I have come to the conclusion after a serious sports betting binge which involved me losing everything I had and getting into a bit of debt (nothing to major or unfixable) that I really need to seek some gambling addiction help. This has been a recurring problem for me, I just have no control when it comes to sports betting. My gambling issues are completely related to sports betting and not poker, I don't have any issues with sticking to bankroll management (ironically I'm pretty nitty when it comes to shot taking) and just don't get the same degenerate buzz from poker that I get from sports betting. I'm a winning PLO100 player and have been funding my sports betting addiction solely through poker. Despite being broke and in debt I have a strong support group who are willing to pay for me to attend a gambling rehab centre (I obviously intend to repay them in the future). My questions are:

1) Is there any possibility of me overcoming my sports betting addiction and being able to play poker in a controlled and responsible way? Or is this just simply playing with fire?

2) Does anyone have any recommendations for a gambling addiction centre?

3) Would it be worth considering going to a rehab centre in a country like the Philippines/Thailand? The costs of a lot of gambling rehab centres I have been looking at in various western countries are extremely high. The cheaper the better assuming I'm not going to be getting significantly sacrificing quality of help I will receive.

Any advice is very much appreciated.

This might be too simplistic, but if you are concerned about cost, why not attend a few GA meetings in your area? If the first location does not work for you, then try another...

Although you say you are pretty successful as a poker player, and it is just that sportsbetting "leak" that is your problem.....I happen to think that poker also contributes to the gambling problem, but I don't want to argue that point for obvious reasons in this forum.....

Your problem is not unique. I have seen many instances and stories of poker players who divert to other gambling games for whatever reason with disastrous results. One prime example might be that pro player Eric Lindgren who was supposedly a successful world class poker player, but got into trouble by sports betting.

Then, too, I have seen those who lose in a poker session (at some casino)
and immediately thereafter head over to the blackjack table (or any other table game) to try to recoup their losses.

It's good that you see your problem, but you need to actually get help instead of thinking about it. The cost maybe a cop-out too, because how much is it in the context of what you have been betting anyway?

I definitely agree that GA meetings is probably the next logical step for me. I don't think there's much if any dispute that Eric Lindgren is/was a world class poker tournament player but yes I understand your point. The amount of money gambling rehab costs is completely irrelevant to my situation, the money is there to get me into whatever rehab centre I need. I am going to be going to rehab in the near future, that's a definite. I am just looking for the most cost effective solution. For obvious reasons I want to burden those who are willing to help me with the minimal immediate financial loss possible. From the research I have done it's likely going to be costing in the region of 15K-25K for 4-6 weeks of rehab. That's why I enquired about rehab in countries such as SE asia.

Chucking out some numbers to address your question about the cost in relation to my betting I have made between 30K-35K exclusively at 25PLO/50PLO/100PLO without playing a single hand at 200PLO+. I have nothing at all to show for that and am in approximately 10K debt. I've gone on a 15k+ sports betting binge over the past couple of months. I have no doubt that your correct in your assumption that poker has contributed to the addiction (greatly) I was just asking if there was any hope for being able to control my demons or if poker was something that would be best to be completely ruled out of my future.

Thanks for your input.

Of course there is always hope on conquering the addiction: You have already reached the first step in admitting the problem and stating your intention to remedy it.

I had no idea how much those rehab clinics charge, but I don't blame you for not wanting to spend $15-25K; however, if GA doesn't help, and that is your only other option that would save you from a future of gambling untold thousands away and basically ruining your life, it doesn't seem like an unreasonable amount to spend. I'm sure that those other people who are willing to put up the money for you care about you and would rather you not keep going down that road to ruination.

Not entirely sure if you're serious or not but I'll respond anyway. I never actually said I wanted to quit poker, I actually indicated quite the opposite. I was asking for people's opinions on whether or not if I were able to overcome my addiction I would be able to continue playing poker or if that was going to likely result in relapse.

Did you lose everything again?

Maybe you're just bad at estimating ev? This is not a positive trait for a serious player. If you're loaded then you can play whatever you want. If not? You have few options:

Continue to make bad bets.

Don't play.

Get better at estimating your ev.

If you're not sure of your ev, the chances of you making a big mistake go way up. Thus you need to tighten up. This is the primary reason that beginners should play tight.

Assuming you live in the USA Gambing addiction is now considered an addictive disorder and covered by insurance companies for rehab. Rehab is a good place to reflect on if you can or should continue playing poker.

agreed. However I think that the counslers/psychs there will have a very negatively biased opinion of poker, so take it with a grain of salt.

1) Is there any possibility of me overcoming my sports betting addiction and being able to play poker in a controlled and responsible way? Or is this just simply playing with fire?


Yes, frankly speaking even if it doesn't look like that, sports betting is very different from poker. You just can't manage players/teams you bet on. Try to meditate and improve your spiritual and emotional IQ - without joking. It'll help you a lot, you have to know why you're playing and repeat this again and again 50 times a day. F*** sports betting, it's gambling. If you bet and win- you are a gambler with such luck. If you play poker and win - you are a good player (of course luck, ev etc..but you know what I mean) and I always wanted to be a good player, not a lucky gambler good luck buddy!

problem gamblers play dif games some games help them with their subconcious autodestructive desires some don't

It's like saying I can't control myself with hard liquor so can I only drink beer. I think one will lead to the other.

Only you know if you can play poker and not sports bet

Say you go and do rehab at cost 20k and then play poker when rehab is done there really no way you can know if it will give you more urge to sport bet or notes

Poker form of betting so it can't help you put that way.

I would not use 25k go ga any free help you can get, getting help for rehab and letting them down would seem to much pressure for me

You don't won't stop playing poker so more then likely you find out hard way whether you can.

Again don't take the money for rehab IMHO.

this is a quote: -- ''i said to myself: i like gambling too much so i better get good at it''

glgl