Getting Your Head Right Again?

[BigBollocks]

As I've told the story before I lost my head when all of my futures bets crashed in early January. I lost almost a potential quarter million (over $100,000 in futures payouts alone on Ohio State) in a week's span, and have never had anything put me in such a tailspin before. OSU winning the NCAAF championship was my biggest one (God was I elated when they beat Michigan, all for ****ing nothing), Seattle winning the NFC was my 2nd biggest one (I didn't really expect that to win anyways), and San Diego winning the AFC was my 3rd largest one. All three went down on the same week, and was very difficult to handle (I didn't eat for close to three days after the OSU game alone, and when you factor in that entire week it was just ugly for awhile). I straight pissed away money for two weeks after all of this, and decided to take a break (aided somewhat by the US legislation problems).

I'm back in the game, and just find it extremely difficult to play like I used to. No win even remotely satisfies me, and that week still haunts me as I don't believe all the success in the world will cover that week. My first heavy week of action back in the game I had that Riviera ****up in Oakland (still can't believe that one) amongst a few others. I then spread out a hefty some on the Memphis Grizzlies 4th quarter line against San Antonio (my logic being they'd give it their all in the last quarter while San Antonio would rest everyone for the playoffs), and damn if I come home to find Memphis won the game by double digits but lost the ****ing 4th quarter! This is just ****ing depressing....

I'm curious if any of you guys have tried to stay afloat after simply massive hits, and if so how do you do it? Granted everyone's bankroll proportions will be different, but I'm happy to listen to anyone. I've heard of prior poker players who came really close to one big hit who simply can't ever recover likewise too (i.e. losing on the river to finish 7th for $30K when the winner of the massive pot takes the tourney for $1m). How do you spot select for fractions of a prior disaster? I'm all ears....

[SBR_John]

I'm curious if any of you guys have tried to stay afloat after simply massive hits, and if so how do you do it?

Wow! Thats quite a good read. I feel your pain with all those near misses.

As you said you did not eat for 3 days after the OU game, I would tell you 'whoa Nelly!'. pardner you are simply betting too much imho. And on the futures I would suggest hedging some of the risk when you have them down to 2 teams. You obviously have some capping skill to keep putting yourself in those cherry positions. Marry up those skills with some smart money management.

[crackerjack]

If you had Ohio State in a future, you should have hedged your bet by taking Florida on the moneyline.

But to answer your question, just get away from gambling for awhile. Wait until football starts again and then start slowly. Your problem isn't with wagering it's with your bankroll. You had potential for big $$$ and you saw those dollar signs in your head, so now smaller bets don't do it for you. At least that's my opinion, just based on what you posted. I could be wrong.

[bookie]

Before you can turn around, you have to come to a complete stop.

[tevari]

take smaller steps, understand that there is no such a thing as a guaranteed win, do your best to keep your emotions in check. take your licks, learn, and move on...

[WileOut]

As far as the poker guys go, every online poker player who plays for big money is a sucker. To not realize that these unregulated offshore 2nd world country companies don't have house players that the big games are rigged for is simply grade-schoolerish naive. It would not surprise me if they don't rig the majority of their money games. It is simply not the same game online as it is at brick and mortars. The online poker forums are slap filled with shills (people who work for those online poker rooms) who tell you that you are a fool for thinking its rigged if you try to bring it up there.

Ok back to your point.....I think every gambler who plays the game long enough goes through very similar disasters more than once. 90+% go through disasters. Here is how I bounced back from my disasters (I've had a few just as bad as your latest setback(s)):

You have to change your mindset. You have to accept that gambling disasters happen to even the best cappers and those that make it long term have the ability to move on. Those who can control emotions and have good capping ability are the ones who make it long term. Once you have lost the money, its gone....forget about it. Dwelling on past failures will make your future performance worse. How many times did Michael Jordan fail before he won 6 championships?

Also, you shouldn't bet money that you can't afford to lose.