[ravkes]

I have been gambling since I was 17. I'm 23 now and I'm probably down about $12-14K.

I've hit about a 60-65% clip yearly on NBA, College Basketball/Football, and NFL games.. but my money management has been terrible because I never could handle the losses.. I always chased with casino games, parlays, huge over-bets on underdogs.. you name it. I've even used it as a way to soothe personal problems..

For me personally, it's destroyed my mental health and made me depressed more times than I can count. I feel like I've wasted away good years of my life..

What has sports betting & gambling done for you?

How do you handle the ups and downs?
Are you an all-time winner or loser?
Has this hobby made your life more positive or negative overall?

Thanks for sharing.

[tto827]

I just don't see how it can really be a positive, unless you basically hit the lotto then quit. Maybe the few guys who make a good living doing it can say its a positive.

Personally, its fun, but its got to be kept in moderation. The ups are great, the downs, eh, there's always tomorrow. All time I am probably down $500, but thats one good day from being even (and today has been good so far), so lets say around even.
It's a vice, ideally I'd never bet again, but that isn't going to happen. Too much free time, which is filled by capping games. Whenever I am busy, I bet less, so.......

Anyway I kind of rambled on without a purpose, oh well.

[TheMoneyShot]

It's never a positive. I've been doing it for 15 years. Hard to believe 15 years has gone by... but I will say this... I'm more intelligent than ever... but you'll never make any money doing this... unless you adjust your lifestyle. You won't have much of a social life.

[gauchojake]

you should probably just hels yourself now and save your family the heartache.

[JayLA]

Its a vice. Deal with it.

[DrStale]

60-65% all time? Don't buy it. If you actually are hitting at that rate and haven't made a profit for 6 years you need to quit or put someone else in charge of your money.

[trytrytry]

u might be hitting 53% maybe... unless u have a doorstop for a local bookie (which is possible I guess)

[BigDeem5]

Negative. Not even close.

However, we all love to gamble - why we are on a gambling forum.

Live with it or quit.

[TheCentaur]

One thing I struggle with is feeling sorry for these hard working bookmakers in Costa Rica whenever I get a payout

[InTheDrink]

you should probably just hels yourself now and save your family the heartache.

gaucho be careful....we dont need another person whos as a big of a scumbag to put someone elses life in jeopardy

[gauchojake]

gaucho be careful....we dont need another person whos as a big of a scumbag to put someone elses life in jeopardy

duly noted although my repeated calls for people to kill themselves on the internet have yet to yield any fruit. I guess they can't post from heaven/hell/neverland so maybe I'm wrong.

[ThaTopMoron]

negative

duh

leaves you with sleepless nights

but other times, you sweat out that big win right to the very last play of the game.... stressed out to the max

then you get that "how did i just lose" bet

guys posting this weekend after that Bronco game that they are DONE with the NFL

how is it good?

its a vice, and one that is hard to kick

only easy thing to do is not deposit what you cannot afford to lose

[ravkes]

i hear you on the social life aspect.. i suppose if i adjust my emotional behavior.. but nahh that's not gonna happen.. thanks for the response!

[RudyRuetigger]

Positive

Why?

I have lost my ass so many times I will never need to go on a diet

[ravkes]

negative

duh

leaves you with sleepless nights

but other times, you sweat out that big win right to the very last play of the game.... stressed out to the max

then you get that "how did i just lose" bet

guys posting this weekend after that Bronco game that they are DONE with the NFL

how is it good?

its a vice, and one that is hard to kick

only easy thing to do is not deposit what you cannot afford to lose

yerp, wonder why it's so addictive.. must be a human flaw, willing to take the hits for that big high i guess.

[lesterdymond]

Mixed feelings on this.

On the plus side we all have won a few bucks watching the sports we love. I have taken a few vacations and bought gifts from winnings over the years.

On the down side I personally find myself putting action on a game whether I'm @ a family event, wedding, funeral, special occasion. You name it. Gambling becomes first priority. Over family, friends, the girl and bills. It's the preoccupation that becomes the most negative for me.

[Rich Boy]

Positive I would say. Gambling teaches you mental toughness and makes you stronger

You learn about yourself and about laws of nature through gambling. The ups, the downs, the crazy outcomes. Everything has a purpose and I wouldnt trade it for anything in the world

[InTheDrink]

Mixed feelings on this.

