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rxwine
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Mission146
December 6th, 2022 at 7:39:09 PM permalink
Since this is generally an issue of unwanted behavior, I thought it might be helpful to mention something that worked for me. Best thing about it, is you won't have to buy anything, or read anything other than this post. And it's almost completely effortless. Only thing you need to do is understand the basic concept correctly and apply it.

A couple caveats, I don't know if it can be applied to gambling problems, and never tried to do that. You may have to work out a creative method yourself. And I don't know how effective it would be for really addictive behavior.

I learned it from my mother who actually failed at it.

She was trying to get us kids on to a cheaper version of milk. Powdered, also known as dehydrated milk. She did two things right. She mixed the unwanted product with the wanted product. Unfortunately, she kept increasing the amount too fast. We all knew something was wrong, though not exactly what. We thought the milk was sour at first. And even when we still didn't know what was wrong with it, we still refused to drink it when she made the change too big. She never really guessed if she had had more patience, she might have pulled it off with very small increments.

So, the basic method is simple if you do it right. You have to find a way to mix the bad behavior and good behavior together, not separately. You need to associate the two things together.

For instance, let's say you crave French fries far too much and wish you could easily switch to more leafy greens. Rather than add a small plate of leafy greens next to the French fries plate you need to mix the two together and eat them that way. Start with the smallest amount you want, even if it's just one shredded leaf sprinkled in. You always want to associate eating them at the same time not separately. Even though it might take a longer time, there's no need to push yourself. Take as long as you like rather than pushing your tastebuds to the limit of tolerance, that is if you want the change to be effortless.

Like I said, you may have to be more creative to apply it to something that's not easily mixed as food. But maybe you can find some way that works for you.
Sanitized for Your Protection
Seedvalue
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December 6th, 2022 at 8:45:54 PM permalink
Quote: mwalz9

I don't care to share in hopes it prevents someone else from falling down the same rabbit hole I did.

Also, this is still the only thread I opened. So I have no reason to want to gamble, trust me, I touched the hot oven and my hand still has 3rd degree burns, Im not going back to the oven anytime soon.

First off, the post about me crying was not literal. I did lose the money I had set aside for my mortgage, but did not cry. Luckily, my parents bailed me out.

The rest of the story...

Yes, I used to make $30,000 a year. I started off betting as entertainment and would buy in for $100 or so and play $5/hand blackjack, $5 line bets on craps or bet $5.50 or $11 on a sports bet and chalk it up as entertainment expense if I lost. It was under control and I had 0 issues managing it. I NEVER got into a pickle at this time.

Fast forward a few years and West Virginia makes online gambling legal about the same time my income increased tremendously. I started making over $250,000/year and the $5 bets werent doing it for me. So I started buying in for $1,000 at a time and playing $50-$100 a hand, $50 craps line bets with odds, and $55 to $220 on a sporting event. FanDuel made me a VIP and treated me like a king! I had a personal rep who would send me $500-$2000 bonus money a week, gave me tickets for free to pro sporting events, and the promos were 10x what normal players were getting. Some of that info is in another thread I started. Again, I still felt I had it under control and my bankroll could handle it. Even losing, I was able to maintain a 6 figure bank account and felt financially stable.

My job is commission based so my income then took a hit, I went from $220,000/yr to about $120,000/yr. The problem, I was still hooked on BIG bets and I couldnt control it and back down. The problem, was my income could no longer handle it. I started dipping into the savings. I was chasing losses. BIG TIME! Id deposit $1,000, trying to win a few hundred, but Id lose the $1,000. Then I felt I had to get the $1,000 back too! So Id deposit $5,000. If I lost it, Ineeded it back too. So Id deposit $20,000.

I hit some licks during this time. I have 6 tax tickets for 2022 even though I have a HUGE net loss. There were some very good days. Id say out of a 365 day year, gambling every day, I was a net winner 330 of those days. The problem is the 330 days of "net wins" did not out weigh the 35 days of HUGE losses.

When I self excluded, my FanDuel account alone, not counting any brick and mortar play at The Mardi Gras was approx. $6.5 million wagered and a net loss of around $117,000!

Please dont let this happen to you!
link to original post




What’s the Free play Like down there in Mardi Gra ? Would love to come through WV and bust up some of these places. These casinos need to be beat.
DRich
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December 7th, 2022 at 4:00:34 AM permalink
Quote: BillHasRetired



But, the greatest limitation on my gambling behavior is my spouse, which is a good thing.



My wife is a dichotomy. She understands advantage play and pretty much trusts me but puts a limit on it. If I find a good play I will explain it to her and show the advantage but keeps me in check from going too deep. If it was up too me I would gamble almost every dollar we have if there is a good edge and the volatility isn't crazy.. She will allocate me a budget depending on the makeup of the play. For example she may say that it sounds good but I have to stop if and when I get down $10k. I will follow budget but I hate it when I know I am walking away from a good play even if I have lost some money.

