The Night I Lost It All | Matt's Gambling Addiction

Incredibly honest. You can see the slippery slope.

Those that do not have their head screwed on should watch this.

Those that do not have their head screwed on should watch this.

that applies to 95% nellie.

Does he take full responsibility?

Agreed RD

ADHD

so this chap pulled an iva on his creditors, what a cop out.

This fella worked for T*** Sp*** but lost it all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srDELkPx_6g

In a mad world only the strong survive…..do people honestly believe washing laundry in public helps others ?

It's very rare that you see anyone who ruins their own life by lying and wasting money they don't have through gambling, taking full responsibility. Same here, as predicted. This chap's not the worst I've seen, but he readily admits to fraud and theft. If he got finance in his wife's name but used his own funds to service it, he wilfully cheated the IVA, too. 

He comes across as ok generally, but electing an IVA instead of a DMP as it meant he would not need to repay all of his debts. No buddy, that's not good.

MATT doyle a once Z list celeb punter from this parish,reverse ferret, POACHER turning GAMEKEEPER became bookies rep

lots of threads on X yesterday about news programmes in usa on,  american based problem gamblers, and the gist of it was those defending it  were saying if he bets/stake  $100,000 he,ll get $80,000 to $90,000 of bit back or lose 10 to 20 grand, those % seem way to high anyway but what ever the %  are, thats an average and as theres big winners out there,  means theres millions loing 100% of what they stake
easiest example is when they used to say fruit machines return 97% of every £ put in them, but tht doesnt mean every player only loses 3% of their £

Cider is bang on regarding the chase….99% have been there including myself…..

I’ve been addicted to horse racing since 1977,but not addicted to gambling….if they pulled the plug on all gambling tomorrow it wouldn’t matter a jot to me….

every gambler has chased losses..everyone..some inc myself learnt the hard way..most will still chase..
i never do,havent for a long long time..ive seen lads who had won for eg 10k in the last 30 days.lose 1k on a race..then its a mission to get that back before they go home.
its a psychological game for sure.

I chased a couple of times around 2003/4.  Got away with it the first time, but not the second.  I was trading, someone phoned me, I got distracted and lost a grand.  Rather than take the loss on the chin, I lost another 2 or 3 trying to win it back on a couple of bets, before I regained my senses.  It's not related but I'd won £1,300 on a £10 free bet a week or two before.  Never won anything like that before or since on a free hit.  Lesson learned anyhow.  I've never been inclined to chase since.

if you stole out of the mrs purse, used savings,kids money etc to buy drugs for example no one would try to split hairs over vwether you were an addicted or not,so using anymoney you no wasnt meant to be used for gambling makes you an addict IMO

Nonsense, it just makes you a degenerate.

we,re not on about  degenerates are we,we,re on about people to  their family, friends are ordinary hard working family people

are middle class dinner party coke user,s  DEGENERATES ?

you're on about people using kids' money to feed their habit = degenerate

Sep 22, 2026 -- 11:20AM, 1st time poster wrote:

are middle class dinner party coke user,s

No

£ saved by a middle class family kitchen,home improvements, DEGENERATE ?

a degenerate is an individual with low morals, who weak willed, feeble, typically lie at will. It's nothing to do with social class.

Both Johnson and Starmer I would say are degenerates. For example.

*no problem

I remember all too well a day in Cheltenham in 1974 when I chased and chased and lost 1k (about 16k in today's money). It was a lesson that fortunately I learned from.

Kick a man when he's down

wise words stu

There have been positive changes, when I had my 'chase' day I did it all via a credit card. Now that was all on me, but it is positive that people can no longer use credit directly to bet.

But people need to be able to spend their own money however they wish.

There is no way to prevent people using deceit to obtain funds. That applies to any part of society, for example luxury holidays or gambling.

positive that people can no longer use credit directly to bet.

100% on that one.

My own chase and addict years, were solely down to that issue IMO. I learned, paid all back, and would never use a credit card to spend 1 pound on anything these days.

It's coming back to me now.  The day I lost chasing was the first day of the live shows in X Factor.  I won £400 that evening on Roberta getting eliminated and the market was voided on a technicality.  Wasn't to be my day!

X-factor memories aye? Yes, I had a few hairy moments on those back in the earliest days of specials too usually involving overstaking.

