138 replies to this topic

[Bencrest]

Thats why I said "gross profit"

 

Apologies, it was 2am when I replied and I was skim-reading, totally missed the word 'gross'

[russ8s]

Apologies, it was 2am when I replied and I was skim-reading, totally missed the word 'gross'

 

I can also see the way I worded it can confuse also... seemed like I was making it sound a lot, which it was, but not as in away "a lot" as in "really!"

[Bencrest]

Well, to keep this thread going, still not gambled myself. Dad wound me up a little last night (not that I let him know) - he was £15 into the Red Mist clubber, gave red boxes, he took DOND and got a tenner. I told him the boxes should come back within a few quid and this time not to take DOND unless he has plenty of reds (guaranteed repeats) to back him up, ideally to push for the middle board. He told me he'd lend me £20 and I could do it!! (:@:@:@) - obviously I politely refused. He decided to recycle the tenner, red boxes, middle board, £63 followed by a question mark so he took it.

 

Tonight, the cheeky git put a fiver in the £1 Pull-Tabs, got 3 cherrys for a pound, and got the £250 on his last ticket - mind you, he plays it enough so he deserves it. Made me feel a bit awkward - normally I'd have gone on it myself, or gone halves. Still, what would be the point of a £250 win if I'd end up shovelling it back in? Still happy not to be gambling mind!!!

[Bencrest]

Well, nearly 2 weeks in, and how do I feel?

 

I've been struggling to sleep more than usual, I've also been feeling a bit shaky / anxious when out in the club. There's clearly part of me wanting to play the machines, and there's probably some brain-chemistry issues I've caused myself by barring myself - but I'm determined not to give in, I don't want to end up at square one again. I'm sure I'll feel more like my old self when I've reached about the month mark!!

 

Otherwise, it's obviously great to have some more cash. Finally getting my finances in order - it's taken YEARS but I've finally managed to get some fraud removed from my credit file - so have been able to transfer my £3000 debt (currently at 30% APR with Barclaycard - once the fraud happened, the rate went mental!) onto a 5.9% 'for life' card - it'll be lovely to not be paying £70p/m and have £60 of that taken up with bloody interest!!

 

It's not a massive debt I know, but considering I'm currently still 'between jobs', it'll definitely help! Got the PIN for the new card, and as soon as the card comes, I'm shredding it. Spend a single penny on a balance transfer card and you regret it

 

What have I been doing instead? Well, plenty of FME type stuff. Not been onto any online casino free-play sites, because I don't find them 'helpful', however I've been using the Masque slots, MFME (obviously), and also the Reels of Fun sims I bought recently. Got gifted a sim on here by a raffle winner (ta!!), and then bought myself 10 games - the idea being, they would replicate the machines I miss from arcades, that are too recent to be emulated (so, Bullion Bars, Rainbow Riches, e.t.c.). Unlike online casino machines on freeplay, these are good because they have the proper arcade jackpots and profiles (none of the multiplier based payouts and dodgy stakes you get on online casinos), and play very closely to the actual arcade machines. 

 

So, to summarise, it's not been easy, and I've definitely been feeling 'withdrawal' symptoms, but not caved in yet - even though I am spending a lot more time playing sims and emulators on the PC!!

Edited by Bencrest, 13 January 2013 - 04:58 PM.

[vectra666]

good on you for sticking to your guns, it would,ve been ooh so easy to say oh what the hell its only one day and 20quid but what if you,d of lost it would,ve been another 20 the another been there done that. so great respect to ya. it doesn,t get any easier even in a months/years time, the tempatation will still be there and the flashing lights will want to draw you in hypnotising you, take it a week at a time you,re doing great as for playing the emulators daily like me, it doesn,t make the addiction go away, but it don't cost you any money/stress

[Bencrest]

good on you for sticking to your guns, it would,ve been ooh so easy to say oh what the hell its only one day and 20quid but what if you,d of lost it would,ve been another 20 the another been there done that. so great respect to ya. it doesn,t get any easier even in a months/years time, the tempatation will still be there and the flashing lights will want to draw you in hypnotising you, take it a week at a time you,re doing great as for playing the emulators daily like me, it doesn,t make the addiction go away, but it don't cost you any money/stress

 

Noooooo, don't say that! I did give up several years ago, think I lasted about 6 months. I remember the first times I walked through town and didn't even notice the arcade, that was a weird feeling. Before then, it was normally the focus of my attention (even if I didn't go in, it was there in the back of my mind somewhere).