On one of our first plays together I was down about $4k in the first 30 minutes and I thought she was going to have a stroke (before getting married she didn't have much and was on a very tight month to month budget). Fortunately that play ended up working out showing a small profit or else I don't think she would have ever allowed me to gamble again.
At my age, a "Life In Prison" sentence is not much of a deterrent.
odiousgambit
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December 7th, 2022 at 6:31:10 AM permalink
I have a friend who had been sober for 20 years or so [when I knew him] who said horrific examples typically don't work to stop someone with a drinking problem. The more horrific the example, the more that person says to himself "well, that's not me, I'm not like that... I'm avoiding that". If the example is less horrific, then it's "if I get that bad I'll get ahold of myself in time"

The problem of ineffective example may be even worse with gambling addiction, something tells me
the next time Dame Fortune toys with your heart, your soul and your wallet, raise your glass and praise her thus: “Thanks for nothing, you cold-hearted, evil, damnable, nefarious, low-life, malicious monster from Hell!”   She is, after all, stone deaf. ... Arnold Snyder
Mission146
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December 7th, 2022 at 7:02:19 AM permalink
Quote: Seedvalue




What’s the Free play Like down there in Mardi Gra ? Would love to come through WV and bust up some of these places. These casinos need to be beat.
link to original post



(Quote clipped, relevance)

I've never been there, but both Mardi Gras and Wheeling Island are Delaware North casinos in WV.

I would say cards can be done at a decent profit (at least for WI) if you live around there or you have someone who can do the pick ups such that it is only a minor time inconvenience. If you don't have anyone who passes through there regularly or lives around there, (WI was 6x pickups/month when I did it) then you would lose a lot in terms of time to free play value to the extent that I would say it would never be worth the time with much better (per hour) opportunities out there.
https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/off-topic/gripes/11182-pet-peeves/120/#post815219
OnceDear
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December 7th, 2022 at 8:22:37 AM permalink
Quote: Mission146

Quote: Seedvalue




What’s the Free play Like down there in Mardi Gra ? Would love to come through WV and bust up some of these places. These casinos need to be beat.
link to original post



(Quote clipped, relevance)

I've never been there, but both Mardi Gras and Wheeling Island are Delaware North casinos in WV.

I would say cards can be done at a decent profit (at least for WI) if you live around there or you have someone who can do the pick ups such that it is only a minor time inconvenience. If you don't have anyone who passes through there regularly or lives around there, (WI was 6x pickups/month when I did it) then you would lose a lot in terms of time to free play value to the extent that I would say it would never be worth the time with much better (per hour) opportunities out there.
link to original post

We know that advantage plays do exist. But let's not promote even those plays to addicts or potential addicts. It's not doing them any favours.
Psalm 25:16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Proverbs 18:2 A fool finds no satisfaction in trying to understand, for he would rather express his own opinion.
Mission146
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December 7th, 2022 at 8:45:39 AM permalink
Quote: OnceDear

Quote: Mission146

Quote: Seedvalue




What’s the Free play Like down there in Mardi Gra ? Would love to come through WV and bust up some of these places. These casinos need to be beat.
link to original post



(Quote clipped, relevance)

I've never been there, but both Mardi Gras and Wheeling Island are Delaware North casinos in WV.

I would say cards can be done at a decent profit (at least for WI) if you live around there or you have someone who can do the pick ups such that it is only a minor time inconvenience. If you don't have anyone who passes through there regularly or lives around there, (WI was 6x pickups/month when I did it) then you would lose a lot in terms of time to free play value to the extent that I would say it would never be worth the time with much better (per hour) opportunities out there.
link to original post

We know that advantage plays do exist. But let's not promote even those plays to addicts or potential addicts. It's not doing them any favours.
link to original post



I was responding to Seedvalue; MWalz is also self-excluded from both casinos mentioned in my post.

If the Moderators want to break Seedvalue's query, and my response, off into a separate thread, I obviously would have no objections to that.

I'm technically capable of doing it, but I don't take any Administrative actions that I am capable of aside from spam removal and Nuking blatant spammers. The only reason I have any Administrative capabilities at all is because they are too difficult to break off from my ability to edit articles, which I have already publicly disclosed.
https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/off-topic/gripes/11182-pet-peeves/120/#post815219
AxelWolf
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December 7th, 2022 at 8:47:04 AM permalink
Quote: OnceDear

Quote: Mission146

Quote: Seedvalue




What’s the Free play Like down there in Mardi Gra ? Would love to come through WV and bust up some of these places. These casinos need to be beat.
link to original post



(Quote clipped, relevance)

I've never been there, but both Mardi Gras and Wheeling Island are Delaware North casinos in WV.

