Has Betting Changed Who Your Friends Are?

[oli_sussex]

Question: Has betting changed your social circle?

Realized recently I have no non-betting friends. Everyone I interact with either bets or tolerates betting talk.

Lost contact with university friends who weren't interested in sports. Stopped getting invited to things because always said no (games on).

Now: betting forum is primary social interaction. No deep friendships. Just surface-level odds discussion.

Has betting narrowed your social circle? Or am I uniquely isolated?

 

[SharpEddie47]

This hits hard Oli.

I've definitely lost friends. Had a close friend from college - we'd talk about everything. Music, politics, life stuff.

Started betting seriously around 2010. Our conversations became 80% sports betting. He wasn't interested. Started replying less. Eventually stopped replying at all.

I told myself he changed. Truth: I changed. I became one-dimensional.

Now most of my "friends" are people I met through betting forums or Twitter. We never talk about anything except sports and lines.

 

[FadeThePublic]

Yeah I've noticed this.

Used to have diverse friend group. Different interests. Deep conversations.

Now? My friends are mostly other contrarian bettors. We talk about fading the public, line movement, nothing else.

Had a buddy who loved hiking. Used to go with him every weekend. Started skipping for NFL Sundays. He stopped asking.

Don't even remember when we last spoke.

 

[CoachTony_Bets]

This is concerning to admit but yes.

I'm a high school coach so I have work colleagues. But outside work? My "friends" are betting people.

I used to have poker nights with college buddies. Started bringing up betting constantly. They got bored. Stopped inviting me.

Now my social life is this forum and a couple betting Discord servers.

That's not healthy.

 

[TaffyTipster]

My pub mates are all betting mates.

That's our whole relationship - watching matches and betting.

Do I know anything about their lives? Not really.

Do they know about mine? Probably not.

We know each other's betting opinions though.

Is that friendship? Don't think so.

 

[BetStorm_09]

I think betting can definitely shift social circles a bit. You naturally end up talking more with people who understand the swings, the bad beats, and the grind. At the same time, I’ve noticed it’s important not to let it become the only thing you connect over. Have you found it’s brought you closer to certain friends, or pushed some away?

 

[Betting Forum]

I think betting can definitely shift social circles a bit. You naturally end up talking more with people who understand the swings, the bad beats, and the grind. At the same time, I’ve noticed it’s important not to let it become the only thing you connect over. Have you found it’s brought you closer to certain friends, or pushed some away?

Closer to the wrong people and further from the important people but I taught myself to behave differently and fix it.

 

[ParlayPrincess_88]

I don't think I've lost friends?

But I do talk about betting A LOT and I can see my friends' eyes glaze over sometimes lol

Like I'll be excited about a parlay and they're like "that's nice" but clearly don't care

Maybe they're getting annoyed and I don't realize it yet?

 

[Klaus]

Have no non-betting friends.

Colleagues at work: professional relationship only.
Family: strained due to betting time allocation.
Online: betting forums exclusively.

Social circle reduced to virtual betting discussions.

Cannot recall last meaningful personal conversation with peer.

 

[DublinDegen]

lost all my real friends... they got tired of me talking about betting constantly... tried to warn me i had a problem... i got defensive... they stopped trying...

now my "friends" are usernames on betting forums... dont know their real names... dont know anything about them except their betting opinions...

most isolated ive ever been... betting filled the space where friendships used to be...

 

[ThePuntingProf]

This is quite painful to acknowledge but accurate, after Margaret died I withdrew from our mutual friends because they reminded me of her, I told myself I needed space but actually I was choosing betting over human connection, betting was easier than grief, now two years later those friendships are gone, I have colleagues from my previous academic career but we no longer speak regularly, my primary social interaction is this forum where we discuss Expected Goals and Poisson distributions, I know your betting philosophies but nothing about your actual lives, this is not friendship it is transactional interaction around a shared compulsion, I am profoundly lonely but betting fills time so I pretend I am fine.

 

[TaffyTipster]

Prof mate.

That's devastating.

"Not friendship it is transactional interaction around a shared compulsion."

That's exactly what this forum is.

 

[SharpEddie47]

Prof that hit me hard.

"I know your betting philosophies but nothing about your actual lives."

I've been on this forum for years. I know everyone's ROI. Don't know anyone's last name.

 

[CoachTony_Bets]

Prof I'm really sorry man.

That level of isolation isn't okay.

But you're right that this forum isn't real friendship.

 

[FadeThePublic]

Question: Do any of you have ONE friend you can talk to about non-betting stuff?

Someone who knows you beyond sports?

 

[SharpEddie47]

My wife. That's it.

And even with her, I talk about betting more than she wants.

 

[CoachTony_Bets]

Same. My wife.

But she's tired of hearing about it.

Outside of her? No one.

 

[TaffyTipster]

Bronwyn (my wife).

The lads at the pub but only betting talk.

No other real friends.

F**k that's depressing when I say it out loud.

 

[Klaus]

Wife. Children (though conversations superficial).

No friends outside family.

 

[SpinAndWin]

You’re not alone in that. Betting can slowly narrow your circle without you realizing it. The real question is whether it’s adding to your life or replacing other parts of it. Do you want to rebuild those old connections, or are your priorities just different now?