On the plus side we all have won a few bucks watching the sports we love. I have taken a few vacations and bought gifts from winnings over the years.

On the down side I personally find myself putting action on a game whether I'm @ a family event, wedding, funeral, special occasion. You name it. Gambling becomes first priority. Over family, friends, the girl and bills. It's the preoccupation that becomes the most negative for me.

id say the downside is an upside....gambling is the stable rock in your life

[ChalkyDog]

Positive. Makes sports better.

[edawg]

First off if you hit over 60 percent you should be lighting cigars with c notes. Second most people find enjoyment in gambling, sex, fighting, and booze its called being a man.

[steady hustlin]

Negative. Aside from the money and the spree's where I go on tilt and powerblast the last of my money to try and get back to peak balances, it adversely affects relationships for me which I think are one of the most important things in life, maybe the most. The preoccupation is devastating too. So much time wasted thinking about a coin flip like it is some kind of event worthy of intensive analytic reasoning. Turns out the analysis is often mindless especially if money cannot be managed. Very limiting practice to accessing many of the different things that exist in life. When winning it is the best and it can be surreptitiously comforting where nothing at all seems awry. But eventually the dope wears off and the reality it spits you out in is progressively tainted. Want to quit.

[InTheDrink]

Negative. Aside from the money and the spree's where I go on tilt and powerblast the last of my money to try and get back to peak balances, it adversely affects relationships for me which I think are one of the most important things in life, maybe the most. The preoccupation is devastating too. So much time wasted thinking about a coin flip like it is some kind of event worthy of intensive analytic reasoning. Turns out the analysis is often mindless especially if money cannot be managed. Very limiting practice to accessing many of the different things that exist in life. When winning it is the best and it can be surreptitiously comforting where nothing at all seems awry. But eventually the dope wears off and the reality it spits you out in is progressively tainted. Want to quit.

jesus christ guey....you sound like you need to call a suicide hotline for help

[ThaTopMoron]

jesus christ guey....you sound like you need to call a suicide hotline for help

[wildemu]

Put it this way. This is the only activity that i know of where you can study/analyze for hours and end up broke. All the finances/mental energy i've spent on this.....IT'S A HUGE NEGATIVE. The only positive thing I can get out of this is that I know most sports inside and out, but it won't put bread on the table because i hate losing.

[Harun]

making nearly 1k from betting every month and this is my best hobby , sometimes stressful but I like adrenaline

[Killer_Demo]

positive for me...had some monster craps rolls... made some good $$$ now I cant stop playing craps in LV/Reno

[Ernie Mccracken]

I've learned time and again that morality absolutely doesn't exist when there's money on the table. Ever. Is that a positive or a negative?

[tto827]

I've learned time and again that morality absolutely doesn't exist when there's money on the table. Ever. Is that a positive or a negative?

Negative for society, indifferent on whether its a positive/negative for you personally.

[SBR_John]

Negative when I was young and bet more than I could afford to lose, It was however more exciting. Now its a non factor because I bet small amounts relative to my income. I honestly believe the secret to prevent gambling from becoming a negative is to bet within your means. If you clear $1k a week would a $75 a week bet ever cause you to think of gambling as a negative even if you lost every bet?

[GunShard]

It's positive as long as you're only betting 4% of your total bankroll per bet.
You will never go broke doing this and makes gambling enjoyable.

[jdawg86]

you guys just arent good..

[swngus44]

Interesting.

[Wilfred]

I think it has impacted me positively. I'm 19 right now so instead of getting drunk/ doing drugs I was gambling, so I think it kept me away from that stuff. As for social life, maybe you guys should hang out with people that like sports and then you'll be fine. I am down a little but I think it may have saved me some money that I would have spent on other things had I not been gambling.

[BuddyBear]

negative, and it is not even close. I have all but quit. It was too stressful and the constant bad beats were difficult to stomach. The amount of time and energy I was putting in to it was negatively affecting every aspect of my life. I've found that I can get the same "adrenaline rush" by betting betpoints and trying to win $50 gift cards for friends.

[Wilfred]

I don't get how some of you can be depositing over $400. What does that do for you? Just deposit small and try to build it up.