I would say cards can be done at a decent profit (at least for WI) if you live around there or you have someone who can do the pick ups such that it is only a minor time inconvenience. If you don't have anyone who passes through there regularly or lives around there, (WI was 6x pickups/month when I did it) then you would lose a lot in terms of time to free play value to the extent that I would say it would never be worth the time with much better (per hour) opportunities out there.
link to original post

We know that advantage plays do exist. But let's not promote even those plays to addicts or potential addicts. It's not doing them any favours.
link to original post

Wouldn't that be a long flight for you? 😂
♪♪Now you swear and kick and beg us That you're not a gamblin' man Then you find you're back in Vegas With a handle in your hand♪♪ Your black cards can make you money So you hide them when you're able In the land of casinos and money You must put them on the table♪♪ You go back Jack do it again roulette wheels turinin' 'round and 'round♪♪ You go back Jack do it again♪♪
100xOdds
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December 9th, 2022 at 3:14:53 AM permalink
Quote: 100xOdds

Quote: AxelWolf

I know a few people that are Advantage Players who are addicted to action/playing, but they only play games with an advantage they won't touch -EV stuff unless absolutely necessary for cover. They are super successful.
Aside from being smart, their success is also contributed to the eagerness to find +EV plays and to put a ton of hours in.
link to original post

i've tried but cant stick to the rule of ONLY playing known +ev situations.

i chase high progressives.
ie: $40 (4x reset) mini

i also believe that max bet will immensely help in hitting that progressive once i trigger the jackpot bonus.
unfortunately, getting that jackpot bonus to activate is the problem.

i've lost $2k in an slot chasing a $60 mini. (4x reset)
combination of lack of bonus rounds and when i get them, it paid very little plus a long time before getting a jackpot pick but hitting the minor thus needing to play more to get another shot at the mini.

other times i max bet chasing a high progressive and hit a handpay.
i guess i like the action/variance which is bad if you're AP.

2023 resolution: wait till it's 8x reset
reason: i dread entering all those w2g's when i file my 2022 taxes next year

and it should cut down on my swings
link to original post



chasing the $500 capped bottom progressive.
lost $2500 at 5lines ($5/spin) and never got it or any progressive.
i guessimate 25% return..

and of course if i would have bet max (9lines, $9/spin total), i would have hit that progressive 3 times plus the red progressive for $1700.
but that's fluff since if i bet max, i would have never gotten it.
just a tease by design.
if you would have bet max 9lines instead of 5, this is what your could have gotten bs.

what's the min return of this game?

and this loss is my wake up call to stop playing high progressives unless it's 8x reset.

edit:
where's my pic???
slot is called Triple Jackpot Gems
Last edited by: 100xOdds on Dec 9, 2022
Craps is paradise (Pair of dice). Lets hear it for the SpeedCount Mathletes :)
Seedvalue
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December 15th, 2022 at 2:18:52 AM permalink
Quote: 100xOdds

Quote: 100xOdds

Quote: AxelWolf

I know a few people that are Advantage Players who are addicted to action/playing, but they only play games with an advantage they won't touch -EV stuff unless absolutely necessary for cover. They are super successful.
Aside from being smart, their success is also contributed to the eagerness to find +EV plays and to put a ton of hours in.
link to original post

i've tried but cant stick to the rule of ONLY playing known +ev situations.

i chase high progressives.
ie: $40 (4x reset) mini

i also believe that max bet will immensely help in hitting that progressive once i trigger the jackpot bonus.
unfortunately, getting that jackpot bonus to activate is the problem.

i've lost $2k in an slot chasing a $60 mini. (4x reset)
combination of lack of bonus rounds and when i get them, it paid very little plus a long time before getting a jackpot pick but hitting the minor thus needing to play more to get another shot at the mini.

other times i max bet chasing a high progressive and hit a handpay.
i guess i like the action/variance which is bad if you're AP.

2023 resolution: wait till it's 8x reset
reason: i dread entering all those w2g's when i file my 2022 taxes next year

and it should cut down on my swings
link to original post



chasing the $500 capped bottom progressive.
lost $2500 at 5lines ($5/spin) and never got it or any progressive.
i guessimate 25% return..

and of course if i would have bet max (9lines, $9/spin total), i would have hit that progressive 3 times plus the red progressive for $1700.
but that's fluff since if i bet max, i would have never gotten it.
just a tease by design.
if you would have bet max 9lines instead of 5, this is what your could have gotten bs.

what's the min return of this game?

and this loss is my wake up call to stop playing high progressives unless it's 8x reset.

edit:
where's my pic???
slot is called Triple Jackpot Gems
link to original post




9 lines 1 per line for a $9 bet. If the version you are playing is capped at $500 it’s not a play. Only the uncapped version is beatable. Plops that’s bet max drive up the meter, and bottom progressive needs to be north of $600 when betting $9. Not that great of a game.

Sorry Edit above I thought you were talking about a game by IGT with a similar name with a max bet of $45 on some machines.
Seedvalue
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December 15th, 2022 at 2:34:35 AM permalink
Quote: Mission146

Quote: Seedvalue




What’s the Free play Like down there in Mardi Gra ? Would love to come through WV and bust up some of these places. These casinos need to be beat.
link to original post



(Quote clipped, relevance)

I've never been there, but both Mardi Gras and Wheeling Island are Delaware North casinos in WV.

