Anyone else get looked down upon by family and friends?

TheWolf · Aug 7, 2006

It amazes me how anti-sports betting the general public is. I'm not talking about anything other than sports betting. I have many family members & friends who view sports betting as a degenerate activity. I've been doing this since college (12 years all together now)...since I've gotten my shit straight and learned the game, the last 4-5 have been very profitable, yet I really can't share my joy with anyone other than myself, ok people like you guys too on message boards! I don't even like talking about it....it's like we are some nazi underground organization.

I have some "square " friends that gamble and they do the same dumb shit year in and year out and lose all the time, yet I am the fool b/c I bet so much or so often....it really is unreal. The others who dont gamble...forget about it! They all have a freaking story too......"I knew a guy who lost his house and his car over that stuff!" It really is ridiculous. Yet these same neophite hypocritical asshles play the lottery, play poker, buy those stupid ass scratch off lottery tickets, play bingo, and some even bet horses or dogs, but gamble on sports????? Gees...your looked down upon for life!

It has gotten to the point now that I don't even look at it at as gambling. I like to call it "Sports Investing." Hell, it applies the same basic principles as the stock market anyway for the most part. And above all else, it has been profitable to me! I just dont talk about it to anyone anymore win or lose....just easier that way. It is truly a different world we all live in though.......a world very deep underground it seems.

bznofx19 · Aug 7, 2006

yep, my g/f's friends laugh when they hear that i placed a bet on a baseball game...then they go out and buy 3 pairs of shoes that they dont need.

i enjoy sports and making money off of the knowledge i have of them...i never make fun of what other people do in their spare-time or how they spend their money...but i guess others have no concept of reality, and cant understand why everyone else isnt like them.

MrJ · Aug 7, 2006

Sure, I don't let any of it get to me. Some people are interested and can actually respect it, many others are 'well as long as you make money' but you'll always get the arseholes who think they know better. I'm happy with what I do and that is what really matters. I couldn't care less about what some sheep thinks about my source of income.

Anonymous1 · Aug 7, 2006

Ace...no reason to brag about winning at sports...or braging about anything...you know who cares in your life about your common interest...talk to them about the w's and l's...let that stand as your acceptance of achievement and move on...it will benefit you longterm...gl

levistep · Aug 7, 2006

My friend's mother doesn't want him hanging out with me anymore because I gamble. I make more than that stupid bitch does. She's the typical housewife who doesn't do shit and expects a lot of respect.

fivestarjake · Aug 7, 2006

thats how i look at it now. in my early days i just saw green and thought just because i like sports alot doesnt mean i was good. it took a few years to understand and implement solid handicapping. lots of trial and error. where i used to work EVERYONE gambled. games,pools,horses,money raffles,etc.. shit we even had a coffee machine that spit out card hands and there was people putting in $20 bucks per cup for the best hand. atlantic city was only 40 minutes away for christ sakes. but i say its like investing in the stock market. its going to have ups and downs but the more homework and info you have the better your chances. never really had anyone look down at me but other gamblers busted balls a little for all the work i do. they just grab a gold sheet,thumb through it and just start betting. and another thing i learned a while back...DRINKING AND GAMBLING DO NOT MIX

kirkmuller · Aug 7, 2006

What do you expect?

95% of sports gamblers lose money over the long term. I would wager that the majority of RXers lose money too. Gambling is looked down upon, and for good reason. It decimates families and destroys lives, and that's the image people keep of it.

TheWolf · Aug 7, 2006

My friend's mother doesn't want him hanging out with me anymore because I gamble. I make more than that stupid bitch does.

LMFAO!!! :fatboy:

heelman · Aug 7, 2006

No problems with gambling within the family because they all know that is how we pay the bills and at least we are not involved with drugs! I played sports my entire life and at age 30 came down with a Lung disease that later spread into my heart and other internal organs. I was put on disability drawing 812 a month with a family of 5 and it will not work! I am not bragging but had a VERY successful sports career and acculuminated over 200 trophies with every award you could name but that means nothing when you have medical bills of 250 thousand dollars and mouths to feed!!! To me, this is survival and it is not at all disgracefull. It may not be working for mobil or a fortune 500 company but the good Lord gave us all a brain and it is up to each of us to be a survivor and provide for our families the best way we can and if it is SPORTS BETTING or sell used cars or what ever that is what we have to do and I for 1 am NOT ASHAMED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been very blessed because I have seen all the bad in this as well but if you have alot and I mean alot of time as well as knowledge and MOST OF ALL DISCLIPLINE you can do well in this field! I also am willing to bet that a big reason this gets a bad rap is due to the fact that lots of people link the gambeling with drugs!!!

