Anyone on here ever quit gambling cold turkey?

[Mully]

I mean everything. No poker, no OTB, no sportsbooks and If so, why did you do it? Been a voice in my head telling me this for quite some time now. Just don't know if I want to give it up. I mean, it's just about the only vice I have left. I wonder sometimes if I'm missing out on something in life by spending so much of my spare time gambling in one format or another. :shrug:

I look forward to your comments on this.....

 

[IE]

don't forget about day trading w/ stocks also........

 

[IE]

only do, if you have 50X bankroll and researched the target goal with all of the above products you mentioned..

reach your target......quit..... research some more and give it a go again.....set another target.

and also, stay away from online casinos!

 

[freelancc]

just take the summer off.. perfect time to put sports wagering into proper perspective with the rest of your life :SIB

 

[Chadman]

I would agree with the last comment - take some time off - completely off - and look at life without it. I found out two things when I essentially stopped all gambling (still play some local poker games, but not betting at all). I found that I had really lost interest in sport for sports sake (which disappointed me) and that there are things to do besides sit glued to the tv for hours a day watching wagers come in, not to mention the hours of study each week. I really watch far less sports now, and mainly because I needed the juice to really care about the games after I started gambling with decent money.

I was pretty addicted to the action, and coupled with drinking quite a bit while doing it, and wanting to do both more than spending time with the family or doing things, I kind of got lost. To this day I don't think I'll ever really gamble too much, as I have learned to appreciate money and keeping it, and especially having time to appreciate other things, like kids, coaching, relationship building, etc. Maybe it's a good idea for you, too?

 

[IE]

I would agree with the last comment - take some time off - completely off - and look at life without it. I found out two things when I essentially stopped all gambling (still play some local poker games, but not betting at all). I found that I had really lost interest in sport for sports sake (which disappointed me) and that there are things to do besides sit glued to the tv for hours a day watching wagers come in, not to mention the hours of study each week. I really watch far less sports now, and mainly because I needed the juice to really care about the games after I started gambling with decent money.

I was pretty addicted to the action, and coupled with drinking quite a bit while doing it, and wanting to do both more than spending time with the family or doing things, I kind of got lost. To this day I don't think I'll ever really gamble too much, as I have learned to appreciate money and keeping it, and especially having time to appreciate other things, like kids, coaching, relationship building, etc. Maybe it's a good idea for you, too?

very good advice...and that of freelancc.

 

[The Joker]

Been a voice in my head telling me this for quite some time now.

Is that voice in your head a nagging wife? :shrug:


By the way - winners never quit. Stop this nonsense - NFL season is coming up.

 

[IX_Bender]

Dont know how relevant this is, but the summer is the least busy time of the year for me.

Really, the only time I go 2-3 days, or a week or more without checking lines from any sport.


Its kinda of my break. Much like the kids have summer off from school, this is my time. Baseball has never been a passion of mine, and I dont care about it any longer (since the 94 strike)

The World Cup is next year, so this is like a mini-vacation. Enjoy it.

 

[hedgehog]

depends on your situation, are you losing money you need to pay bills? Are you just betting for fun, has it taken over your life and time from your wife and kids? Do you owe money to a bookie you can't pay?

Maybe, concentrate on football and not bet all other sports. If you need a break this is the perfect time of year to do that and re-load for football.

I had a buddy of mine go to gamblers anonymous and supposedly does not bet anymore:scared maybe that is something to look into.

 

[Trampled Underfoot]

I quit cold turkey. I used to bet on everything. Football, Basketball, MLB, WNBA, Tennis, Soccer. I mean everything. I lost some cash but more than made up for it when I started betting on only golf 6 or 7 years ago. Then all my golf sportsbooks pretty much closed up on US customers. It just wasnt worth it anymore. I had a good run for about 3 years. I've probably only place 3 or 4 bets since. Usually on The Masters.

 

[Trampled Underfoot]

I have to admit I do miss it though. :shrug:

Its good for me though. I'm working on another degree. No way I could concentrate on work, school and what time the new lines come out.

I'm sure i'll be back though! :142smilie

 

[freelancc]

don't forget about day trading w/ stocks also........

except days like today...:s1:

 

[hedgehog]

another thought...

When gambling is not fun anymore its time to take a break or quit for good.

hope it all works out for you Mully, good luck...

 

[ELVIS]

this is too tough a topic. imho

is it the guilt factor ?

is it the control factor ?

i recently cut way back on drinking. i did not give it up entirely. i drink on fri nights as a "treat".:toast:

i sometimes hit it again on sat. no, sun - only if a holiday. most weeks are fri only. i don't feel guilty about it at all. i am more in control of the habit than ever b4. on a side note, i drank almost every night for 13 years. all of the the days that i did not drink during those 13yrs wouldn't add up to 6mos combined. this was way too much. i do not know what caused me to want to stop. i guess that i got tired of feeling like crap all of the time. i took an entire month off, fixed the bp, eating habits, and the guilt went away too. no, AA, no nagging wife, just me wanting to live differently and being tired of pissing my time and money away.

the gambling is another vice for me that really toes the line. i wouldn't do it if i didn't like it, nor would i do it if i wasn't decent at it. i don't do it during the summer.

football is the real addiction. college/pros. but i do take time off during the season. just depends on how i feel.

ncaa tourney, and nba playoffs. i don't play the regular season in either sport (too much work).

i am not a full timer, but the money is real and the stress is real. the money gets a little large at times, and i am ok with that.
if i didn't win more than i lost i wouldn't do it.

in the end, i just don't know what to say about your deal because everyone is different.

i would suggest reading the Bible, and going to a local church (i may get stoned for this suggestion). it is my opinion, only.

i just don't feel guilt for doing some of the things that i enjoy. i am not saying that i could still make better choices.

at the end of the day, i work, help rear 3 kids, all bills are payed on time, save money, clean house, faithful to wife, etc. i don't golf, hunt, fish, or participate in any other hobbies that cost money (i do exercise regularly). so, i look at the gambling and the little drinking as my hobbies.:shrug: we are all different.

you can always get my email from jack if you want it.

gl, Mully.