I would say cards can be done at a decent profit (at least for WI) if you live around there or you have someone who can do the pick ups such that it is only a minor time inconvenience. If you don't have anyone who passes through there regularly or lives around there, (WI was 6x pickups/month when I did it) then you would lose a lot in terms of time to free play value to the extent that I would say it would never be worth the time with much better (per hour) opportunities out there.
link to original post



I Took a look as it was not that far from the stealers game. Couldn’t believe they had a few 50k MHs. Found one good spot there I’m sure your aware of looked like a fairly new install. Your right Nothing worth the time, and I did not like the entrance protocol.
100xOdds
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December 15th, 2022 at 5:23:00 AM permalink
Quote: 100xOdds

Quote: 100xOdds

i've tried but cant stick to the rule of ONLY playing known +ev situations.

i chase high progressives.
ie: $40 (4x reset) mini

i also believe that max bet will immensely help in hitting that progressive once i trigger the jackpot bonus.
unfortunately, getting that jackpot bonus to activate is the problem.

i've lost $2k in an slot chasing a $60 mini. (4x reset)
combination of lack of bonus rounds and when i get them, it paid very little plus a long time before getting a jackpot pick but hitting the minor thus needing to play more to get another shot at the mini.

other times i max bet chasing a high progressive and hit a handpay.
i guess i like the action/variance which is bad if you're AP.

2023 resolution: wait till it's 8x reset
reason: i dread entering all those w2g's when i file my 2022 taxes next year

and it should cut down on my swings
link to original post

Chasing the $500 capped bottom progressive.
lost $2500 at 5lines ($5/spin) and never got it or any progressive.
i guessimate 25% return..

and of course if i would have bet max (9lines, $9/spin total), i would have hit that progressive 3 times plus the red progressive for $1700.
but that's fluff since if i bet max, i would have never gotten it.
just a tease by design.
if you would have bet max 9lines instead of 5, this is what your could have gotten bs.

what's the min return of this game?

and this loss is my wake up call to stop playing high progressives unless it's 8x reset.

edit:
where's my pic???
slot is called Triple Jackpot Gems
link to original post


Triple Jackpot Gems:
Craps is paradise (Pair of dice). Lets hear it for the SpeedCount Mathletes :)
MDawg
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August 5th, 2023 at 10:58:45 AM permalink
Would be nice to get an mwalz9 update. I have sent him a couple PMs over the last eight months or so, no response.
I tell you it’s wonderful to be here, man. I don’t give a damn who wins or loses. It’s just wonderful to be here with you people. https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/gambling/betting-systems/33908-the-adventures-of-mdawg/
JohnnyQ
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August 5th, 2023 at 11:05:49 AM permalink
Which makes sense if he is not coming to this GAMBLING RELATED site.

Just reiterating, I sincerely hope that his journey on the path to recovery is going well.
There's emptiness behind their eyes There's dust in all their hearts They just want to steal us all and take us all apart
MDawg
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August 5th, 2023 at 11:24:52 AM permalink
Quote: mwalz9

I also recognize different things are addictive for different people.

Some people can take 1 drink of alcohol and become an alcoholic. I can drink a 30 pack with buddies and get hammered drunk and then not drink again for months! Alcohol isnt addictive to me. I can control it.

Some of you may very well be able to control gambling. I, however, obviously cant!

Best of luck to you all!
link to original post


This also doesn't make a lot of sense. I'd assume that a person who is an addictive gambler would also have problems with alcohol or other drugs. It's also possible that a gambler's addiction is sated with gambling and now if he no longer gambles his alcoholism will rear up. Also, in general normal drinkers don't get hammered drunk much at all let alone regularly.



Quote: odiousgambit

I have a friend who had been sober for 20 years or so [when I knew him] who said horrific examples typically don't work to stop someone with a drinking problem. The more horrific the example, the more that person says to himself "well, that's not me, I'm not like that... I'm avoiding that". If the example is less horrific, then it's "if I get that bad I'll get ahold of myself in time"

The problem of ineffective example may be even worse with gambling addiction, something tells me
link to original post


I think that's the over all fact. That no amount of "talk" will convince someone with addiction issues to stop - he has to hit some kind of bottom, have some kind of dire consequences. MWalz9 was on here seeking input on whether or not he had a gambling problem a full year and a half before he said that he was nearly bankrupt and had to quit, and there were some posts giving him input to the effect of maybe you do, but in any case, he had to run the course before he could accept that he had to stop.

I hope he has stopped, but if he's started up again, I'd be curious to know whether he started up again because he figured that he could now win, or even notwithstanding acceptance of further losses.
I tell you it’s wonderful to be here, man. I don’t give a damn who wins or loses. It’s just wonderful to be here with you people. https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/gambling/betting-systems/33908-the-adventures-of-mdawg/
SOOPOO
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August 5th, 2023 at 11:33:38 AM permalink
Quote: MDawg

Quote: mwalz9

I also recognize different things are addictive for different people.

Some people can take 1 drink of alcohol and become an alcoholic. I can drink a 30 pack with buddies and get hammered drunk and then not drink again for months! Alcohol isnt addictive to me. I can control it.

Some of you may very well be able to control gambling. I, however, obviously cant!