 

I do know that it's going to be a long haul though. The excitement of being free from machines is wearing off, now it's almost like a mild form of fear kicking in. Urgggh. I know gambling came up in some CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy - basically trying to reprogram your way of thinking) before, and I need to refer back to that. It was suggested I make a flash card and keep it in my wallet, so every time I opened it I could remind myself of WHY I shouldn't gamble (for example, how low I feel afterwards, how self-destructive it is, how anti-social it makes me, e.t.c.). Will have to make one I think. Actually getting a bit panicky about it even now!!

 

Still surprised I'm the only person who seems to be giving up this year, looks like it's just little old me (well, chunky 27 year old me) Vs the addiction. I've just renewed my membership in the Services Club (where I used to do well on the Noel but lose thousands over the year on the Pull Tabs), however I do still go in there with the parents, even if I don't gamble any more, so I do need the membership for that (and also because I get CIU membership, useful for finding quiet clubs when we go on holidays in the UK).

Edited by Bencrest, 13 January 2013 - 08:46 PM.

[Bencrest]

Dad only went and did it again! Having said that, I didn't actually feel bad about it tonight. Last time he got the £250, which was about a week ago, I was genuinely gutted that I wasn't involved - and even annoyed at myself for not playing it. Tonight I was genuinely happy for him. So that's nice, it's a very small improvement - I can see others win without getting annoyed about not having joined in myself. 

 

Weird thing was - he got a bag of £20 and I put it in for him. Wouldn't take one of the coins, and I didn't have a spare £1 coin (only a £2 coin), so I put that in and he had 21 x £1 tickets. I knew he had some change so he'd be fine to pay me back, and it's what he would have done himself.

 

This was the 21st ticket. If he'd only put £20 in, I'll never know if he'd have carried on and won it, or whether he would have been £1 away from the £250!

 

Photo attached for those who haven't seen a winning £250 Pull-Tab before

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•  dadwin.jpg   55.02KB   47 downloads

Edited by Bencrest, 13 January 2013 - 11:41 PM.

[vectra666]

Nice one yet again good on him. But he might be on a winning streak now, but how much will he be up/down by the end of the year I bet its not up all gambling is designed to lose in the long run
Its true what I've said above the machines will try to draw you in, even now at work I'm thinking "If a had 200 on me I could just clock out or skive off tomorrow and goto seaside arcade on partytime" even doing the dx's is slowly taking over all my free time like a druggie wanting his next fix bigger than the last time, I get home from work and can,t wait to get on lappy to either dx or play the emu,s. I can still remember playing the slots in the 90,s but can,t remember doing anything else from that period.
Back to you, it looks like you,ve got the will power and the want to stop gambling so good on you for admitting and doing something about it, stick at it and reap the rewards, by the way does anybody know how robinhood75,s aka james is getting on?

[Bencrest]

Nice one yet again good on him. But he might be on a winning streak now, but how much will he be up/down by the end of the year I bet its not up all gambling is designed to lose in the long run
Its true what I've said above the machines will try to draw you in, even now at work I'm thinking "If a had 200 on me I could just clock out or skive off tomorrow and goto seaside arcade on partytime" even doing the dx's is slowly taking over all my free time like a druggie wanting his next fix bigger than the last time, I get home from work and can,t wait to get on lappy to either dx or play the emu,s. I can still remember playing the slots in the 90,s but can,t remember doing anything else from that period.
Back to you, it looks like you,ve got the will power and the want to stop gambling so good on you for admitting and doing something about it, stick at it and reap the rewards, by the way does anybody know how robinhood75,s aka james is getting on?

