I feel like slightly less of a man because I don't like betting

[Classic Jorge]

It's strange, I know I'd get deeply into it and would probably end up devoting an inordinate amount of my life to it, probably losing my house and family along the way. Much like Championship Manager but with real money.

The thing about betting that really gets me is that all of the marketing is targeted directly at my demographic yet it all leaves me totally, totally cold. Ray Winston's disembodied head, Ladbroke's group of banter laden lads and any number of technically innovative money losing solutions and I just don't care.

The worst thing is when they get people from bookmakers on telly as commentators and then treat their word as gospel, it also seems to completely overlook the company's positions in the odds they offer to things.

[Billy Goat Sverige]

Ascot/The Derby/Guineas/Breeders Cup etc....I'd have an accumulator religiously every weekend on the football but that was just a bit of fun.

Can't say i really get what the attraction is when you have those chaps who have all the software and are backing/laying horses in every race for 7 days a week.

[Berni]

feel aloof and above such things. I can't really do that with any of the other legal vices and quite a few of the illegal wons, tbh. :-(

[Berni]

might feel different, but growing up with bookies' shops, which have to be the most depressing places on earth, put me off good and proper. Ghastly, sad, desperate people - enough to put anyone sane off the thing, I'd have thought.

[The Tony]

I've read a couple of papers on various aspects of it.

One was a doctor in California who dealt with problem gamblers...instead of stopping them from gambling via counselling session he tried something new...he worked on the idea that the reason they're labelled as problem gamblers was because they were always losing so he got them to all work on dividing a winning system and to stick to it remorselessly.

They all went on to land one of the big Saturday jackpots at Santa Anita for over a million U.S.

Another study I read was to do with the rights and wrongs and reasons behind it. One theory was that people don't like betting because they're suddenly faced with the start reality of knowing that they are wrong and subconsciously is is too much for them so naturally have a hidden aversion to gambling which manifests itself publicly with statements like - I don't like gambling.

:o

Interesting stuff.

[Monty91]

30 metre radius near me. Mental.

[Classic Jorge]

I do feel a little assaulted by the constant TV ads, the promoted posts and the overall idea that if you aren't betting on a game you aren't involved.

It doesn't strike me as that great a vice either, and I've got a decent sample size

[Billy Goat Sverige]

reached the age of 14/15 they started to get teenage louts hanging around outside them.

[Classic Jorge]

The whole idea of studying form and trying to predict stuff seems a bit ridiculous to me. I know a fair bit about football and it's impossible to call most games.

[Mc Gooner]

[Billy Goat Sverige]

Romford dogs for years.

[ITSUPFORGRABSNOW]

Glad I am the same as you. It leaves me cold thankfully.

They have only recently started any effort to warn people as well.

In Australia anti gambling addiction ads have been around a lot longer.

For a long time here it was just 'Please gamble responsibly' I suppose it's the same as on wine bottles, I don't always heed the advice on those.

['Neg]

Too bad awimb.

[Peter]

And lets be honest, if you are going to spend that much money you are going to have lot more fun if you spend it on drink and drugs

['Neg]

Starting a betting thread on a forum where one cannot type any monetary symbols? :baghead:

[Peter]

Yet they clearly aren't :rubchin:

Someone is lying

[ITSUPFORGRABSNOW]

Hmmmmmm

[Peter]

You should bet on whichever dog does a **** just before the race. Also, always bet on trap 6 if the dog is fat.

Doesnt work but at 50p a race it is all good fun.

['Neg]

Most people get a red mist and actually think they can win risky 8-game accumulators and make 10 grand form a 20 pound bet, or predict the final score and first goal scorer on a regular basis.

[ITSUPFORGRABSNOW]

:D'oh:

['Neg]

[Berni]

Expensive, a lot of fannying about and the strong likelihood of no end result.

[Snin]

[Snin]

one year or two they normally bankrupt 10 later

[Mc Gooner]

:hehe:

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

One of my favourite vices.

['Neg]

an average HR of 240? Or people who run half a marathon before breakfast with a torn hamstring?

[eastgermanautos]

[Snin]

:****er: