All betting is the same. I had a hard time accepting that I couldn't gamble even a little bit, but I finally stopped completely and feel so much better. I was 24/7 obsessed with several different forms of gambling. I stopped online betting by canceling my cards and when I got new cards gave them to a friend to hold. She would pay my bills for me until I could be trusted again. I also started going to GA and other recovery programs and an addiction counselor. This is serious stuff and it doesn't just go away without hard work.

Hi lastbet05 I know how you are feeling and it's not easy. I have sports gambled for about 15 years. When I was younger I was more in control. Didn't have much $ to gamble and if lost it that was it. I used to deposit online thru my account and also play online poker and bj. After getting a much better paying job and having the funds to gamble more $ I began to have success. I used to have better money management and would be able to walk away if was doing bad. Some years I would only bet the super bowl. Did that for about 3 years straight. The last 4-5 years though have been the worst. I won more than I lost for at least 3 years straight. Built up a nice bankroll and started betting larger in size. An older experienced gambler told me be careful once betting big it's harder going back to small and he was right. I was on here at least a year ago or so telling my story how that gambling hasn't robbed me of my $ yet bc I won more than lost had some luck in there def go my way. People on here told me to walk away. Well I have gone months away from it but I keep finding my way back. I have given back lots of my winnings that I made. People said it would even out and they were right. I don't go to the casino that often but my last few trips I definitely lost. The bad beats in the past used to go my way and now they have been always going against me. That meaningless td at the end of the game for the backdoor cover you know what I mean. Gambling has robbed me of enjoying life. I find it hard to laugh and enjoy things non gambling related. I'm very well financially and theres no reason for me to sports bet or gamble. I don't do it socially. It's like a full time job with all the time and research I put in, watching the line movement, injuries and reading gambling forums. All of that plus less sleep, exercising less, drinking more alcohol, being less social, when my wife speaks to me barely listening bc I'm thinking about gambling. It's so not worth it. Barely anybody wins. The people that say they do might be social gamblers that can play small and have a set limit and walk away if lose. You said you can't do it socially and chase and I'm the same way. I wanted to win everyday that I bet. If I was up x amount on the week and fell below that number I wasn't happy. After having big weeks I always wanted that.

I tried betting smaller after long breaks and do it shortly but it doesn't last long and have to bet larger to get the rush I'm looking for. A bad streak with betting large will crush anyone.

The book is set for you to lose laying -110 odds or higher. Buying points and doing parlays and teasers are sucker bets that's why books allow it. They know in long run they will make out from it.

Things to maybe help you keep reading on here so many awesome people that give great ideas.

With sports maybe take a break and not follow any of it. If you can enjoy the game for what it is then watch it. You might say to yourself I don't even need to watch or I can watch the game stress free. That's what I'm doing now. My team is playing whether win or lose when it's over it's over. If you have friends that sports gamble ask them to please not talk about sports gambling to you, ask you about who to bet on etc. I have done that with my friends.

Everyone is diff but for me it's never enough. If I won this amount on a game or a week I would want to top that. Success gives you false belief that it can continue. You can handicap the game all you want but can't cap injuries, bad bounces, ejections, etc. Why risk your $ on the outcome of sports especially with laying 10%.

Hopefully you can pay off your massive loss this week and move on. That $ is gone. Move forward, learn from it and be a better person.

Surrender to the book. You won't beat it. Online bj is set in the houses favor. Just stay away. Put more money into a safe retirement fund or your savings account.

I wish you all the best on your recovery and I'm here for you.

I left out I mean I can write a novel if I wanted to. I would wake up and 1st thing I'd do is check betting lines and get a bet in. I would bet variety of sports and that was good for me bc I could bet stuff in Europe to get my fix going and have action during work.

At family and social situations I would want action in to have the rush. I would check my phone every so often and hope my wager was in good shape. If lost would affect my mood and then need to look for a chase play. I'd go to the bathroom more than I had to and go on my phone to look for bets I could place.

I gambled on sports on my wedding night and basically everyday on my honeymoon, where I was out of the country on a beautiful island. I remember winning a bunch in a row right before leaving for it and didn't want the streak to end. I found a computer with internet access at the resort so was able to place bets. I left my wife during dinner to go check the scores of my bets and said I had to use the bathroom.

Last year I didn't watch any sports for 2-3 weeks, no espn, had no idea what was going on and it was nice. That kept me away for maybe 2-3 months then got back into it again.

I look back at it all and wish I never started. Even if it never put me in a hole money wise it put me in a hole in so many other areas of life. I'm trying to enjoy life again without gambling. Won't be easy but will do my best.

1 day at a time.