I hope no one minds me bumping an old thread. Re-reading it has kept me from gambling for the past hour and a bit, and that's never a bad thing. I re-visited because of two recent threads, both Trada's DOA winner, and another member who has lost an awful lot of money is about the time frame since I won this. Thought you might enjoy a "where is she now" update.
Apologies to everyone for not liking all the congratulatory comments, I do thank each and every one of you again, I teared up on some and laughed on some.
I've had the enormous pleasure of meeting a few people I had not met before, especially my dear friend Incredible Stuff in Amsterdam last June, and getting together with Steviedoo in Montreal (on my list of things to do this summer again). I also got to meet CM and Maxd, CasinoBen albeit briefly, and some other lovely peeps. Harry BKK in Thailand, good thing he hadn't moved at that point
I've had my ups and downs with the slots, and the swings are a little wider than they used to be as I bet higher more often than I used to. But certainly not always.
I don't know how much I've won and lost gambling to be honest.
But I do know what my income is and some of the things I've purchased, so I think maybe just maybe I'm up by a bit.
Three days after I won, I had 63,000, after paying off a huge debt on the house and buy a new fridge (mine had died completely two days after I won and before I was paid, was hauling food in and out of the porch to keep it).
I lost my drug card, there's $300 a month.
Lost my home support, there's another $200.
Lost my reduced by my income social benefit of $336.
I've purchased A LOT of alcohol.
I took a trip to Cuba, took another trip with 3 girl friends to Cuba (I just bought the all-inclusive, they covered their tips and spending money). Took my kid to Amsterdam and Bruges and attended the I-Gaming Supershow. Paid a babysitter so her husband could go to work without booking off holidays. Oh, and then I went to Cuba.
My first crossing of the International Date Line, and getting my passport stamped for China, even if I only slept there for two nights in transit (plus, very cool and tasty breakfast and neat snacks in the vending machine). And a whole month in Thailand, and the great pleasure of meeting up and spending time with Harry, you could not ask for a nicer fella.
Only two visits to Rama, two or three to Montreal, one to Woodbine before Thailand, and two I think daytrips to Rideau Carleton, very little land-based, and each time except one I lost quite a bit, and the one visit to Rama I came home ahead on the slots in April this year, but less than room and gas cost. Still, ate well on them, and great time with a couple of gal pals.
Oh, and so far three more tax bills of nearly 2K each, with another due end of June.
I've paid for my airfare to Malta in June, but still need to pay for the hotel (really reasonable, $706 for 17 nights, and that's CAD, same hotel I stayed in 6 years ago in San Pawl).
My income has been $500 a month, utilities run $300, internet is $60 and change, and cell phone is $55.
There's been a few clothes, a lot of taxis, feeding other people, a few lunches out and a handful of nights on the town.
I've tried to mostly live the same life, with the exception of the travel.
Oh, and science camp for my oldest grandson last year for two weeks, and was in a position to give the kids money for a new TV when the threenage threw something and broke their 60 inch plasma they won in a contest a few years back. Sorry that the LCD does not have the same game refresh rate, but it works well to watch TV on.
The youngest is now four, he should be ready for a week at day camp this year, and will see my oldest gets something cool to do this summer too. My Dad helped me have that for my daughter, so nice to be a position to help there.
I have about $24,000 less than I did January 16th, 2016. And I've gambled most days, some good wins when I've pressed my luck (never $180 a spin!!!) losing what should have been nice cashouts doing the same. Brief periods of chasing losses, and reining myself back and making more modest bets and more modest cashouts (never a bad plan).
I shop the flyers, have only bought a few clothes and stuff for the house. I knew I needed to live the life I will return to.
Just a few weeks ago they changed what the asset limit is for disability is in Ontario, but it doesn't come into effect until October. I need to re-think my plan for my remaining money, I think I'd rather have a cushion than some of the home improvements I was planning for this summer.
When I first started this thread, I called it a life easing win, and it certainly did that. And while I did a bunch of travelling, that didn't change my life, just made it more fun. I've just did a lot more in a shorter span of time.
Online slots have not been unkind to me past 15 months, and truly since I joined here in 2008, only 2015 was rather rough, and I think part of that was me failing to cash out more modest amounts mostly.
I've got a few bucks in Ecopayz from a withdrawal from 32Red left, and a few bucks left on my card from a withdrawal from Omni. No more money out of my pockets until I've left for Europe in about 3 weeks.
I also need the time. The only time I've ever taken a break from playing was spring, because gardening and planting time is such a short window. And I've f_d my back, so that's out for me.
Sorry if I've rambled, but fellow gamblers get in it a way that others do not. I've done it before, and I'm sure I'll do it again. Helps me sort it and keep in control and I don't post every time I'm re-reading stuff I've posted or things in the Quit Gambling Section.
I do not want to quit, I still love the slots. So I need to keep in control, more than I am not.
I did not reply to the thread from the member that lost 80k in the past 14 months. I just couldn't. It makes me gag to think how I'd feel if I'd done that with my win, even if it did take a year and a half, and I was still up lifetime. (at least online, with only 20K profit in past year, I would not be up lifetime for all gambling, I'm 58 and been gambling legally 40 years).
I'm sorry because I no longer remember who gave me this advice so many many years ago, but if you make a withdrawal of more than your deposit, you can do whatever with the rest. But it's good advice, and has helped me.
I also knew long before I joined that money taken to a casino better be money you are prepared to lose. I was not always that smart to be truthful. Having had problems in the past, and so many night and days kicking myself just a bit recently even, but not every time I play, but especially sessions where I get ahead, lose it and then deposit more to chase a loss that was not a big loss in terms of my deposit, but big in terms of what I lost from winnings.
I hope each and every one of you gets a big win at some point, I truly do, even if it's not life altering, but at least weeks alterning. But I do recommend that at least once in a while you bet more than 20 cents, or you are only purchasing watching the wheels spin around (which on many sessions I do consider worth 20 cents a pop).
Honest to goodness, if OLG allowed more than one cashout per day, I would have cashed out $1K when I had $1200, and and I would never have reached the point of doing $180 spins. There's a psycholigial thing of numbers on the screen losing a certain reality, which I'm sure casinos appreciate.
Now two hours plus since I started reading this, and still haven't started my 20 cent run on Danger High Voltage!
Later gators.