Best of luck to you all!
link to original post


This also doesn't make a lot of sense. I'd assume that a person who is an addictive gambler would also have problems with alcohol or other drugs. It's also possible that a gambler's addiction is sated with gambling and now if he no longer gambles his alcoholism will rear up.
link to original post



There certainly may be crossover, even correlation, but of course there will be plenty of people with gambling addiction that do not have problems with alcohol or drugs.
Was golfing today with a guy who only had a gambling problem. He put himself on the self exclusion list here in NY. An unintended consequence is he cannot golf at a local public course (Hickory Stick) that is owned by the Senecas! I would have assumed that the self exclusion would only apply to their casino property.
MDawg
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August 5th, 2023 at 11:45:00 AM permalink
Well the combination of that mwalz9 says that he gambled addictively and implied that he even occasionally gets hammered means something.

How do you know that your guy has only a gambling problem? Maybe he drinks every night at home. Maybe now if he stops gambling he'll start drinking more. Or maybe he doesn't drink at all because he's a recovering alcoholic or knows he should not drink because he cannot handle it.

And then as far as problem gamblers, I'd think that once they realize that they can't win and that it's causing problems, that they would just stop. This self exclusion is bizarre to me, after all do alcoholics need to exclude themselves from anyplace liquor is served or sold to stay sober? There is no such self exclusion system for stores and bars so you'd think that alcoholics could never recover and yet they do. Plus as far as the gamblers they can't self exclude from every possible gambling venue, right?

My definition of a normal drinker is someone who orders a drink, drinks half of it and walks off forgetting to finish it. Any sort of draw to alcohol beyond that may not be alcoholism but implies a draw to alcohol that is stronger than to just a glass of water. People may be functional alcoholics too, drinking a few drinks every night but being unable to break that habit.

Ray Charles was a heroin addict but one day he just stopped. The heroin use caused him legal problems but he was otherwise functional. For every day the rest of his life he drank some kind of awful tasting potion that contained gin. He switched his addiction from heroin to alcohol but remained functional.
Last edited by: MDawg on Aug 5, 2023
I tell you it’s wonderful to be here, man. I don’t give a damn who wins or loses. It’s just wonderful to be here with you people. https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/gambling/betting-systems/33908-the-adventures-of-mdawg/
lilredrooster
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August 5th, 2023 at 11:48:11 AM permalink
.
from the article:

"like addictive drugs such as cocaine, heroin, nicotine and alcohol, gambling activates the brain's reward system, which is powered by dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter inside the brain that reinforces sensations of pleasure and connects those sensations to certain behaviors or actions."

https://www.uclahealth.org/news/gambling-addiction-can-cause-psychological-physiological-health-challenges#:~:text=Like%20addictive%20drugs%20such%20as,to%20certain%20behaviors%20or%20actions.

.
the foolish sayings of a rich man often pass for words of wisdom by the fools around him
MDawg
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August 5th, 2023 at 11:54:04 AM permalink
Yes that makes sense. I think people with addiction problems should at least be aware of the possibility of cross addiction.
I tell you it’s wonderful to be here, man. I don’t give a damn who wins or loses. It’s just wonderful to be here with you people. https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/gambling/betting-systems/33908-the-adventures-of-mdawg/
lilredrooster
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August 5th, 2023 at 12:22:24 PM permalink
.
of course, it's very obvious that a great no. of homeless people are in that situation due to abuse of drugs and/or alcohol

it may be less obvious - but is still true - a large no. of them were compulsive gamblers

from the link:

"The Atlantic City Rescue Mission, in coordination with the Association of Gospel Ministries in Kansas, surveyed a large number of homeless people in 2003 and found that 20 percent had struggled with problem gambling at some point. Interestingly, the comprehensive 1999 National Gambling Impact Study Commission (NGISC) found the same percentage of problem gamblers among Las Vegas’ homeless population."


https://www.recoveryranch.com/addiction-blog/problem-gambling-common-among-homeless/#:~:text=However%2C%20the%20tools%20for%20clinical,registered%20positive%20for%20problem%20gambling.

.
the foolish sayings of a rich man often pass for words of wisdom by the fools around him
rxwine
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August 5th, 2023 at 12:27:12 PM permalink
Web MD lists these as surprising addictions.

Smartphones.
Caffeine
Sweets/chocolate.
Shopping
Gambling
Plastic surgery
Tanning
Exercise
Social Media
Sex
https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/ss/slideshow-surprising-addictions
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DRich
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August 5th, 2023 at 1:02:50 PM permalink
Quote: MDawg

Yes that makes sense. I think people with addiction problems should at least be aware of the possibility of cross addiction.
link to original post



Having spent 30 years in Las Vegas I did not know a single person that was addicted to gambling without being addicted to something else.
At my age, a "Life In Prison" sentence is not much of a deterrent.
Sandybestdog
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August 5th, 2023 at 4:03:45 PM permalink
While it’s true if you have one addiction you’re probably prone to another, it’s not always. People just have their things. I’ve never had a cigarette in my life and wouldn’t know a drug if you put it in front of me. The only alcohol I’ve ever had is a half a glass of wine every few months. But I have other weaknesses.

