New to online gambling and probably already addicted

[jshort]

I became hooked about two weeks ago (didn't play much at all before that) when after signing up for Bodog, I noticed a "percieved" vulnerability in their bonus's "Terms&Conditions" which should've allowed me to turn a huge profit via a "Hail Mary / ALL-IN" betting style. It didn't work

Users from the forum "WizardofVegas" said I've missed the boat by about 10-15 years for this style of advantage play (bonus's where apparantly more generous back then). Now I seem to have become addicted! Other than having an unhealthy addiction, I feel like I play fairly intelligently (ie choose games with low Edge, bonus / kamikazee whore whenever I can get away with it).

I'm on here for several reasons;

1) Don't want to lose another 1200$!

2) Find a "Deuces Wild" vp that pays 5:1 for a "4ofaKind" (not sure why this is so important, but it's become a mission of mine lol)

3) Find reliable online casino (ie not rigged) that allows for +EV opportunities through bonus's.

..................................................

I've already found #3, however I dunno, I just think they could potentially all be rigged; I've lost a bunch of money doing this on Bodog and what online casino (these people are smart too) would allow themselves to be taken like this right????

 

[bigjohn]

Welcome to the Forum!

Several of the points you made point to possible problems for you in the future and you should truthfully evaluate why you want to play on-line.

If your master plan involves getting rich via skillful play or pushing the limits of what is and is not permitted concerning bonuses you are probably not going to be a happy camper! Casinos do not exist to make you wealthy, they exist to provide entertainment.

When you enjoy the entertainment value and play responsibly and reasonably you may find that you do indeed start to be more successful but seeing cheating casinos around every corner and dedicating yourself to trying to hit the big one are recipes for personal disaster.

 

[jshort]

Welcome to the Forum!

Several of the points you made point to possible problems for you in the future and you should truthfully evaluate why you want to play on-line.

If your master plan involves getting rich via skillful play or pushing the limits of what is and is not permitted concerning bonuses you are probably not going to be a happy camper! Casinos do not exist to make you wealthy, they exist to provide entertainment.

When you enjoy the entertainment value and play responsibly and reasonably you may find that you do indeed start to be more successful but seeing cheating casinos around every corner and dedicating yourself to trying to hit the big one are recipes for personal disaster.

Thanks bigjohn......I'm happy you asked me to evaluate myself.

I definitely want(ed) to make a profit doing this, however "truthfully" that isn't what got me started. In addition to my driving job, I'm an aspiring amatuer athlete (triathlete in my case), who in the past have put in 15-20 hours / wk of cardio. In the fall of 2013, I suffered an unusually harsh physical burnout from too much racing. I stopped exercising, put on 20lbs and since then have been unable to get back into the "groove" of things. Obviously something had to fill the void, and right now that something appears to be online gambling.

 

[sigothx1]

If you intend to gamble online for profit, Id seriously, seriously take a step back and re-think. You wont find many, if any ( that would talk about it ) people who make a living, or even a long term income online gambling, if it was at-all any way possible to do so, youd see alot more people doing it. Its for entertainment, I, like most, have lost countless amounts more than ive won, however, its winning big when you dont expect it that keeps me playing, Im sorry if i come off badly, i just do not want you to think that making money gambling online is going to benefit you, you mention "i dont want to lose another $1200" and you also mention you drive for a living, depending what you drive you may have a nice income, the problem arises when you have a big income, you have more to lose. dont get me wrong, i love playing online, i like the thrill of a win, i like bonuses, However i know that most of the time, my deposit is going to go to the casino, the rest of the time keeps me playing.

with that said, welcome, this forum is invaluable to a online player, the people are friendly and awsome and it has genuine great advice, and obviosly, goodluck!

 

[randomiam]

online gaming casino and other

looking at online gaming to filll a void can cause addiction problems be casino or sim type games i had a mate that started playing a online game after he had a heart attack he couldn't do much else and spent almost every waking moment on this sims type game the gameplay becomes the norm and instead of it being something to do for recreation it becomes a routine you put everything else after with sim games or games like warcraft ect there no real money loss but with casino games i can see where the money issue would become a problem very quickly. its the idle time that is the issue .there are a few things set yourself lower betting limits if you going to play alot and only play places you know will pay you or if you want to play big bets try playing another online game like ozworld or warcraft or somthing cheap or free part of the time heres a few warning signs

1 gambling budget is over rent amount

2 you budget in the gambling before food or other things

3 it becomes about the amount of time its taken and not about if you have won or lost

there also a quit gambling thread on this forum that may have better information. ive just giving my best response for you post in my own thinking

 

[jshort]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Your right I've never heard of anyone making a living gambling online. There are plenty of APs out there, but they all seem to play at land based casinos. Guess I should've taken up card counting instead eh.

randomiam, I definitely feel like your friend who had the heart attack. For me, its become a several hour routine later at night when I can't sleep. The idea that I could make money online started this addiction (fu Bodog!), but the habit has become almost a routine now, despite the fact that I no longer have anymore delusions.

