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Do you enjoy gambling?

Led's Zeppelin

Can't Re Member
May 28, 2013
7,333
20,178
It’s interesting to hear about it from a bookies side.

I started gambling 4 years ago and have consistently made a small profit. Around £200 a year then this year I have almost tripled that.

Reality is football fans know football and if you bet correctly and logically there is no reason you cannot win.

Partisanship plays a part in skewing the odds so a game like Liverpool in the CL final is a gamblers dream. Wait for the scousers to bet on their team and then bet against it.

I have a pragmatic approach and have made a few mistakes.

But if you bet on what you know then there’s no reason you cannot win.

True, you can win.

But it helps to remember you are the gambler, the bookies aren't gamblers. In fact, they are allergic to gambling and risk, they want to get rid of it, so they sell it (at a profit), and the punters are the buyers.

And the bookies know they would go out of business if no one ever won. So they depend on the vast majority of punters believing they can join the tiny minority of winners.

It's business, and it works.
 

dontcallme

SC Supporter
Mar 18, 2005
33,985
81,899
True, you can win.

But it helps to remember you are the gambler, the bookies aren't gamblers. In fact, they are allergic to gambling and risk, they want to get rid of it, so they sell it (at a profit), and the punters are the buyers.

And the bookies know they would go out of business if no one ever won. So they depend on the vast majority of punters believing they can join the tiny minority of winners.

It's business, and it works.

Absolutely. I have found the mindset of a gambler really interesting.

I went on s long winning run and maybe got over confident then lost some.

But when I sit back and really think about the results I do well.

One thing I have messed up on is wasting my free bets. I occasionally get a free £25 bet but can only use on certain odds. I use this as a try on a long shot and have only won once doing so.
 

JCRD

Well-Known Member
Aug 10, 2018
19,153
30,013
I usually put about 20 quid a week on accumulators but mainly for fun... makes saturdays a bit more interesting, I usually go for like eight to 10 team accumulators trying to win about a grand. If I dont win, no biggie and if I win, well thats a flight to NYC
 

ralphs bald spot

Well-Known Member
Jul 14, 2015
2,777
5,177
I spent a while betting quite seriously keeping a record of all my bets - only doing singles - at the end of the year I was slightly in profit and that was helped by having one storming month which included two memorable long price winners, I even tried to make a living at it for a while after being made redundant. . Though it wasn't a disaster i found that after a days gambling and waiting for the 9.30 favourite at Wolverhampton to ensure I made a profit for the day it was not only harder work than what I usually do but it was bloody boring as I hadn't talked to another human being since the bloke at the paper shop when I bought the Racing Post

Nowadays Ia tr rarely bet in the week I don't have the time to go through the racing properly but I look forward to a £5 patent on a Saturday and enjoy going through the Post to make my selections. I know that on the whole I probably make a loss but have had some decent returns on occasions. I also enjoy a few trips to the races a year keep my stakes to 20 a race and have a fun day plus I have a few visits a year to the punters graveyard Romford dogs where I donate to the tote as I can't by a winner there. Personally nothing beats reading a dog race and seeing it happen as you thought fast away - late finisher comes tight of the final bend to do him and the third sneaks in for the trifecta

Enjoy a bet i LOVE IT
 

dontcallme

SC Supporter
Mar 18, 2005
33,985
81,899
Have come to the conclusion that for me the enjoyment is purely in winning.

Over the international friendlies and this weekends games I am £350 up so will buy a laptop. Am now £1k up since August.

But I didn’t watch the games I bet on,I was purely betting pragmatically and logically.

One of my friends puts silly little bets in play on things like a throw in to take place in the next 5 minutes.

That is fun as he doesn’t care if he wins but he will enjoy watching the next five minutes more.

My style of betting isn’t fun but is profitable.
 

Colonel_Klinck

Well-Known Member
May 19, 2004
12,637
23,215
I'm not a gambler and have no interest in it at all. What I'd like to add to the thread though is the amount of online betting adverts on TV. What I particularly take exception to is the stupid strap line 'When the fun stops, Stop'. How fucking ridiculous is that. It's like saying to an alcoholic 'When you feel yourself getting a bit tipsy it's time to switch to soft drinks'.

This^^ I hate the constant bombardment of betting ads around sporting events. The sooner this is banned the better.
Personally never understood gambling on sporting events. No way I’m trusting someone else with my money. Cards ect I could more understand as you are betting on yourself but there is still a huge amount of chance with how the cards are dealt. Have had a couple of mates lose everything to this particular addiction. For some it’s just as bad as drink or drugs.
 

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,232
57,385
This^^ I hate the constant bombardment of betting ads around sporting events. The sooner this is banned the better.
Personally never understood gambling on sporting events. No way I’m trusting someone else with my money. Cards ect I could more understand as you are betting on yourself but there is still a huge amount of chance with how the cards are dealt. Have had a couple of mates lose everything to this particular addiction. For some it’s just as bad as drink or drugs.