I used to sell cars. There were definitely car buying addicts, usually men. They would get one car then 6 months later would be back to get another. They always had an excuse. One guy told me he wanted to trade in his 6 cylinder for the 8 cause he’s only getting 20 mpg so if he’s only getting that he might as well have an 8. I was like yea you’re getting 20 mpg cause of how you drive not the car. But he just wanted an 8.
jjjoooggg
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August 6th, 2023 at 7:37:26 AM permalink
I quit because Im too busy with work. Find something else to do. New hobbies.
Born in Texas and lived in Texas my whole life.
lilredrooster
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August 6th, 2023 at 9:22:42 AM permalink
.
my most intensive gambling was when I was much younger and I counted down the BJ shoe game in A.C.
one day every single week I traveled there and played about 14 hours straight breaking only to throw down some food
I didn't pay for a hotel or want to play rated
I would nap in my car on the side of the road during the drive home (about 4 hours long)

I did that for about 6 years

even though I was winning, (due to counting) still, I believe, looking back - I was addicted

but slowly, towards the end of that 6 years I stopped enjoying it and I quit

that's what I don't understand - why don't people get sick of it like I did and quit

.
the foolish sayings of a rich man often pass for words of wisdom by the fools around him
MDawg
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August 6th, 2023 at 11:02:48 AM permalink
But you didn't quit - you just shifted your gambling to something else, no?

However I got sick of the table games at many different times over the past two years, partly due to the second hand smoke. There were times when I'd think, well it's one thing to get exposed a few times a year, quite another to have those smokers around for a couple hundred days (or more) a year. I know that second smoke is bad as I feel it in my lungs the next day, anytime a smoker has been anywhere near me.

You never thought about that? You were basically a chain smoker for those six years.

And then the other thing is that while a minority of the heavy casino players are educated professionals, many of them do nothing but gamble, you see them in there constantly. Makes you question what you are doing in there, win or lose. No matter how much you are making in there it's always going to detract from your life outside the casino.
I tell you it’s wonderful to be here, man. I don’t give a damn who wins or loses. It’s just wonderful to be here with you people. https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/gambling/betting-systems/33908-the-adventures-of-mdawg/
EvenBob
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August 6th, 2023 at 11:38:44 AM permalink
There's only one real way to quit anything, and Nike has it as their tagline. Just do it.
This is so profound it can't be explained but I've used it many times. Just do it.
Whatever it is you're trying to attempt don't think about it, don't fret about it don't worry about it,
Just do it. It works so well and so often that it's kind of frightening.
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
MDawg
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August 6th, 2023 at 12:10:00 PM permalink
What about pounding down three stiff drinks a night, is it easy to stop that?
I tell you it’s wonderful to be here, man. I don’t give a damn who wins or loses. It’s just wonderful to be here with you people. https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/gambling/betting-systems/33908-the-adventures-of-mdawg/
EvenBob
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August 6th, 2023 at 1:30:30 PM permalink
Quote: MDawg

What about pounding down three stiff drinks a night, is it easy to stop that?
link to original post



I guess so, I quit drinking a few months ago and it hasn't seemed to make a difference one way or the other. I quit smoking when I was 30 years old by just stopping. Smoking was no longer an option, and it has never come up again. Once you dismiss something from your life it's no longer being an option, you find other things to take it's place. Just do it. We create our own realities, once you realize this your life changes.
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
100xOdds
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August 6th, 2023 at 7:22:20 PM permalink
Quote: lilredrooster

I did that for about 6 years

even though I was winning, (due to counting) still, I believe, looking back - I was addicted.

but slowly, towards the end of that 6 years I stopped enjoying it and I quit.
that's what I don't understand - why don't people get sick of it like I did and quit
link to original post

there are times where I'm bored and play -ev.
As the years go by, I do that less and less.
I guess I developed better discipline over time.

So far not sick of it. It's still fun.

There are always new +ev slots coming out so not as monotonous as bj.

And i'm not addicted:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/compulsive-gambling/symptoms-causes/syc-20355178

Ie: Needing to gamble with increasing amounts of money to get the same thrill
Nope, I still play .10/spin if I can't find better ev
Craps is paradise (Pair of dice). Lets hear it for the SpeedCount Mathletes :)
DRich
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August 7th, 2023 at 6:08:19 AM permalink
Quote: EvenBob

Quote: MDawg

What about pounding down three stiff drinks a night, is it easy to stop that?
link to original post



I guess so, I quit drinking a few months ago and it hasn't seemed to make a difference one way or the other. I quit smoking when I was 30 years old by just stopping. Smoking was no longer an option, and it has never come up again. Once you dismiss something from your life it's no longer being an option, you find other things to take it's place. Just do it. We create our own realities, once you realize this your life changes.
link to original post



I agree with Bob. If you want to do or quit something just do it. When I had my back surgery the surgeon wouldn't do it if I kept smoking because he said that would hinder the healing process. He was serious and made me take a nicotine test a few days before the surgery. When I left that appointment I did not smoke at all for five weeks until the surgery was over. I had no problem at all stopping because I wanted the surgery. I am fortunate because I don't really have an addictive personality. About a week after the surgery I started right back up again smoking because I never wanted to quit in the first place.
At my age, a "Life In Prison" sentence is not much of a deterrent.
EvenBob
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August 7th, 2023 at 9:56:19 AM permalink
Quote: DRich

