty picture - sometimes I'll just lift a winning screenshot from here, sometimes it will be a copy of the mona lisa, and sometimes (rarely and randomly) I'll transfer money back to your ewallet!! (if you're lucky) Sound fun?

Or how about we all pitch in for some research and development on a paper shredder that only accepts real money (like a soda machine does) and when it chews it up all kinds of cool pictures flash on the screen! (of course it would have to be next to a real ATM that occasionally kicked out a buck or two so we could keep feeding the pretty-picture-paper-shredder when our madmoney was gone.

lol the longer I go without depositing, the more absurd it seems sometimes.

Good luck all, and if you are planning to quit and have any trouble, remember there are links on the main page here (as well you can pm me for alternatives) I suspect I'll play again when I have disposable income (omg ain't that the ahaaa, disposable)

Live long and Prosper!!
 
geeez!!!! it does sound kinda stupid when you put it that way, lojo. lol. oh, didn't get a chance to welcome you back from your break....welcome back.

but what if you really like the pictures? :D

regardless, if lojo can do it for a while, i'm sure we all can if we feel it is in our own best interest. i stopped for a while pretty easily too.

if it is not disposable income, then usually it is important to take a step back. try watching that show, "intervention" sometimes and pretend it's about someone with a gambling problem and it will add a new perspective.

and best wishes to you as well, anniemac and oyw.
 
I have a new hobby :D People can 'deposit' to one of my ewallets, and I will rarely and randomly send them a pretty picture - sometimes I'll just lift a winning screenshot from here, sometimes it will be a copy of the mona lisa, and sometimes (rarely and randomly) I'll transfer money back to your ewallet!! (if you're lucky) Sound fun?

Or how about we all pitch in for some research and development on a paper shredder that only accepts real money (like a soda machine does) and when it chews it up all kinds of cool pictures flash on the screen! (of course it would have to be next to a real ATM that occasionally kicked out a buck or two so we could keep feeding the pretty-picture-paper-shredder when our madmoney was gone.

LOL !! :lolup::lolup::lolup:
 
Great posts, I hope you find your happy place. Personally I have decided I will play at only 1 online casino as I have grown tired of the depositing process, this has taken most of the fun out of what used to be a lot of fun.

I have a son who is being deployed to the Middle East and this fact has made me think what is more important in my daily life than gaming online.

I WISH ALL OF YOU A VERY HAPPY AND SAFE NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!
 
Nice post powerball, I myself am trying to cut down this last week but keep getting dragged back by the no deposit existing members rival bonus.

Owell the next four days or so im gonna do some playtech buy 20 get 100 deal and try to low roll on it, Sounds like a good start.

Its a real good feelin when you can control and achieve something like this powerball. Good luck well maybe thats not what you need maybe it will not come down to luck at all.

And off course theres allways a tourny or an nd goin around for a bit off fun.

Me myself am in no postion to quit outright as i am legaly insane and have no life so if i have money or not im still in the shit and slots can take my mind away for me. sometimes if im getting totaly killed by the one arm bandits i feel even better as im further away.

I do find that your money just becomes credits from one casino to the other and less real, I mean face it if you had that wad off cash in your hand you would have some fun but still put most in your pocket.

Anyway is it healthy to cut out gambling all together powerball because your sub contious mind mite start taking gambles in your real life.
So i hope that you taking this glorious step in life doesn't screw you up for good. :thumbsup:

Ok so back to the gambling right i have done most off the playtech buy 20 get 100 deals im gonna hit casino bellini and playgate this coming days is there any other new deals like this out there. Not a big fan off platech slots seems like there software is good for wagering on a bonus but gives out less free spin rounds owell bye for now.
 
This will have to be the the Top Threads of 2008.
My Hats off to you Powerball.Great Post
I hope that everything works out for the best for you Good Luck & Best Wishes in the New Year.
Is it ok to share your story to many?What I do is hand outs on my tours to gamblers and this story is so nicely put.And will help many.
Thank You
Tom

First off, I had second thoughts of making this post, I mean, if everyone made posts like these, this forum would be run over by whining and other depressive stuff. But I still feel like sharing my thoughts around this subject.

I consider myself a fairly smart person when it comes to gambling, but my desire to have some fun, has been higher then my ability to be smart :p

I have therefor played the slots on and off for about a year now. It has been fun, but the last few weeks had me thinking. Why do I throw money into a machinery that has a 5% edge over me? And the more you start thinking about it, the more ridicilious it sounds.

But we knew that all along, didnt we? Well, yes, ofcourse I did. But you always think and hope for the day when you win big. Well, that is what I have realized. It is almost imposible to win "big enough" for it to be worth the risk. Let me further explain what im thinking. Lets say you sit down for the night, planning to deposit 50 and have some fun. You play, lets say 50p a bet. A decent bet for that deposit. And you start playing. If you are lucky, you get a 100x win, if you are extremly lucky, you get 2 100x wins without dropping your balance that much. But how often do this happen? Not very often. But how often do you end loosing your whole deposit? This might sound as babbeling. But my point is, what I realy feel im doing, is grinding away with 5% edge against me, in the hoping of maybe doubling or trippling my deposit. For it to really make up for all the times you loose your deposit, you need to hit something like a 1000xbet hit once in a while.. But I have played for over 1year, and I have never seen that happen.. Infact, I think the most I have been able to pump my balance up is 3-4 times my deposit.

