Your own personal methods to over come problem gambling?

Question

Hi,

well basically im 20, have had a past history of problem gambling but due to pot luck im pretty much evens (i was up heavily) lost ALL of it and some and have had a few wins since..pretty much evens...........either way nowadays i find myself with considerably more control i.e not betting $1000 in one go online just for the buzz...but i still find myself dwindling away $20-$30 here and there which I just cant afford as its quite regular..i dont particularly care if i win or lose I'm just addicted to the buzz when im bored and most of all im scared il relapse when im feeling down or something and waste $100s again..im a computer whiz so deposit limits and gamcare locks dont help me at all as i easily get round them...so i've been on the websites looked at typical self-help stuff...but I'm just wondering how do you fellow gamblers out there deal with the urges..especially mid-gamble not to keep chasing..thanks

Answer 1

You really have to get over any superstitions you have about any game.  Don't blame other people for your losses.  Many times people feel cheated because maybe someone jumped in the middle of a shoe in blackjack or maybe in craps, the dice hit someone's hand and then rolled onto a 7.  It is very common for people to think that something or someone else is the cause for the losing.  They say, if it weren't for "X" then I would have won.  They feel the need to go get more money and start over.

You have to get it into your head that all these games were meant to take money away from you.  If you lose your money then there isn't a problem, or some mistake.  That is what was supposed to happen.

Answer 2

Learn to play for a means of winning and not a means of winning money.  Its all a mind game that you have to overcome.

One time i played blackjack for 25 hours straight, when i went home i was so sick of the game that i didnt play for almost two months, the boredom factor had a very large effect on me not wnating to play. something similer to this might have an effect on you.

You could learn to play at an advantage, so that you expect to actually win money, then your addiction wont be a problem, it will be a lifes calling.

-This could be done by learnign to count cards which is easier than a lot fo peopel claim it is, its mostly memorisation of charts.

-Comp hustling is a way to gain and edge,  this is done my using method to ensure the value of free stuff the casinos give you is more than the amount of money you will lose.

Perhap try learning more about the mathematics of casinos and it will deter you, I myself have understood odds and probibilities very well my whole life and as a result never intended to enter a casino in the first place, untill i read about card counting several years ago.  Even to this day as a result of my understanding of the math involved in the games, i cringe when people ask me to play a game other than blackjack with them, and instinctively decline.

A good first step might be to play in smaller and smaller denominations of bets.   I have noticed there are touch screen games at some bars in casinos where you can place 25cent bets on virtual table games.  If you play on those instead of the real tables with higher minimums you wont lose practically any money at all, also the free drinks you will likely get will be way more than you are losing mathematicaly.