tatehill2000 · Aug 7, 2006

HEEL,,,,,,,,,,

can I aska favor of you? please consider changing your ICON to a SHINEING STAR,,,,,,,,,,

you are my new HERO,,,, please consider my request,,,

god bless you ,,,,,

also,,, PLEASE consider SENDING in an application to the RX for MOD position,,, you are a FKN PERFECT representation of what NEEEEEDS to be in the HALLS<,,,

tater :thumbsup2:

MrJ · Aug 7, 2006

You can tell more about a person by what they think about gambling vs if they gamble or not.

AlwaysKeen · Aug 7, 2006

I don't talk about it with most people because they roll their eyes, but little do they know how profitable and fun it has been for me...

sean1 · Aug 7, 2006

The same friends and girlfriends who initially think gambling is stupid (probably is for most) never seem to find the free trips to VEgas and Atlantis and Aruba so dumb...

-Sean

Insiders · Aug 7, 2006

You can Always tell if someone is profitable in sports gambling.
Usually the one that are, Only play 1-2 sports and they know where the edge is.

Fishhead · Aug 7, 2006

Well respected by family and friends.

I doubt my girlfriend would even be seeing me if I did NOT gamble.

WVU · Aug 7, 2006

Fishhead said:
Well respected by family and friends.

I doubt my girlfriend would even be seeing me if I did NOT gamble.

seeing you is a gamble fish

:missingte

Fishhead · Aug 7, 2006

WVU said:
seeing you is a gamble fish

:missingte

In more ways than one im afraid.

:monsters-

CoachLT · Aug 7, 2006

There are 2 undercurrents in play when people know that you "Invest in sports". The first is the "Morals and Values" crowd. To them, gambling is the worst of ALL sins. Nevermind that a few will take a "Peek" at Child porn just for research. Sure they will. The second is pure Jealousy. They regard gambling money as unearned and they are pissed that they have no way to be successful themselves.

For the last 4 years I did a sports radio segment where I made picks on College Football. I won all 4 years but one of the years I started out losing 40% of my BR. I sucked and sucked bad. People called in saying I sucked and had no clue. I then went on a roll and won 10 of the last 11 weeks. No calls followed during that streak. People LOVE to see you lose.

A group of Jax policemen that are Gator fans go to Las Vegas during the open date that U of Florida has between the Auburn and Georgia game. One of them calls me on the radio station to get the games I like. Last year was 6-2, the year before I had a huge card and 9-3. NEVER had a losing week with those guys. Bottom line, NEVER as much as a call to show appreciation. I am done. No one cares and they hope you lose. OBTW, one of the radio hosts opened a online acct thinking this was easy. Within 4 weeks he LOST all his money. He thought as a sportscaster he had special insights that a mere mortal such as myself could never have. I tell people that this is not easy.

You cannot handicap ingame Injuries, penalties, and tournovers. That is why there is NO SUCH THING AS A LOCK! Woofy, that last sentence was for you.:lolBIG: Sorry for the rant but this whole subject has been a burr in my saddle for a long time, LT

simpleton · Aug 7, 2006

When people ask what I do for a living, I pick an occupation off the top of my head and then hope they don't know more about than I do. I've used software developer, accountant, claims adjuster...etc.

When I was single, I found that saying you're a gambler to most respectable girls was a certain show-stopper, for many of the reasons mentioned above. Most often, when I actually do say I'm a gambler, people are convinced that I'm some sort of bookie, I guess because of the stereotype that gamblers can't possibly win in the long run.

Also, people think that because you gamble for a living you must be a compulsive gambler. So when asked, it's much easier just to give them some BS and then switch to another topic.

TheWolf · Aug 7, 2006

Very well said LT and Simpleton.

"They regard gambling money as unearned and they are pissed that they have no way to be successful themselves."

I never thought of it that way but I like that! I'd even add that they work 40-60 hours a week for what we can make in a good weekend of betting in the fall!