What Lie Do You Tell Yourself Most Often About Your Betting?

[Klaus]

My lie: "I am teaching my children about mathematics and probability through betting."

Truth: I am teaching them that father prioritizes analysis over presence. They learn probability from school. They learn absence from me.

 

[oli_sussex]

My lie: "I left betting exchange job because better opportunities existed."

Truth: Left because becoming too isolated. Betting-focused career accelerated social withdrawal.

New job didn't solve problem. Still isolated. Still betting. Just different venue.

 

[CoachTony_Bets]

Another lie: "I only bet games I've properly analyzed."

Truth: I bet games because they're on TV and I want action. Then I do 5 minutes of analysis and call it "proper."

 

[TaffyTipster]

"I only bet when sober."

Massive lie.

I bet drunk all the time.

Tell myself I don't or that drunk bets "don't count" in my mental accounting.

They count. They lose. I pretend they don't exist.

 

[GoldenDice]

Confession time: What's the lie you tell yourself most often about your betting?

Not the lie you tell OTHER people. The lie you tell YOURSELF.

I'll go first: "Betting makes me a better coach because I understand the game analytically."

Truth: Betting makes me a more distracted coach because I'm thinking about spreads during practice. The "analytical understanding" is just rationalization for time I'd rather spend analyzing than coaching.

What's your self-deception?

“I’m due.” Even when I know better, it’s easy to slip into thinking the next run will balance things out.

 

[CoachTony_Bets]

“I’m due.” Even when I know better, it’s easy to slip into thinking the next run will balance things out.

Like most of us.

 

[SharpEddie47]

"I could stop betting anytime. I continue because I'm profitable."

Truth: I'm profitable but I'm also habituated. The ritual matters more than the profit.

Don't know if I could actually stop. Haven't tried.

 

[ParlayPrincess_88]

"I'll start tracking next week."

I've been saying this for a year.

Never start tracking because seeing the real numbers would hurt.

 

[FadeThePublic]

"This is the last bet tonight."

Say it every night.

Never is.

 

[DublinDegen]

"tomorrow ill do better"

never do better

same pattern every day every week every month

tell myself tomorrow is different

tomorrow is always the same...

 

[Klaus]

"Betting does not interfere with work productivity."

False. Time spent thinking about bets during work hours measurable.

Quality of work likely degraded. Refuse to acknowledge.

 

[oli_sussex]

"I'm efficient with betting. Only spend necessary time."

False. Hours spent researching bets on games that don't meet criteria.

Sunk time pretending to be productive. Actually procrastinating life.

 

[ThePuntingProf]

Another lie I tell myself: "My children understand that father has intellectual hobbies."

Truth: My children think their father cares more about football statistics than about them, they are not wrong, I have prioritized betting over attending their important events numerous times, I tell myself they understand but actually they feel neglected, I know this because my daughter mentioned it once and I dismissed it, telling myself she was being dramatic, she was not being dramatic she was being honest.

 

[TaffyTipster]

Prof your daughter told you and you dismissed it?

F**k mate that's heavy.

 

[CoachTony_Bets]

Prof that's the lie that hurts the most.

"They understand."

They don't. They just stopped mentioning it.

 

[SharpEddie47]

I don't have kids but I have that with my brother.

"My brother understands I'm busy on Sundays."

He doesn't understand. He stopped inviting me to things.

 

[ParlayPrincess_88]

You guys are making me realize I tell myself lies too:

"My friends think my betting is cute/funny."

They probably think it's annoying.

I talk about it too much.

They're polite but probably tired of it.

 

[FadeThePublic]

"My betting doesn't affect my relationships."

It does. People who know I bet seriously view me differently.

They don't say it but I can tell.

 

[TaffyTipster]

"I'm a fun drunk bettor, everyone loves betting with me at the pub."

Probably truth: I'm an annoying drunk bettor who talks too much about odds.

Mates tolerate it but probably wish I'd shut up sometimes.

 

[Klaus]

"My wife doesn't mind the betting time."

She minds. She has said so. I rationalize.

"But I'm profitable" I say.

She doesn't care about profit. She cares about presence.

I know this. I ignore it.