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Gambling addiction?
ravkes
Veteran
I've lost close to $3000 gambling on sports and internet poker. I realize that my knowledge is average at best in sports and in poker yet I keep thinking that I can win a bunch of money really easily. Has anybody had to deal with this type of addiction and what are some techniques I can use to stop. Thanks.
I think my disinterest in school & laziness contributes to this problem. I don't enjoy school so consequently I don't do work and I have nothing else to do. I can pinpoint this to an 'urge' I get to deposit more money into my accounts but then my mind keeps telling me if I just keep it under control at the tables I can win money. But whenever I get up, I lose it because that same voice (combined with the emotion) tells me to play crummy hands and go all-in.. etc.
I suppose from my own diagnosis mindfulness would be the right technique and understanding that it's stupid (the odds are against me if I don't have some sort of knowledge advantage) lol, but any and all suggestions are helpful. Thanks again.
I think my disinterest in school & laziness contributes to this problem. I don't enjoy school so consequently I don't do work and I have nothing else to do. I can pinpoint this to an 'urge' I get to deposit more money into my accounts but then my mind keeps telling me if I just keep it under control at the tables I can win money. But whenever I get up, I lose it because that same voice (combined with the emotion) tells me to play crummy hands and go all-in.. etc.
I suppose from my own diagnosis mindfulness would be the right technique and understanding that it's stupid (the odds are against me if I don't have some sort of knowledge advantage) lol, but any and all suggestions are helpful. Thanks again.
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Comments
I hope some of this helps you. - Kevin
Once I played like an idiot on purpose I had like 20 beers, was watching a movie and I won 2000$ in a MTT..1st place, I made soo many bad calls and won every single one, thats why I know its BS. Don't play online EVER.
Online poker and Casinos are sOOOOOO seedy. most of them are in countries outside of the LAW ...and have you ever read the terms of agreement ? LOL hilarious.
"we reserve the right to close you account at anytime, any funds will be forfeit, this site is for ENTERTAINMENT purposes only....we reserve the right to have oral sex with your mother at anytime..." ETC ETC
these things are really a bad karma pool,
about 30% of my total life anger is caused by these
anyway in conclusion,
ask yourself this, if you won the lotto, lets say 50million,
okay...
Buddha descends from WHEREVER and tells you,
"you let go of this ENTIRE 50million for enlightenment... FOREVER"..
??? wouldn't you take that deal?
the thing is you don't even need 50 million for it...forget about money and it's many uses..
Here's another question,
"how much money would you be content with?"
.... lets say 10 billion...
the thing is, in all your cyclic existence, for the longest time..
you have already made more than 10 billion dollars,
you've BEEN there, DONE that.
hmm food for thought,
eat it!
imma just stop.. lol i've got a great summer job lined up.. and yea kevin i used to feel super super down.. i think i've got to that point of where it's just like alright i'm not gonna get rich quick screw it.
thanks for the responses guys
(d) "There are, young householder, these six dangers in indulging in gambling:
(i) the winner begets hate,
(ii) the loser grieves for lost wealth,
(iii) loss of wealth,
(iv) his word is not relied upon in a court of law,
(v) he is despised by his friends and associates,
(vi) he is not sought after for matrimony; for people would say he is a gambler and is not fit to look after a wife.
kind regards
I have lost over $6k, quit now before you lose the next $3k like I did. Don't listen to that "inner-voice" which says "it's okay to try again, I made x,y,z mistakes last time, I know better now...blah blah blah...I will do a,b,c instead" - this is just delusion! You can't trust these thoughts! Take it from an ex-gambler! Don't think about it, you know its not working for you, just admit to yourself that you were wrong and quit the stupid game!
You have been brainwashed (like I was) by poker on TV to believe that its possible to play poker and win. The truth is the vast majority of people are losers, even some of the famous players have huge debts.
Quit! Quit! Quit!
Next time you are looking for a way to "let go" of $3k give it to a monastery or a hospital or an orhapange, etc. It is much more rewarding.
With Metta,
Guy
Sorry about your loss. Must be painful.
Agree
Disagree
Another approach I find helpful is I find someone I know or who I know of who has had their lives completely destroyed by gambling. Then consider them in a compassionate and kind way.
The way through this is compassion and kindness, not self reproach.
If you take the time to skillfully learn poker and practice proper bankroll management you can alleviate the suffering. Poker is a game of skill, luck and pure randomness that sometimes does not feel fair. If you understand that you can win.
Having said that, I agree there are many people that are addicted to gambling... It can be very detrimental and has destroyed many lives. If it is an addiction, don't bother trying to learn and focus on not participating before it gets out of control.
Let me add, the way through this is through kindness and compassion, not through self reproach and not through figuring out the angles.
Some double negative stuff going on here so just to be clear, I think gambling is a problem for him and he would be better off staying away from it.
Thanks for all the responses guys.
Just so you are aware only approx 10% of poker players are actually winners. You seem pretty aware of this though... Sounds like your probably best to just stay away from the tables. If you decide not to though, I would strongly suggest you really take the time and effort to learn. I have about $1,000 in poker books which I studied, and I also have a network of friends in which to discuss the game with. It's hard work! If you don't bother to learn you are just pissing your money away as entertainment.