 

Oh, I'm fully aware he's on a streak now, I've done it before when I won a £150 within a fiver, was about to go on the quids but dad beat me, and he got the £250. Incredible timing that. In fact I got sucked in some more after that one to be honest, which again is why I can't allow myself to play now. 

 

It might just be me, but every time I've 'given up' machines before, I've slotted a few coins after a long time of not playing, and always - without fail - had insanely good luck.

 

Sucks me straight back in, and that's why I'm not playing them, ever, ever again, not even the 2/5/10p ones

 

It's still too early days for me to say how it's going to go, I'm only 2 weeks in (1/26th of the year done!) but am feeling a bit better about it this morning. It's just that (as I know from the past), it might just take one event to trigger my playing again. 

Edited by Bencrest, 14 January 2013 - 02:46 PM.

[Bencrest]

There's definitely something afoot here!

 

OK, heading up to the 3 week mark, and still not gambled. Still dabbling on the FME and SIMs which is fine in my book, at least I don't win / lose real money

 

Seriously though, I'm not gambling but dad is - and that's fine - I mean I'd love it if he stopped, but at the same time it gives us something to do / talk about when out. Anyway, tonight he goes up to the DOND Red Mist, and some of the friendly locals tell us it's dropped £250 at lunch, and so it's not worth playing. I sussed as much because the notey was off, and I also know the patterns of who plays it / when and how.

 

He asks me if it's worth a shot, and I reminded him of the time I had £80 afterplay after a £250 cashpot, so it might be worth a fiver but I wouldn't stand there and punt anything out, if the first board was crap I'd just COB it and walk off.

 

So, he puts five coins in. 5 spins in, and he gets a board, on 25p play (what we generally played it on, most of the players in there only do the £1 stake). He gets a 3 first spin, and first shot on the middle board moves in to the Supermeter area. Goes straight to £20, which is normally a pretty good sign. Goes up to £41 and boots him out... he then gets back in the middle, gets a Red Mist, puts him up to £80 odd. Back out, back in, Red Mist again puts him on £141. He's nervous at this point (even though he knows you can collect on a question mark, he's scared of large wins - they had bugger all effect on me though, lost the buzz ages ago, which is why it's best I've given up!).

 

I tell him that if he can't handle the pressure I'll do it, but it's looking good. Anyway, gives him an extra life - and back into the middle. Another Red Mist, boots him out at £210 or so. At this point he's bricking it, I tell him to calm down, another helpful local tells him it's definitely empty and not to play it - so I point at the £210 or so in the Supermeter and tell him thanks - but it's looking like a JP. Sure enough, back into the middle, few more wins, goes for £250.

 

Rest of the punters in shock, they can't believe it's done two JPs back to back. I must confess I was taken aback, but have seen it on machines before. Dad gets nothing for the rest of the spins, cashes out - pays out £35 and IOUs for £215! Popping back in tomorrow tomorrow to collect it, nothing underhand and they've had to do this before so should be fine.

 

Why do I feel something is afoot?

 

Well, dad has now hit a £250 win, be it this or tickets, every week since the New Year. Noel is way too happy. I'm still happy for dad, although being a gambler I know this is a 'lucky streak' or whatever you want to call it, and could easily become a losing streak. I mean he's not won £250 on a machine for AGES. I used to, but I also played in a completely different manner to him - and typically stake much more (often had a float of at least £100 in coins on me, and plenty of notes). He's still very much into bank-building, and normally stakes a max of £40. 

 

I have found in the past (and this is probably also just a crazy coincidence) that when I've given up for a good while (lets say a month at least) - that when I've started again, I've started off on a good winning run - this obviously sucks me right back in.

 

That's not an issue this time - because I still have no intention of playing them - but it's almost like some divine being is mocking me - but it's cool because dad is winning. But it's bad because it's so unusual and I'm not playing!!! ARRRGGHHHHH!!

 

Edited by Bencrest, 20 January 2013 - 03:11 AM.