I had a running balance of at least £15k in Betfair in those days so losing £3k-£4k wasn't a huge deal for me then.  But I did chase and I did briefly lose control as I had done once before when I won it back.

2secs between spins 1TP, not 30secs

I remember my 'collapse' like it was yesterday. I thought Promotion trained by Stoute, running for the Queen couldn't be beaten. Had too much on, and it got beat by a supposed heavy ground horse. I absolutely could not believe it, shouldn't have happened. How So I ended up trying to chase myself out of trouble through the rest of RA and a crappy jumps card that evening The last RA race was longest race of the meeting and I lumped on Frankie who was jocked up on a dodgepot. In the even then I had a chaser in front falling at the last The next day I was like, I am way better than this, wtf am I doing. Of course I found specials not so long after that, something that irrevocably changed my betting life.

cheers clydebank

I had a brief period where specials, and x-factor in particular, were actually the only positive chases for me, after doing my load on sports betting chasing! I'd lose thousands during the day and win it all back on a Saturday x-factor!

It wasn't a sustainable model though, in particular when I had used credit (as above) card funds!

I wised up one day realising I'd lost all my (credit) winnings from a big XF win, on a few matches and races one morning after. Binned all credit and wised up - oddly all my actual form immediately picked up both on sports and specials after that.

I didn't lose on XF stu, I lost on the horses.  XF was a route to winning it back.  I had an amazing record on eliminations in reality shows in the noughties.  I instinctively knew the psychology of the public from the get go, when most were clueless.

not saying the LADDIES near me is struggling but the mrs was using the ATM next door yesterday, and the FOBT,s which are near the window werntb getting used, maybe they were in BETFRED 20 yds overb the rd opposite, , there used to be another 50 yds up the rd which is now shut, all in a small square

Yep, I'm sure you me and cider all gained some great positive returns from specials over the years. It was a goldmine.

Like you say, a good way to win it back when needed, back in those days!

Well with specials it was a case of how much, rather than if. But that wasn't before I had made a couple of massive misjudgements in close succession, laying Geordie Shore and steaming into Matt Baker. That was down to hubris as specials seemed too easy. Pretty much never lost on a major specials event since.

I didn't lose overall on the horses stu, but I wasn't a master of it, and I realised at about that time (late 2004) that I should bin it and concentrate on other sports and events.  Assymetric information is the problem with horse racing betting.

Matt Baker changed everything as it was that point I realised the power that producers had to influence the outcome, no matter how transparent that influence was. I expected the audience to realise they were obviously trying to get him beat, and be even more motivated. But they were more malleable than they shouldn't have been. Ever since then, I had to account for the possibility of the producers obtaining the outcome they want, and they have no shame or limitations in the tactics deployed. They don't always get what they want of course, but it's probably the most significant variable.

I'd say prolly the only two sports I have a losing and very short record of betting on are greyhound racing and cycling.  I like cycling but is very complex and takes an awful lot of understanding and experience to master.  Greyhound racing was only ever a casual flutter.

That's the beauty of elimination betting Cider.  After all acts had performed you were betting on a race that was already run.  No luck involved.  Just understanding the public.  If I'm winning almost every week, then it's little wonder that liquidity fell through the floor

When I was last working FT, I was going out in the morning to do the banking (should have got someone else to do it) and taking the stand out early prices at the bookie shops.

Can't wait for the sequel "The day I lost it all in Harrods"

I was with my A level Economics teacher in Ladbrokes Grahame Park watching the 1000 guineas.

These are blurred lines, but I was always fascinated by gambling, and I don't ever see myself not wanting to take up the challenge.

If you want to do something a lot, and for it to never end, does that make you ill? An addict? Fortunate that you have an activity that you love participating in?

Making an argument doesn't mean that argument stacks up.  I could make the argument about myself but I know it doesn't stack up.  Mine is mostly about boredom and making money.  If I go on holiday I never gamble and have no compunction to do so, unless I'm in Vegas.  But that's because I've got something more interesting to do.  If I don't think I'm going to win on average, I'll virtually stop too.  My issue is I have a very low boredom/motivation threshold.  I used to like playing Zweeler Fantasy games.  When the take out was 20% I was motivated and interested, when they increased that to 40% I lost all motivation.  The amounts aren't serious amounts worth the time involved, but I need have the expectation of winning as a motivation.

