My Dirty Little Secret

JPM36 · Post by **JPM36** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 9:52 pm

During football season, I have 2 great passions. The first is my beloved Washington Redskins.

I am lucky enough to have season tickets and I try to never miss a home game, even though I go to college 3 hours away from home.

My second passion is gambling. I love to bet on football games. Pro, college, it doesn't matter. I love it. I can't get enough of it. It's cost me literally thousands of dollars over the years but I keep coming back for more. I know how this sounds, but it's the truth.

The 2005 season has been an absolute gambling debacle for me. I have won a lot of bets, more than I've lost, but I have managed to lose quite a bit of money because every time I play a bet big I lose. It never fails. Every single time.

My first big bet of the year was Ohio St. -1 vs. Texas. Lost that one in the final minutes. My latest big bet was tonight. I had Clemson -10 vs. Colorado. Clemson had an extra point blocked that would've made it 20-10, giving me a push. They won 19-10.

This whole season I've been like last year's Redskins team. Every time I am about to win, something disastrous and unexplainable happens and I lose.

But here's why I bring this up: following the Chargers game (a weekend that also included several more brutal gambling losses) I came up with a great idea. Every week I'll bet big on the Redskins opponent. I bet on Rams moneyline and lost. I bet on Cardinals moneyline, lost again. I bet on Cowboys moneyline, and I got KILLED. And even tho I figured we'd win last Saturday for sure, I played big on Giants moneyline just to be safe. That's 4 in a row. 4 straight bets I've lost. It's cost me a lot of money, but it's totally worth it!!!

Sunday's game is the biggest game the Redskins have had in 6 years. I just want everyone to know that I will be betting 4 times the normal amount I have been betting on Eagles moneyline, which right now sits at +285. We're talking about literally hundreds of dollars here. But it's fine. I'd gladly pay it to get the Redskins into the playoffs.

So rest easy Redskins fans. The least lucky gambler on the planet is betting big on the Eagles.

Hey, we all have to do our part!

HAIL TO THE REDSKINS

Justice Hog · Post by **Justice Hog** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 10:27 pm

More power to ya, I guess, but when I was in my mid-20s, I had a bad gambling problem. I guess I would even call it an "addiction". Even today I get a little gittery at the idea of actually putting money on a game (even a friendly $10 bet) which is why I generally don't do it. Now, if I want to bet, I bet "actions" (e.g, wearing a Dallas tie to work if we lose, etc.)

Gambling addiction is a serious issue...especially with me. If I didn't have that problem in my mid-20s, I'd probably have more financial stability today.

Not busting on you at all, JPM36. I just wanted others to realize that gambling like that isn't necessarily "romantic" or overly "exciting". It can be a problem if you let it take ahold of you like I did.

I would just hate to see others follow in my footsteps.

My 2 cents

Hoss · Post by **Hoss** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 10:31 pm

good point justice.

JPM36 · Post by **JPM36** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 10:54 pm

If I made it sound fun it was certainly unintentional.

Gambling addiction is a terrible, terrible problem. Believe me when I tell you that I am fully aware of that.

I would not recommend it to anyone. In fact, I've gone out of my way to discourage my little brother from gambling on sports.

This thread was just meant to share my story of betting against the Redskins in an effort to take advantage of my losing slump and help the Burgundy and Gold in my own little way.

Justice Hog · Post by **Justice Hog** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 10:57 pm

JPM36 wrote:This thread was just meant to share my story of betting against the Redskins in an effort to take advantage of my losing slump and help the Burgundy and Gold in my own little way.

No worries, my brother. I hope my response didn't sound judgmental at all. It wasn't where I was coming from. I know a few other members on this board gamble as well...and I was just trying to send a message to them.

Frankly, if that's what you like to do, I hope you win a ton. It's just not for me...because I recognize it would get the best of me if I let it.

tcwest10 · Post by **tcwest10** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 10:59 pm

Pete Rose.

Redskin in Canada · Post by **Redskin in Canada** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 11:51 pm

Your post brings up a memory of a true line from the 2002 movie The Gambler with James Caan:

“I play in order to lose. That's what gets my juice going.”

Based loosely on the same theme of a classical Russian literature book by Fyodor Dostoyevski with the same name: The Gambler.

We had a mild but long-term gambling addiction problem in the family growing up. Never a disaster but it would literally age my mother to see the small but constant drain of funds wasted away from home at times we could least afford it. Sadly, it did not end until death.

I promised myself I would never place a bet with economic implications in my life. I never have. I hope I never will.

This is my story. Take it for what it is worth. My 2 cents

tcwest10 · Post by **tcwest10** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 12:14 am

Bet you're not a big Kenny Rogers fan, huh ?

JPM36 · Post by **JPM36** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 1:31 am

I had Michigan moneyline tonight. That was a truly stunning loss.

I'll place a HUGE bet on the Eagles in the next couple days.

Sleep tight my friends. There's no way the Redskins can lose.

redskingush · Post by **redskingush** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 3:39 pm

I too cried when Clemon missed the PAT

Jake · Post by **Jake** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 5:14 pm

tcwest10 wrote:Bet you're not a big Kenny Rogers fan, huh ?

