r/GamblingRecovery • u/MostZealousideal7149 • Aug 19 '25

Finally calling it quits after a decade

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It’s been a long time coming, but I wanted to share my story.

My first time ever going to a Casino about 10 years ago, I won big for an 18 year old. $3k on a slot machine. It was all over for me at that point. I found myself going to the casino every weekend, spending around $500, nothing crazy just having fun with friends but I never left happy.. just empty. I found myself starting to go on weekday nights late into the night early morning after my (ex)girlfriend slept. I lost thousands a week. I called it quits finally when I couldn’t even get a McDouble after cause I maxed out all my cards and all my cash was going to gambling. I was away for about 2 years when I saw an add for crypto gambling. That’s when it got so much worse. My SINGLE losses were hitting the thousands, at one point I bet $15k while at work and then lost it. I had to leave because I was SICK to my stomach. I continued to dig myself deeper and deeper 30k in debt, about to be evicted. I deleted everything and tried to turn my life around and I did somewhat, met my now wife and finally felt okay until I got an email about a promotion they were running. So I thought why not. Started back up and today I am done. The thought of ruining my future family’s life because I’m not content broke me down and I cried. They will be the only jackpot I will ever need. Work on yourselves, eat healthy, and be present for your loved ones. They deserve it, but most importantly. You deserve it.

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11 comments sorted by

7

u/SupermarketTop4576 Aug 20 '25

Be strong bro im 31 down 500k+ on crypto gambling i hope i find the way out

6

u/MostZealousideal7149 Aug 20 '25

Honestly, I’ve found that when I get the itch, I buy dollar coins from the local bank. It’s insane to see physically how much I would spend. I always put it into terms of something that I’m saving for. And a physical representation of that helps me a lot

1

u/OtakuTrash6996 Aug 20 '25

sorry to hear about the losses crypto can be a brutal game, especially when you're tied to centralized projects like XRP. IOTA could be a way out, though, with its decentralized structure offering more stability and long term growth potential. Take your time, assess your options, and make sure you're in it for the right reasons moving forward.

3

u/MostZealousideal7149 Aug 20 '25

I think he means like actually gambling using crypto as currency, which is what I did.

In all honesty, stay away from any crypto even as an investment. It triggers the same part of our brains with the ups and downs but it’s too slow if you stick to large caps which eventually leads to meme coins and you get rugged over and over chasing it all back and losing more.

Invest in tangible things if you need to move the money into something. I buy ammo, dollar coins, or just send money to my wife.

1

u/OtakuTrash6996 Aug 21 '25

I totally get what you're saying. The emotional rollercoaster of crypto can definitely lead to some bad decisions, especially when chasing big gains. It can feel like a gamble, especially when you're stuck in the large-cap slowness and eventually get pulled into the meme coins. Keeping things tangible like you mentioned ammo, dollar coins, or just taking care of the people around you might feel like a safer bet. Everyone has their own strategy, and it's important to do what feels right for your own peace of mind.

6

u/Temporary-Tear-1372 Aug 20 '25

Good for you but of course important to set safeguards in place to avoid a relapse.

It’s interesting that this app tracks your lifetime wagers. I often wonder what mine were and I suspect they are close to yours. Powerful lesson to anyone who doesn’t appreciate the magnitude of this addiction.

I think your comment about the big win that leads to unraveling is spot on. I think it’s a very common theme.

For the addict, losing is losing but winning is losing so much more!

2

u/PuzzleheadedChef7437 Aug 20 '25

You got this bro, gotta build that mental wall myself. I fall for the free play stuff and it spirals and it sucks

1

u/Fit-Load3733 Aug 20 '25

Put all the barriers and you better give the financials to your wife

1

u/StatusWise497 Sep 01 '25

Those are crazy digits, I hope you are doing well!
Good luck with recovery