I agree with Bob. If you want to do or quit something just do it.
link to original post



It even used to work with old girlfriends, I get tired of her and just walk away like it was no longer an option. If you can learn how to do that it's scary how good it works. But I don't have an addictive personality either so I'm sure it's not going to work for everybody. I never crave anything or have ever found anything I can't live without. My wife is a sugarholic and if she's got any candy in the house it drives her nuts she has to have it. I'm the total opposite, I quit something you can stick it right in front of me for a month and I wouldn't touch it. It's not an option. When I was younger my friends used to tell me I would make a great drug dealer because I would never do the product and that's always the downfall of a drug dealer. I just never had any interest in drugs.
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
Ace2
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August 7th, 2023 at 2:10:48 PM permalink
Quote: EvenBob

When I was younger my friends used to tell me I would make a great drug dealer because I would never do the product and that's always the downfall of a drug dealer. I just never had any interest in drugs.
link to original post

You’ve never tried any good drugs
It’s all about making that GTA
rxwine
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August 7th, 2023 at 3:48:12 PM permalink
EB doesn’t have time to be addicted to anything but the post button on at least two forums, possibly more.
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EvenBob
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August 7th, 2023 at 5:22:14 PM permalink
Quote: Ace2

Quote: EvenBob

When I was younger my friends used to tell me I would make a great drug dealer because I would never do the product and that's always the downfall of a drug dealer. I just never had any interest in drugs.
link to original post

You’ve never tried any good drugs
link to original post



Weed, opium, cocaine, and a couple others. Didn't care for any of them. The Opium was the best, made me feel like everything in the world was great and everything that was happening was great and nothing could bother me. It also made me realize that holy crap the stuff could be addictive and I never did it again.
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
EvenBob
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August 7th, 2023 at 5:25:57 PM permalink
Quote: rxwine

EB doesn’t have time to be addicted to anything but the post button on at least two forums, possibly more.
link to original post



If you knew the truth about what I do all day you'd think I was lying. Even if I told you what I did today you'd say no way. LOL you think because I checked my computer when I come inside to take a break that I spent all the rest of my time just sitting here in my office with nothing else to do. Right now I have two cuts on my right arm one on my left arm and two on my legs, all bleeders, just from what I was doing today.
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
MDawg
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August 7th, 2023 at 6:12:02 PM permalink
I'm of the "I just quit" variety too, but just because I quit something or other doesn't mean that there isn't another habit left lying around that hasn't yet been discarded.

But, as time goes on, the remaining habits tend to be more innocuous than those discarded.
I tell you it’s wonderful to be here, man. I don’t give a damn who wins or loses. It’s just wonderful to be here with you people. https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/gambling/betting-systems/33908-the-adventures-of-mdawg/
rxwine
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August 7th, 2023 at 8:28:49 PM permalink
Quote: EvenBob

Quote: rxwine

EB doesn’t have time to be addicted to anything but the post button on at least two forums, possibly more.
link to original post



If you knew the truth about what I do all day you'd think I was lying.



Training to be a Navy Seal, or surrounding your house with razor wire?



Quote:

Even if I told you what I did today you'd say no way. LOL you think because I checked my computer when I come inside to take a break that I spent all the rest of my time just sitting here in my office with nothing else to do. Right now I have two cuts on my right arm one on my left arm and two on my legs, all bleeders, just from what I was doing today.
link to original post



Oh, I got it, you tripped over one of those cats and fell down your back steps into a thorn bush? Spent an hour trying to get back up.
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TigerWu
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August 8th, 2023 at 7:46:34 AM permalink
Quote: EvenBob

If you knew the truth about what I do all day you'd think I was lying. Even if I told you what I did today you'd say no way. LOL you think because I checked my computer when I come inside to take a break that I spent all the rest of my time just sitting here in my office with nothing else to do. Right now I have two cuts on my right arm one on my left arm and two on my legs, all bleeders, just from what I was doing today.
link to original post



Dang.... online Roulette is a dangerous game.
EvenBob
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August 8th, 2023 at 7:48:54 AM permalink
Quote: TigerWu

Quote: EvenBob

If you knew the truth about what I do all day you'd think I was lying. Even if I told you what I did today you'd say no way. LOL you think because I checked my computer when I come inside to take a break that I spent all the rest of my time just sitting here in my office with nothing else to do. Right now I have two cuts on my right arm one on my left arm and two on my legs, all bleeders, just from what I was doing today.
link to original post



Dang.... online Roulette is a dangerous game.
link to original post



The roulette thread is done, if you keep trying to bait me into turning every thread into a roulette thread I suspect there's going to be a suspension involved. But go ahead, keep trying.
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
TigerWu
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August 8th, 2023 at 8:01:20 AM permalink
Quote: EvenBob