Now, whats the point of all this babbeling? I have come to the conclusion that it isnt worth it. For it to be "worth it" (meaning you could hit som really big wins now and then) the slot would have to bee extremly high varriance. Now, the problem with extremly high varriance is that, vell, it is extremly high varriance the other way around aswell.. So you may be bound to loose 20x50 deposits before you, maybe, hit something like a 1000x win. I E, it still isnt worth it. (In my eyes)

What you could do tho, that wouldnt be 100th of the amount of stupidity that I feel playing slots is, is playing a game like videopoker. If you play optimal strategy the house edge is 1\50th of what slots are. 1\50! that is mind boggeling. Yes, the varriance is extremly big in these games aswell, but you can hit that 1000x bet I talked about, making it "meaningfull" to try and hit. If you play with bonuses aswell, it could even be +EV. But until you hit that royal, you wil still be grinding against the house, with your deposits flying out the window. But in my opinion, if you have to play something, you should play videopoker. It is 1\50 the stupidity of playing slots :p

Now, you might be thinking, why did you play slots when you have this opinion? Well, because slots are funny, lets face it, it is funny to see the lights flashing and see the scatters, free spins starting etc. But what I have come to realize the last few days, is that the best I really could hope for, is doubling or trippeling my deposits. I have then come to realize that it just isnt worth it.

I will always bee a gambler in my heart and my soul, I am not an addict, but, the desire to have some fun wil always be there. But from now on im gonna be smarter. When I want to play, I wil play sportsbetting. I have a fairly good knowledge of odds, betting and.. soccer. At worst, I might be an even bet against the bookies (i use tools so i always place bets where i have the highest odds)

So, why do I post this here? Well, it is sort of my manifest of what I feel right now. Many of you have probably been where I am, thinking of what you are doing, why you lliterally throw money away, for, best of, doubling or trippeling your deposit. (Ofcourse, if you pump up your bet after each win, and you are incredibly lucky, you could win big, but most of us dont got the stomach for that) My goal and hope is that with this post, I could maybe help others to realize this. For me, I just hope I could hold on to the goal I have set myself. There are so much more usefull things to use money on, than grinding it away with a 5% edge against you... What about spending all the money you planned spend on gambling on stocks\stock funds instead? That way you easily have a positiv expectation on your money.. Or what about buying your wife something lovely each month? :p Or save up some money and go for a nice vacation every year? In my ears, it sounds better than grinding it away with 5% against you, hoping to just double or tripple your deposit.

I for myself plan to buy a unicorn darts-board and some high-end unicorn darts, and start practicing. Then you have something to do when you are bored aswell :p

Happy new year to all of you, take my adivce, cut down on the gambling, if you have to play, play something like videopoker. Or hell, just delivery your lottery-cupon each week. You might win big someday :cool:
 
...try watching that show, "intervention" sometimes and pretend it's about someone with a gambling problem and it will add a new perspective...

i actually saw an episode once where the lady was addicted to scratch tickets, doing like $200+ every day.

but then again, some of us drop that and more online, so maybe it's not as insane as tv made it look. but i think she was an alcoholic too.

but just imagine popping down to the lotto booth and spending three-figures on tickets, not to mention the house edge on lotto makes it far less ev than your average casino game. with lotto addiction, you will run negative each week and never hit the big one.

at least with slots or cards you cash out from time to time, plus you get more excitement out of your money imo. and most of the scratchies in my area are max 50k or 1M @50k/yr (or 1k/week "cash for life"), is that really such a great jackpot to chase with over a thousand per week?

*rerail, well written powerball. variance does increase the thrill, and yes with vp you get a good chance at winning big with high variance but a low edge. good luck in your endeavours.

:thumbsup:
 
i actually saw an episode once where the lady was addicted to scratch tickets, doing like $200+ every day.

but then again, some of us drop that and more online, so maybe it's not as insane as tv made it look. but i think she was an alcoholic too.

If TV made a documentary on me, I think most would say I need to be locked up. :p

Don't get the alcoholic bit though. :what:
 
lol im searching on google for playtech buy 20 get 100 deals and i click the 1st link and i get this topic and my post. 1ST step and im allready goin in circles. Anyway im finaly trying to stop the flow out by getting a good deal.

No luck at belini its gone out and chat op said she had an amazing gift for me you guesd it, It will cost me.

Anyway im off and back on my search. :thumbsup:
 
I learned three 'do nots' last year:

Post drunk
gamble drunk
drink drunk

:D

Silly me, let's see how long those resolutions last.
 

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