[vectra666]

Looks like its only me replying to you on this topic.
But this divine intervention its like the devil saying 'go on have a go you know you want to' but its takes real will power even gives you headaches to say no so good on ya for sticking to your guns, with this streak going on at least it's a family member that's winning could be worse, could be the local scaghead or sket bunging their dole into it lol. now that would piss me off so here,s to the next 250

[Bencrest]

Looks like its only me replying to you on this topic.
But this divine intervention its like the devil saying 'go on have a go you know you want to' but its takes real will power even gives you headaches to say no so good on ya for sticking to your guns, with this streak going on at least it's a family member that's winning could be worse, could be the local scaghead or sket bunging their dole into it lol. now that would piss me off so here,s to the next 250

 

I don't mind if nobody replies to be honest, I thought others might be giving up too, in which case we could all share our experiences, e.t.c. - but if it's just me and you, so be it

 

Off out to the club in a second to pick up the money he's owed, no doubt he'll buy some tickets and win as well

 

Taking my phone and a deck of cards, mum is coming too (rare!) and I fancy kicking her arse at rummy - just for points, not money!!

[yorkstar]

Hi first post i know ive been on here for years but not posted but have appreciated everyones releases and fruity banter other the years.

Anyway im also cold turkey from all gambling but it all stemd from fruities about 20 years ago been good times and bad days token days were the best for me and after 25 pound jackpots machines got gradually worse.

Anyway i quit new year as well and still avent gambled dosent help been of the booze for a month as well im finding it quite hard now as it was quite big part of my life sad i know places like this get me by and i have plenty of classic fruities stored on my memory stick.

Again thanx for all the great releases, when and what was the first emulated machine brought out i think it maqy of been cash lines or hi jinx.

[nails]

im about £4k up from ladbrokes from the week before christmas (so thats near as damn it a month now) playing RR and roulette.

 

see the videos attached, over a grand from rainbow riches and the £1495 video was 3 29's on the trott with max £13.80 on them - beat that sports fans.

 

 

 

the hardest part is keeping the money, im taking some time out of being the hardened player to paint the house and do jobs i couldn't afford to do earlier. im about to start a new job thats within the gaming community again so i wont be able toplay/gamble anymore. 

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•  Documents.zip   13.12MB   18 downloads

[Bencrest]

Hey Ben. How would you view playing the classics at a Mecca meet? I have given them up and have done for years, but I view playing out £20 of 10ps over 4 hours on old JPMs, Barcrest MPU3's and bell fruit electro mechanicals as a hobby, not gambling.

bj

 

Funny you should mention that, I was thinking about that a couple of nights ago. I didn't come up with an answer then and I'm not sure I could now. I'd love to go to one, and I guess the fact there is no expectation of making any money would make it ok... but then it is still 'playing machines'. I could chuck any profit (if I made any!) into a kitty - owner / website / charity or something... I'll have to mull it over!

 

It does feel like cheating though!

 

Hi first post i know ive been on here for years but not posted but have appreciated everyones releases and fruity banter other the years.

Anyway im also cold turkey from all gambling but it all stemd from fruities about 20 years ago been good times and bad days token days were the best for me and after 25 pound jackpots machines got gradually worse.

Anyway i quit new year as well and still avent gambled dosent help been of the booze for a month as well im finding it quite hard now as it was quite big part of my life sad i know places like this get me by and i have plenty of classic fruities stored on my memory stick.

Again thanx for all the great releases, when and what was the first emulated machine brought out i think it maqy of been cash lines or hi jinx.

 

Glad to hear you are sticking with it! I've cut down my drinking several times in the past, but always end up back at square one! Luckily I'm not a 'problem' drinker - I just drink an unhealthy amount. I reckon driving will help with that, and it'll probably help with not gambling too - I'll have something worthwhile to put my money towards (like a 99" exhaust and 16 subwoofers!! - ---- joking!)

 

im about £4k up from ladbrokes from the week before christmas (so thats near as damn it a month now) playing RR and roulette.

 

see the videos attached, over a grand from rainbow riches and the £1495 video was 3 29's on the trott with max £13.80 on them - beat that sports fans.