Quote: TigerWu

Quote: EvenBob

If you knew the truth about what I do all day you'd think I was lying. Even if I told you what I did today you'd say no way. LOL you think because I checked my computer when I come inside to take a break that I spent all the rest of my time just sitting here in my office with nothing else to do. Right now I have two cuts on my right arm one on my left arm and two on my legs, all bleeders, just from what I was doing today.
link to original post



Dang.... online Roulette is a dangerous game.
link to original post



The roulette thread is done, if you keep trying to bait me into turning every thread into a roulette thread I suspect there's going to be a suspension involved. But go ahead, keep trying.
link to original post



Always the victim, eh, EB? LOL
lilredrooster
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August 8th, 2023 at 1:37:54 PM permalink
.
per the link revenue from all U.S. gambling was up 15% in 2022 (compared to 2021) - up to an astonishing $50 billion in the first 10 months of 2022

the National Council on Problem Gambling estimates that gambling addiction grew by 30% in just 3 years


https://money.com/gambling-addiction-all-time-high/

.
Last edited by: lilredrooster on Aug 8, 2023
the foolish sayings of a rich man often pass for words of wisdom by the fools around him
EvenBob
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August 8th, 2023 at 4:00:40 PM permalink
Quote: lilredrooster

.
per the link revenue from all U.S. gambling was up 15% in 2022 (compared to 2021) - up to an astonishing $50 billion in the first 10 months of 2022

the National Council on Problem Gambling estimates that gambling addiction grew by 30% in just 3 years


https://money.com/gambling-addiction-all-time-high/

.
link to original post



I mentor a young guy in his mid thirties who's a former heroin addict and now he has a good job as a recovery counselor at a local mental hospital that deals with a lot of addictions. We met several months ago and really hit it off and I'm learning a lot from him because when you mentor somebody you also learn yourself. He says the number one thing that all drug addicts have in common is they always want more, more, more. But that's the same thing gambling addicts want, whatever they win isn't enough. This is something I've never understood because I'm not that way. The attitude of people here towards me that, what's wrong with me, why aren't I always trying to make more, more, more, in a casino. It never even occurs to me because I'm not an addict. Even my wife when she gambles on the slots I'll say to her, isn't winning $400 enough? And she'll say, looking right at me, it's never enough. Scary.

I met him in the oddest way. I bought a computer monitor from Facebook Marketplace and he delivered it to my house. I looked at his profile and it was full of wisdom from famous people that he posts almost every day. I asked him about it and he explained it to me and that's how I got to know him. He tells me several times a week how glad he is he met me. I feel the same. He's very interesting because he's super smart and it's the smart people that are more prone to addictions.
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
rxwine
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August 8th, 2023 at 4:10:27 PM permalink
Every once in awhile someone online spontaneously combusts in a ball of fire. True story,

I’m too lazy to come up with a better one.
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DogHand
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August 9th, 2023 at 4:04:10 AM permalink
Quote: rxwine

Every once in awhile someone online spontaneously combusts in a ball of fire<snip>...link to original post


... and then promptly quits spontaneously combusting! I see how your comment fits this "I QUIT!" thread ;-)

Dog Hand
odiousgambit
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August 9th, 2023 at 12:44:44 PM permalink
Rxwine has been busy puzzling me at DT too today
the next time Dame Fortune toys with your heart, your soul and your wallet, raise your glass and praise her thus: “Thanks for nothing, you cold-hearted, evil, damnable, nefarious, low-life, malicious monster from Hell!”   She is, after all, stone deaf. ... Arnold Snyder
lilredrooster
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August 16th, 2023 at 4:10:14 AM permalink
.
for the vast majority, (not everybody of course) gambling is nothing but a great big 𝙏𝙀𝘼𝙎𝙀
it's like the drop dead gorgeous, sexy babe who lets you take her out to dinner a couple of times
and she orders the most expensive champagne
but you never actually get what you really want from her
you know what I'm talking about
.
the foolish sayings of a rich man often pass for words of wisdom by the fools around him
MDawg
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August 16th, 2023 at 7:49:53 AM permalink
When it works, there's not much better. When it doesn't, there's not much worse.

And...Problem gamblers have highest suicide rate of any addiction disorder, studies show
Last edited by: MDawg on Aug 16, 2023
I tell you it’s wonderful to be here, man. I don’t give a damn who wins or loses. It’s just wonderful to be here with you people. https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/gambling/betting-systems/33908-the-adventures-of-mdawg/
rxwine
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August 16th, 2023 at 2:04:23 PM permalink
Quote: MDawg

When it works, there's not much better. When it doesn't, there's not much worse.

And...Problem gamblers have highest suicide rate of any addiction disorder, studies show
link to original post



Unless, the best way to escape gambling debts is fake your death?
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rainman
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August 16th, 2023 at 2:19:16 PM permalink
Quote: MDawg

When it works, there's not much better. When it doesn't, there's not much worse.

And...Problem gamblers have highest suicide rate of any addiction disorder, studies show
link to original post




I imagine this is because not only have they destroyed their own lives but possibly the lives of
those they love, those who love them, and those who depend on them.

The guilt and shame become too much to bear and the only way they see out is that of the coward.
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