We got any gamblers in the house?

Deijavoo

I used to gamble what felt like a lot to me, used to budget for about a £400 loss per mont. Did this for years until I seen sense, which was about 6 years ago, maybe more. 

Anyways, been using them over the last 4 or 5 days and at about £200 profit so far, slippery slope but via the exchange sites. Backing on another site and laying on the exchanges, making guaranteed profit. Seems too good to be true but working for me!

Anyone else doing this?

fretmeister

Used to play poker a lot.

Then I started to perform magic professionally.

I am no longer trusted. Don't blame them really. Never cheated in a proper game.

But I do play an annual game against other magicians - and the rule is: if you got away with it, then you got away with it!

octatonic

I've never gambled.

My uncle gambled away his house, faked his wife's signature to get another mortgage and then gambled that away too.

They now live in a caravan.

octatonic

fretmeister said:

Used to play poker a lot.

Then I started to perform magic professionally.

I am no longer trusted. Don't blame them really. Never cheated in a proper game.

But I do play an annual game against other magicians - and the rule is: if you got away with it, then you got away with it!

I'd LOVE to see that.

Or not see it.

Frankieabbot

Oh mate.....I managed to give this mullarkey (and the booze) up 6 years ago. Gamblers and Alcoholics anonymous job btw. Now have my life back. Lost my woman and to some extent my family though. It seems to be working for you up to now....but you know as well as me that your luck can change in the blink of an eye.

Deijavoo

I do love a drink and a gamble, this exchange betting is working a treat though, if you spend time to get the odds matched right (there are sites that give you all the data you need) then it's guaranteed profit.

 I'm aiming for either a custom built superstrat or used LPC, let's see if I get there. :-)

lloyd

I bet intermittently, horses, dogs, football, rugby etc. I can go a month with nothing then go a few times on a week/days then stop again. I used to go casino a lot when working in bars with my tips which would be a few hundred quid on a good night win som lose some on black jack, rouleette and poker. I play poker online occasionally too. I probably stake less than £500 a year now I don't go to the casino and probably lose half that on average over a year. I enjoy it, only really go with my mates and do it as a social thing. I used to manage a bookies so have seen the damage it can do. Only bet what you can afford to lose and enjoy the experience-even if you're losing.....a lot of people don't get that, but lots of people go the races and lose cash and still enjoy it...

octatonic

Can I sell you a caravan in 12 months time?

Deijavoo

@frankieabbot that's good to hear that you fixed it, sorry about the losses though. :-(

Deijavoo

That's it @Lloyd I loved losing cash. Poker tourneys til 6, get into work for 8.... Cash games, shoot pontoon for £500 in an ashtray for a turn of a card. LOVED it. But when I think back now. I know I'm no high roller or anything but still enjoyed it.

Frankieabbot

Deijavoo said:

@frankieabbot that's good to hear that you fixed it, sorry about the losses though. :-(

Thanks for that. I'm not trying to preach to you or piss on your parade. If you are enjoying it and making a profit then all power to your elbow. But I know the consequences when a 'losing streak' becomes a millstone on a drowning man!

richardhomer

I resent the loss on a single Lottery ticket.

'Proper' gambling doesn't appeal to me in any way, shape or form.

littlegreenman

The lottery and Grand National is all I do.

My Dad's excessive gambling was one of the main reasons for my parent's divorce when I was about 9, so I've always stayed well away as I have a similar addictive personality, it would be a bad idea for me.

EricTheWeary

No. Although I do come from a background where cards and gambling were quite big ( my grandfather was a regular gambler and hosted card games at the house and my father played a lot of cards and later taught bridge) but it mostly passed me by. My eldest brother played a lot ( poker, cribbage, bridge) and his son is a regular online poker player, basically earns a second living doing it ( I don't know how much but maybe £20k a year) from a few hours a week. Does help that he is a maths genius though!

Deijavoo

£20k as a second income? Wow!

holnrew

I'd love to do online poker as an income, but you need so much discipline and focus. You play so many tables at once, waiting for a good hand. I tend to get bored and play bad hands just to see some action, and get too pissed off if I get sucked out. Live poker is a lot more fun, I've won a little bit (the ex only remembered the £100 in total loss, not the ~£300 net winnings she was happy to spend). My expressionless face gives me a good advantage. But at £1/£2 blinds it's too risky without a good bankroll. 

Blackjack, roulette, all those kinds of games are a fools errand. Sports betting can be ok, but take a lot of research. I'm tempted by the free bet stuff, it's basically free money, but need to look into it.

stickyfiddle

I'd never gamble on anything purely-luck based, which basically leaves you with poker or card-counting blackjack (where the gamble is not on the cards, but on whether the house will catch you)

Also, matched betting (ie bet and lay on different sites) isn't gambling at all, because you know you're going to come out in profit regardless of the outcome of the match/game/election/next Top Gear presenter.

hotpot

I've never had the slightest interest in throwing away my hard earned.

lloyd

There's two types of people in this world. Gamblers and non-gamblers. I've probably lost a few (2/3) grand in my lifetime but I see it as spending money for enjoyment. Like anything else, I enjoy drinking and spent far more on that and that's basically pissing money away on a basic level. The difference with a trip to the races/casino you can walk away with a big wad in your pocket, which is always nice. When I was a casino hound my mate who was a waiter making a lot of free money saw it as a form of saving....he'd never save the money for a trip to New York, Australia and Caribbean. But on the occasions he won big that's what he'd do. The problem starts when it's not fun any more, you're chasing wins and you're losing more than you budget for.

Phil_aka_Pip

I bet what I can afford to lose. ie Nothing.

digitalscream

It was gambling that got me back into playing guitar - won a couple of grand in two poker tourneys on Ladbrokes, and bought myself an S-series Ibanez with a lump of the profits.

Don't really play much any more, though. In fact, I don't play online at all - occasionally my new band and old band get together for a night of poker and drinking, but that's it. It's much more fun for me as a social activity rather than a money-making one (although I tend to win more than I lose).