 

[Woodson]

this is too tough a topic. imho


i recently cut way back on drinking. i did not give it up entirely. i drink on fri nights as a "treat".

gl, Mully.

Mully, I recall a similar thread a couple years ago about quitting drinking cold turkey. May I ask how that worked out for you?

http://www.madjacksports.com/forum/showthread.php?t=255805&highlight=cold+turkey

I wish you the best!

I personally am in my 17th week of Men's Fraternity. A Journey into Authentic Manhood. I have to say that it has really been a changing point in my life. If you are interested in viewing some of the online episodes (it's a Men's Discipleship but you can view online), I will provide you my login.

The Quest for Authentic Manhood is the foundational level or ground floor of manhood. This 24-session study focuses on a man's core identity and gives an overview of basic manhood issues. It will help men deal with various identity issues by looking back at past wounds and other things that may have distorted their idea of biblical masculinity. Throughout the course of the study, men will learn how to clearly define manhood and will finally be able to give a succinct and passionate answer to the questions, "What is a man?" and "What am I living to be?"

Best of luck to you!

 

[hedgehog]

at the end of the day, i work, help rear 3 kids, all bills are payed on time, save money, clean house, faithful to wife, etc. i don't golf, hunt, fish, or participate in any other hobbies that cost money (i do exercise regularly). so, i look at the gambling and the little drinking as my hobbies.:shrug: we are all different.


gl, Mully.

I look at gambling as a hobby too, nothing more. bet small and enjoy the games regardless if I win or lose. everyone has vices, some like to hunt and fish, others like to gamble.

 

[Kramer]

Mully, just my 2 cents. I am only serious about
betting college football and to a lesser extint
the NFL. By the end of the football season I am
ready to set my sights on other things. It works
great for me. Pick a sport you know most about,
and when the season is over, wait till next season.
I don't see how some of these guys bet year
round. I couldn't and don't want to do it. I will
actually spend less time at it this coming season.
I will come up with my pre-season sandwich
games and sprinkle a dozen or so best bets in and
that will be it for me in college ball. I will limit my
NFL picks as well, in other words I won't bet just
for action. When you limit your bets to your
strongest feelings on a particular game, you usually
hit at a better rate anyway. Enough rambling.
GL2U :toast:

 

[Mully]

Mully, I recall a similar thread a couple years ago about quitting drinking cold turkey. May I ask how that worked out for you?

http://www.madjacksports.com/forum/showthread.php?t=255805&highlight=cold+turkey

I wish you the best!

2 years and 5 months sober. By far the hardest thing I have ever overcome. Thanks for asking. For me it's always been about the escape. From what exactly, I have no idea. Was heavy into drugs during High School and College. You name it, I most probably tried it. Then, once I gave that shit up, the drinking really kicked in. It was like everything was OK. All occasions called for a drink. With the drugs and booze, I was killing myself slowly and missing out on the things that matter most in life. It was a no brainer for me to quit, just hard. Now that I can see , I'm afraid I might be missing out on the bigger picture with the time I spend handicapping. The hardest part for me, Is I'm pretty damn good at it (not trying to toot my own horn) and I enjoy it. Both make this a difficult decsion. I must admit I have some money management issues that have caused me some serious $$. No matter how high I increase my v chips, it's never enough. Always looking for that next win and with all the hoops one has to jump through to get paid these days I usually end up back where I started.

I've decided to give up on line poker and horse racing completely and at this point weighing my options regarding sports betting.

Thanks for all the great input fellas. Some true class acts here at MJ's...

 

[saint]

I quit gambling cold turkey with the exception of an occasional trip to a casino.

First I started betting on sports because I was young and actually thought i was going to make a lot of money on sports. Then I realized I was part of the 98% of people who don't.

I then spent another 5 years or so betting on sports because I liked the action. The thought of watching a game without something on the line was unbearable.

Then neteller was taken down and funding it was a little to much of a pain. As more time passed, the more I realized how much I neglected what is really important in my life: my family, my wife, my friends. Too many dinners spent checking scores, too many mood swings taken out on loved ones decided by the ridiculous antics of a sports game. I don't care what anyone says with the exception of a very few all sports gambling does is take away your time from something else probably more deserving.

I just come by MJs because I've been here so long I still enjoy reading the general forums.

just my 2c. wouldn't change my decision at all. it was a part of growing up and i outgrew it.

 

[ELVIS]

i did not mention that i have had the same bookie for over 10yrs and he is gold. i have never had an issue getting paid and he never complains about my wagers. small or big - he says its up to me.

i have had online accounts b4, but as long as he is alive (he is in his 60's) i just will continue to book w/him.