 

 

 

the hardest part is keeping the money, im taking some time out of being the hardened player to paint the house and do jobs i couldn't afford to do earlier. im about to start a new job thats within the gaming community again so i wont be able toplay/gamble anymore. 

 

Happy for you, but also happy that I don't have to worry about being up or down. For me, not losing anything is good enough

 

[fruitman69]

Hi Ben,

 

I think you need to stick to what your doing its working after all and I like the notion of "dont fix what aint broken"

 

It might only be classic slots 10p old skool ones but like you say its still machines and also said yourself it only takes one event to start you back on the slippery slope, just stick to not playing at all is my suggestion

 

Keep it up bud you can do it

[yorkstar]

No woudnt say im a problem drinker either like a good drink most weekends like many people just fancy starting of year a bit healthier, plus i dont think booze and gambling always mix well quite a few times ive been out on razzle on a saturday night end up in casino spending far to much with the drink egging u on same as getting home log on betting site av just 1 tenner then end up spending a hundread , before crimbo i spent 600 in 1 sitting on lady luck charms on line not my finest hour.

Anyway ben keep it up think were in same boat im itching to go to pub for a pint and go on fruity but i calm down when i realise it will only be a boring deal or no deal or bank job clone with 2 pound board.

[nails]

maybe im the one off who - if he cant afford it then he really doesnt think about playing. ive seen the flip side of the coin where those extra spins become a habit, and one that needs to be filled.

 

good on you bencrest and hope you stay off them. its starts with £1 on a £5 jackpot `becasue its only a quid` and it goes from there..

[Bencrest]

Hi Ben,

 

I think you need to stick to what your doing its working after all and I like the notion of "dont fix what aint broken"

 

It might only be classic slots 10p old skool ones but like you say its still machines and also said yourself it only takes one event to start you back on the slippery slope, just stick to not playing at all is my suggestion

 

Keep it up bud you can do it

 

Yeah, I agree. Shame though, I'd love to go to a meet! Could always go and do something else but lord knows what!

 

No woudnt say im a problem drinker either like a good drink most weekends like many people just fancy starting of year a bit healthier, plus i dont think booze and gambling always mix well quite a few times ive been out on razzle on a saturday night end up in casino spending far to much with the drink egging u on same as getting home log on betting site av just 1 tenner then end up spending a hundread , before crimbo i spent 600 in 1 sitting on lady luck charms on line not my finest hour.

Anyway ben keep it up think were in same boat im itching to go to pub for a pint and go on fruity but i calm down when i realise it will only be a boring deal or no deal or bank job clone with 2 pound board.

 

I've not had a drink tonight, might have a Tia Maria and something later, or just drink it neat, since it's not strong. I do like a 'nightcap', but certainly don't have a problem. I know people who do though and it's a horrible thing to see people do to themselves

 

I really should cut down on my drinking when out and about though, but I've tried giving up too much at once before (I once quit alcohol, gambling and smoking at the same time, I reckon I lasted about 2 days before practically having a breakdown!!). 

 

maybe im the one off who - if he cant afford it then he really doesnt think about playing. ive seen the flip side of the coin where those extra spins become a habit, and one that needs to be filled.

 

good on you bencrest and hope you stay off them. its starts with £1 on a £5 jackpot `becasue its only a quid` and it goes from there..

 

I'm very quick to reach that tipping point of 'f**k it, it's all or nothing'. Even if I don't say that to myself, I often reached the point where I just thought 'sod it' and shoved what I had into a machine to try and get it to pay out. Often worked, sometimes with good results. Plenty of times where it didn't though.

 

Having not gone out tonight, 'gambling' hasn't crossed my mind today. Sure I've been on here and dabbled on a couple of emulated machines, but there's been no consideration to actually play anything, which is nice!

 

Well, it'll be 3 weeks out of the way. Soon be month number 1 - that'll be a nice milestone. Might treat myself with something. I've been mulling over the idea of a Windows tablet, so I can play FME with a touchscreen on the go - and in portrait mode, it should be possible to make 1280DX layouts fit on one. I could then play FME for a laugh in the club when dad goes on the actual machines