This site is a great resouce for sure; I found the online Casino Red32 at CasinoMeister.com which has a great new player deposit option! I made a 20$ deposit yesterday, and despite Red32 having strict betting limits (you can't wager optimally on this site if your working through a WR) I had over 100$ when I finished my WR and cashed out!...........Now if only I can avoid going back there to prevent losing it all x10

 

[Mousey]

Trying not to come across as 'holier than thou', but if you 'think' you're addicted, you probably are and should stop NOW. You nearly killed yourself over training for running. (That is a big hint as to your psychological make up.)

We are always pleased to welcome new recreational gamblers, but please go HERE, read and be honest with yourself.

Good luck.

 

[Anna123]

I'm also new in the online gambling (only casino I play), but I do it for fun and entertainment as somebody mentioned it before. I think it's crucial to set up limits in terms of both, money and time invested. And whenever the round turns bad for you, do something that makes you feel better, such as probably could be going back to sports. Do not stay in front of the computer hoping that a good round is coming, because you might end up in a bad way that day.
So, I would say that even you want to do it strategically and win get your winnings from playing, think after every loose or win, assess you moves, and why it went that good or that bad. Take it into account and set your limits.
Hope that you get your control!

 

[zreb]

As others have said, it may be best if you quit altogether.

You should probably try to find another hobby to invest your time into. Even if you decide to continue with online gambling, spending all of your time into it wouldn't likely be very healthy for you, either emotionally or financially.

If you want a game that's possible to beat, you could consider poker. You can have an edge in this game since you're competing against other players rather than the casino itself (though you still have to pay a significant amount of rake). But bear in mind that even at low stakes, there are many professionals/rake-back grinders who have been playing for years, so it would take a lot of effort to become a winning player.

Otherwise, just try to use some common sense if you're playing casinos. Keep your deposits small, this will allow you to manage your bankroll better and not be inclined to chase losses. Don't do things like take a bonus and bet your entire balance on a single wager - most casinos aren't oblivious. Even if you come out ahead in the games, there's a good chance all of your winnings will be confiscated. At the very least, you should stick to the accredited list here and make sure to follow all of the terms at each casino.

 

[jshort]

I'm hoping I'll quite.

Actually I did stop for a couple days, but last night I spent several hours gambling (not with mine, but with rewards money from accumulated loyality points). I'm looking forward to springtime when the better weather will hopefully provide motivation to resume my outdoor hobbies again.

As others have said, it may be best if you quit altogether.

You should probably try to find another hobby to invest your time into. Even if you decide to continue with online gambling, spending all of your time into it wouldn't likely be very healthy for you, either emotionally or financially.

If you want a game that's possible to beat, you could consider poker. You can have an edge in this game since you're competing against other players rather than the casino itself (though you still have to pay a significant amount of rake). But bear in mind that even at low stakes, there are many professionals/rake-back grinders who have been playing for years, so it would take a lot of effort to become a winning player.

Otherwise, just try to use some common sense if you're playing casinos. Keep your deposits small, this will allow you to manage your bankroll better and not be inclined to chase losses. Don't do things like take a bonus and bet your entire balance on a single wager - most casinos aren't oblivious. Even if you come out ahead in the games, there's a good chance all of your winnings will be confiscated. At the very least, you should stick to the accredited list here and make sure to follow all of the terms at each casino.

zred, some good suggestions, thanks......I did do online poker recently during the fall of 2013. I was marginally profitable when I stayed focused, but overall broke even due to playing more poorly during sessions in which my patience caused poor decisions. It's also addicting, but the slowness of it prevented me from getting too attached. I fell in love with "Zoom" poker afterwards, however I noticed I was losing money there compared to the slower / normal version.

Regarding casinos and bonuses, I have a question; If one uses an "All-in / Hail-Mary" betting style to get through the WR after a bonus has been accepted, will accredited online casinos confiscate winnings even if no betting limits are listed in their Terms&Conditions?

 

[zreb]

Regarding casinos and bonuses, I have a question; If one uses an "All-in / Hail-Mary" betting style to get through the WR after a bonus has been accepted, will accredited online casinos confiscate winnings even if no betting limits are listed in their Terms&Conditions?

If you play at an accredited casino and don't break any terms, it is very likely that you will get your money. However, I can't guarantee it as a certainty. If you have won fairly and believe a casino has confiscated your money improperly, you can submit a "PAB," which is basically a mediation service offered to CM members described here:

https://www.casinomeister.com/player-arbitration-pab/

However, there are still a few reasons that would be a bad idea. First, many casinos will have some sort of "cover-your-ass" term, where they essentially reserve the right to confiscate your money if they feel you are "abusing" bonuses or any other reason at their discretion. I'm not sure how often these terms are actually used by a casino or how they are viewed in the PAB process (and the ultimate decision is always in the casino's hands).

The other reason is that you would very clearly be playing in a manner that casinos consider "abusing" bonuses. You'll likely find yourself quickly banned from taking bonuses wherever you're playing, and possibly even put on some sort of abuser list shared between different casinos.

 

[jshort]

I don't have 10 posts yet, so I can't use the thumbs up button yet; But thanks zreb.