I remember the days (not that long ago) when they would allow you to cancel your withdrawal. actually sums up what you are actually doing 'cancelling your withdrawal'
thats all been stopped now. as has credit card deposits. so some progress, too late for some,, though.

my biggest gripe these days with SOME online Bookies is constantly offering 'sweeteners' after a loss. we all know who they are, and its no coincidence these firms have done very well for themselves using this 'practice'. this needs to stopped immediately, as well as sign-up bonusses, which are purely designed to give you a false sense of security.
Jm2c.

That's another twist to the discussion, really. How many other pass times/activities can end up being profitable? Share trading maybe. People borrow £thousands to go on holiday and have nothing to show for it after a couple of weeks away. Aside from a few battle scars from rowing with the kids !

You have memories from holidays.  You also have the build up.

"Menopausal women who have at least one trip booked at all times are less likely to lose their sh**, according to a study I've just made up."

Do you see the point I'm making though. If some other people were gambling at 4am and losing a lot long term, it would definitely be perceived by some as an illness, problem gambling etc. But some people who basically want gambling to be abolished only concentrate on those that can't win. Theoretically, it should be possible if you follow the logic that winning gamblers could have a gambling illness also.

Being fastidiously responsible all the time makes most people miserable and that's unhealthy.  It's no coincidence that South Korea and Japan have very high rates

My debate is a wider one I guess, Jack. What is an addiction in the first instance. What turns that into an illness. I pretty much need to drink Pepsi Max caffeine free on a daily basis. During lockdown I went to reasonably extreme lengths in securing a supply. What makes something an addiction, rather than something you just really enjoy/want to do a lot.

The overarching point for me is that in the vast majority of cases we should own our own mistakes, and take full responsibility for our own poor life choices, no matter how tempting they may have appeared. Nobody is forced to drink alcohol, gamble, smoke weed et al. I'm sorry, if someone is stealing from family just to bet with, it's not the fault of bookmakers or legislation.

As with all illness, physical or mental, there's a big spectrum from mild to severe.

I struggle a lot with the 'illness' label, to be honest. To me that is ultimately ducking responsibility, as most people would not perceive illnesses as self inflicted by poor life choices. This is along left wing ideology I'm sorry to say, always trying to find excuses for poor behaviour, instead of demanding personal responsibility and accountability.

I don't think wanting to be understood, means they are not taking responsibility.  In an ideal world, and the best way to getting better, is to have both.

If a case goes to court then it is the defence's responsibility to act in the best interests of their client.

Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" by The Animals.  A great song for anyone that's not familiar with it.

Arguably every company that pursues public custom is set up to prey on human weakness though. The 'it could be you' from the national lottery is bang up there! How about the charity adds with abused children or injured animals.

ads!

I'd agree it's not limited to bookies/casinos etc in particular for the issue of advertising.

There are various dark forces at work compelling people in different ways, and in some ways that is just part of the world. But, it doesn't mean we should have to agree with it being there.

for the lotter it's £75 I believe. or at least, used to be.

i don't have a problem with that.

a lot of bookmaker advertising nowadays appears to concentrate on encouraging people to stop gambling.

Give people freedom of choice, but make them better informed to make decisions.  Don't make decisions for them

Oddly, I didn't see too much wrong with a lot of the safer gambling stuff that was brought in before all the later AC rubbish.

Having clear guidelines, limits that can be set reasonably, clear routes of support if needed, and programs like Gamban that can block those who need to do so.

These types of methods should be sufficient, rather than the blanket approaches to ALL people who gamble which now seems the approach.

...and the stopping of betting using credit of course. Also a massive improvement on what went in the past.

The good old days will never return in a million tbh,well gone…..quiet relaxing racecourse now just a circus…

Telephone receive the cheque send the cheque…..well gone…

a bookamker is not offering you free bets,free vip days out at sporting events ,if  they think you might be a possiblewinner,youve been identified as a big loser with a gambling problem,like a ripe cheery ready to picked , your been groomed,and what punter ,ports fans is ever going to turn down been THE BIG I AM FOR THE DAY ?

Does anyone remember Simon Haworth from the Wales? Inplay track player and trading offices he's on there too he lot everything track playing at ripon in the glory days brutal game

Opening post if your wanting gambling addiction podcasts you shouldn't be on here you clearly need help