You sound like you understand yourself. Just wanted to point out that there is a way to be succseful if you do decide to continue, and if you don't do the proper work your doomed to lose money.
C) Practice Anapanasati to learn to manage your life.
Neither of these two statements are true in regards to online poker. The online poker industry is strictly regulated. They can't afford for it not to be. There was a scandal a couple years back, but it was an ex employee and a failure to regulate properly within. It was not a scam of the particular company to make more money from it's customers. Poor judgement, and trust me everyone has learned from it.
Poker is not an easy gain or get rich quick scheme. It's a game of skill that requires many hours of study and hard work. Any serious/winning poker player has worked VERY hard to become what they are. In todays world it has become a viable career for many people who wish to treat it as such. It's not for the lazy, insecure, or anyone looking for a quick buck.
It is hard enough for man to compete with a machine or just another man, but a man WITH a programmable machine is not "fair competition" and there is nothing you (or "they") can do to stop it from happening.
The world is far, FAR more insidious than what you know. (been there)
Well I don't want to derail this thread any further. I just wanted to help ravkes not make further mistakes whether he quits or continues. I will say this though. Your very misinformed on the subject of online poker. You aren't playing against a computer. Your playing against other players. The computer program just generates random cards. Of course you could make a computer program that you can't beat. You can do that with backgammon, chess, etc... This is not what we are talking about. I will not bother explaining how random number generators and regulations work in the online poker industry because that will further derail things. Just wanted to be sure folks understand what is and is not.
Yes, anywhere money is involved you will find shady actions. Look at Wall Street, the Banking Industry, etc...
Your not talking to an ostrich here.
3 of the other 4 "players" out there are me and my computers. It doesn't matter who is dealing the cards, although I have no doubt that they too cheat when they choose. I have personally caught roulette games predictably cheating. They always know where you have placed your bet before they decide where the ball is going to land or who is going to have the better hand than yours.
Today's technology is such that even if you were sitting across the table from players, 2 or more could very easily be in total communication with each other. Across the Internet, via a separate chat channel, such is trivial.
If you are going to gamble, DO NOT do it over the Internet or on ANY computerized machine.
Other than that, have fun.
Ostrich-- as defined by Urban Dictionary
(n); 1. a wild bird considered to be the most majestic of all creatures, holding the undisputed uppermost position on the food chain. ostriches are carnivorous birds of prey, feeding on tigers. Although their hunting methods are still mostly a mystery, it is rumored that ostriches will pierce "cocky" tigers' hearts with their tungsten beaks. A male ostrich needs to consume approximately 74 tigers per year to maintain strength.
2. (v); used to describe action of a person of unparalleled strength or cunning
But Drop declares the plausible as the certain, without proof... just projection. In my experience, Swanny is more true-seeing, as there are strict regulations and lots of precedence for online poker playing being legitimate.
Drop: being able to visualize a possible conspiracy does not make it manifestly accurate. Better to research and provide empirical data.
Still, better to avoid any addiction. Gambling is not a skillful action, as it always hurts someone.
The fact that I can imagine how to get it from you means that someone else is already in process. I learned that as an inventing engineer. I can't really think of anything to do that someone else isn't already trying to do (save one).
And note that I didn't say they ARE cheating you. I said DO NOT TRUST such an incredibly easy thing to cheat. You live in Nietzschian times, "survival of the fittest" mentality - "You deserve to lose if you are not smart enough to avoid the cheat."
Machines are intentionally designed to do what people cannot (why else make them). There is only one thing a man can do better than a machine. Decide not to play.
Very very brave...or very very stupid?
Just in case everyone else isn't aware of the spelling;
Oh! Those dashes and capitals are much more convincing. But what really kicks it in the goal is the bold!
With warmth,
Matt
I observe exaggeration from over emphasis.
er, I mean... hey, its not my fault. The dictionary has you in it.
Just teasing of course
With warmth,
Matt
So is "I" and "observe" if you're going into the nitty gritty.
This thread caught my eye because I play online poker professionally for more than 5 years now as my sole source of income. I would like to say that 90% of what has been said in this thread regarding online poker is not true. I think making assumptions about things that you have limited knowledge and experience with is a bad practice.
I promise that you can not write a computer program that can beat me in poker. Assuming we are talking about no limit poker, there is a level of human reasoning that is required to play good poker that a computer just simply cannot do and will not be able to do for at least another 10-20 years. For instance, how would your computer program know that I am getting frustrated because I have not been dealt any playable hands and decide to raise or call with a wider range than normal or after losing a big hand I decide to play tighter than usual? This is just a couple of nearly infinite possible senerios that occur at the poker table nearly every hand that a good winning player takes into consideration before acting. A computer is not capable of incorporating human emotion into the equation which is a crucial element to determine what your opponent is thinking and predicting his next move. There is no unexploitable strategy at the poker table. Anything anyone does is exploitable. If you play too tight, then I just steal more. Then I become exploitable because I steal too much so now you exploit me by reraising with a wider range. Now you are exploitable again so I start coming over the top of your reraises wider or start stealing less. Being that a computer can not equate human emotion and every play is exploitable I once again promise that your computer program will never be able to beat me or 80% of any winning online pro over a large sample of hands.