I also think it's interesting that gamblers can always tell you how much they've won but don't seem to remember what they've lost over a given period.
 

Led's Zeppelin

Can't Re Member
May 28, 2013
7,333
20,178
I also think it's interesting that gamblers can always tell you how much they've won but don't seem to remember what they've lost over a given period.

Or how much they've put at risk, how easily they could afford to lose their stake money if they hadn't won, how much time they've put into it, what else they might have done with the time and money...

I firmly believe gambling beyond the odd small flutter with trivial amounts of money you can easily and happily afford to lose is a mug's game.
 

dontcallme

SC Supporter
Mar 18, 2005
33,985
81,899
I also think it's interesting that gamblers can always tell you how much they've won but don't seem to remember what they've lost over a given period.
I think there is a lot of denial with any addiction. Ignoring gambling losses will always happen.

Also if you win a lot off a particular bet it is a good story. I generally bet in a way where the odds are good so rarely get a huge payoff.

Personally when I talk about winnings I am talking about how much I am up after losses and wins.
 

dontcallme

SC Supporter
Mar 18, 2005
33,985
81,899
Or how much they've put at risk, how easily they could afford to lose their stake money if they hadn't won, how much time they've put into it, what else they might have done with the time and money...

I firmly believe gambling beyond the odd small flutter with trivial amounts of money you can easily and happily afford to lose is a mug's game.

I really don’t agree with your last paragraph. I think if betting on something you have knowledge of and have the right you can win.

I have won consistently since I started gambling 4 years ago.

It has been a journey working out what works and the pitfalls and now have upped my winnings.
 

Led's Zeppelin

Can't Re Member
May 28, 2013
7,333
20,178
I think there is a lot of denial with any addiction. Ignoring gambling losses will always happen.

Also if you win a lot off a particular bet it is a good story. I generally bet in a way where the odds are good so rarely get a huge payoff.

Personally when I talk about winnings I am talking about how much I am up after losses and wins.

You’ve won about £1,000 since August, which is the equivalent to about £35 per week. If you’re betting on close odds, you’re probably staking no more than £50 to £100 on average, per week, though you may spread it very differently.

So I assume this is money you can easily afford to lose, so although you say you do it for the profit not for fun, it’s like the equivalent of one not very expensive meal out a week. Does that sound about right?

The problem comes for people who before they realise it are gambling what they can’t happily afford to lose, and the numbers who do that, encouraged by the prospect of joining the tiny number of winners, is depressingly large.
 

dontcallme

SC Supporter
Mar 18, 2005
33,985
81,899
You’ve won about £1,000 since August, which is the equivalent to about £35 per week. If you’re betting on close odds, you’re probably staking no more than £50 to £100 on average, per week, though you may spread it very differently.

So I assume this is money you can easily afford to lose, so although you say you do it for the profit not for fun, it’s like the equivalent of one not very expensive meal out a week. Does that sound about right?

The problem comes for people who before they realise it are gambling what they can’t happily afford to lose, and the numbers who do that, encouraged by the prospect of joining the tiny number of winners, is depressingly large.

Absolutely, was just disagreeing that the punter can’t win.

I rarely bet more than I can afford. Only time I can remember is on the Mayweather vs McGregor fight as it was clearly fixed. I bet £500 and got £630 back.

But opportunities for odds in your favour of a clear mismatch is rare.

I have learnt to be patient and bet when opportunities arise. International friendlies are a great time as there are many mismatches with good odds.

Yesterday there were some great Championship games and I did well.

Looking to next week there are no good bets I can see at the moment so likely won’t bet.

Guess I am in that lucky few that can hold back.
 

slartibartfast

Grunge baby forever
Oct 21, 2012
18,320
33,955
My brother is an addict. Goes to GA every week. He's been ok for several years now but as they say, once an addict always an addict.
He was in an unhappy marriage, got her preganant just after they met so they tried to make a go of it. Between his gambling and her shopping addiction (and thats not a joke) they got themselves in a real finacial shit hole.
Thankfully he got back on his feet, kept the house and paid off all the debts, credit cards, mortgage arrears, etc. They had a gas and electric bill of about £3k!!! Gas boiler was fked and they just left immersion heater on 24/7. When he finally got the house back he had to get a skip in and chuck mountains of clothes in there, some with labels still on them and never even used. What a fkin state to get in.
This was about 5 years ago.
I only recently found out he goes to GA.
He felt he may start again so had the sense to book himself in. Some awful cases in there apparently.
Did make me laugh, he told me they were doing their talk about how they are doing and one bloke had a really bad week. Lost job, girlfriend, etc. Then it was my brothers turn. He said 'Well I thought I'd had a tough week but after listening to him I'm as happy as fook.' :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 
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