I guess JPM just doesn't know when to hold 'em or know when to fold 'em.

JPM36 · Post by **JPM36** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 1:00 pm

I got the Kenny Rogers reference.

Also, I have officially placed the Eagles bet. I won't disclose the sum, but I assure you that it is a lot more than a normal bet. I also got the Eagles moneyline at +290. That's some sweet action.

The Redskins are as good as in the playoffs boys!!!!!!!!!!

gibbsfan · Post by **gibbsfan** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 3:53 pm

tcwest10 wrote:Bet you're not a big Kenny Rogers fan, huh ?

you got to know when to hold,em know when to fold,em know when to walk away know when to run.me i,m no gambler yes gambling is a bigtime deal but it aint for me cause i ,m well aware of the addiction.never gotten into it.

sport gambling included.

Wysocki · Post by **Wysocki** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 6:28 pm

Hopefully JPM, you're getting some points taking the Eagles. How about this scenario - you're getting 6 points and the Eagles but the Skins are up 7, there's 5 seconds left, 4th down, and we're on our own 1. Joe orders a safety, Ramsey uses up the 5 seconds, and the Skins win by 5.

JPM36 · Post by **JPM36** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 6:49 pm

Wysocki- I thought about taking the 7.5 points so that I could root for a Redskins touchdown win but I didn't want to be thinking that way during the game.

I am rooting all out for the Redskins. I hope they win by 5 touchdowns. All I care about in the world right now is the Redskins making the playoffs.

I know how that sounds. But it's honestly how I feel. When I wake up in the morning, the Eagles game and the playoffs are the first thing I think about.

Wysocki · Post by **Wysocki** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 7:17 pm

I'm a gambler too JPM, but you've got to find a better (bettor) system/method for your madness! But I won't "argue" with you anymore on this subject as it will only jinx you...I will selfishly accept any superstitions that help the Skins win...

EA7649 · Post by **EA7649** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 10:01 pm

During the Tampa game "on the review" and San Diego OT. I really had to go to the bathroom during key parts of the game. So i thought i wont go untill comercial, while i was suffering watching us lose those games and sitting there in anguish, i made a pact if i have to goto the bathroom IWILL go even in a key part of the game so i guess its working. Not like we had anynail biters. But we had a semi-nail biter when we were against the Cardinals when behind on that portis run for a TD that was reviewed to see if he went out.

You know what NO MORE SODA! maybe that could help

JPM36 · Post by **JPM36** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 2:00 am

Wysocki wrote:I'm a gambler too JPM, but you've got to find a better (bettor) system/method for your madness! But I won't "argue" with you anymore on this subject as it will only jinx you...I will selfishly accept any superstitions that help the Skins win...

Well I could've taken the points. I'd be lying if I said I didn't consider it when i saw the line move from 7 to 7.5. But this isn't about money. This is a bet that is SUPPOSED to lose. I want to lose. And I've been betting the moneylines for all 4 games prior to this. I bet Cardinals moneyline even tho I could've had Cardinals +4.5 (the Skins won that game by 4) and I chose to take the moneyline. I just want the Redskins to win, that's all that matters to me. I realize that the money I set aside specifically for gambling is going to be lost eventually anyways (I am a realist) and I feel like this helps the Redskins win. I know it's just a superstition but it's something I believe.

The Skins are 4-0 since I started betting against them. So how can I stop now? I owe it to the Redskins to keep going. Is my bet going to have any actual effect on the game? Of course not. But we are 4-0 since I started doing it, so how can I possibly stop now?

When I was packing up my stuff to go back to school after Thanksgiving break, I found my old Redskins socks from at least a half dozen years ago. I wore them the Sunday we played the Rams and we won. So I wore them the days we played Arizona, Dallas, and the Giants. That makes us 4-0 when I wear my old Redskins socks. Do I actually think me wearing my socks is the reason the Skins are on a 4 game winning streak? Of course not. But you can be damn sure that I will be struggling to squeeze my feet into them on Sunday morning.

The betting against the Redskins superstition is the same thing, albeit a more expensive one.

We all have to do our part, no matter how minor it may seem.

Wysocki · Post by **Wysocki** » Sun Jan 01, 2006 9:06 pm

Well, JPM, I guess you did it again!!!!!

JPM36 · Post by **JPM36** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 1:42 am

The Redskins are now 5-0 when I bet against them and 5-0 when I wear my Redskins socks.

I'm already looking at lines for next week!

redskingush · Post by **redskingush** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 1:27 pm

As a gambler I was even happier as Sean Taylor picked up that fumble and ran in the TD. Cha Ching$$$

No more betting on the favorite team in that kind of game, way more stress than I needed.

JPM36 · Post by **JPM36** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 1:12 pm

I bet on Bucs moneyline.

It's only half as much as I bet on the Eagles, but still it's a lot.

I had a big bet on USC to win the Rose Bowl so I can't really afford to go as big on Tampa as I would like.......freakin Vince Young.