Has Betting Changed Who Your Friends Are?

[BgFutbol]

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?

Different priorities, I realized I like different kind of people now, the ones that are not so loud and outgoing.

 

[oli_sussex]

No one.

No partner. No friends. Family distant.

This forum is entire social life.

 

[ParlayPrincess_88]

I have lots of friends!

But now I'm realizing maybe they're getting tired of betting talk...

I probably talk about it too much...

 

[DublinDegen]

no one... lost girlfriend... family doesnt talk to me much... real friends gave up on me... only have betting forum usernames... dont even know if that counts as human connection...

 

[ThePuntingProf]

I have no one, my children speak to me occasionally but our conversations are perfunctory, they ask how I am and I say fine and we discuss logistics of upcoming holidays, they do not know I spend six hours daily analyzing football matches, they do not know I am desperately lonely, they do not know betting has consumed the space where a life should be, I tell them nothing of substance and they do not ask, this forum provides illusion of connection through shared interest but as Taffy noted it is not real friendship.

 

[TaffyTipster]

Prof please call your kids.

Tell them something real.

 

[SharpEddie47]

Has anyone here had a friend explicitly tell them the betting was too much?

Or did they just fade away?

 

[CoachTony_Bets]

I had a friend tell me.

About 5 years ago. Said "everything is about betting with you now."

I got defensive. Said he didn't understand the analytical challenge.

He said "I don't care about analytical challenges Tony, I want my friend back."

Haven't seen him since.

 

[FadeThePublic]

Damn Tony that's brutal.

And he was right.

 

[TaffyTipster]

My brother told me.

Said I missed our nephew's birthday party for Wales match.

Said I was becoming "obsessed."

I said he was overreacting.

He wasn't overreacting.

Don't see him much anymore.

 

[Klaus]

My wife told me.

Said children need father not analyst.

I said I was providing for family through profitable betting.

She said they need presence not profit.

I continued betting. Relationship deteriorated.

 

[ParlayPrincess_88]

Oh no you guys actually had people TELL you and you didn't listen?

That's really sad!

 

[SharpEddie47]

Princess most of us got warnings.

We all dismissed them.

Told ourselves they didn't understand.

They understood perfectly. We were the ones in denial.

 

[DublinDegen]

emma told me... my ex... said i cared more about betting than her... said i was on my phone constantly... said i talked about nothing else...

i said she was being dramatic... said she didnt understand...

she left... she was right... i was wrong...

but couldnt admit it then... cant fix it now...

 

[CoachTony_Bets]

Conor did you ever try to get her back?

 

[DublinDegen]

thought about it... but what would i say... "i still bet constantly but i miss you"... nothing changed... no point reaching out...

 

[oli_sussex]

Everyone received warnings. Everyone dismissed them.

Classic pattern. By the time you admit the warnings were valid, the people are gone.

 

[ThePuntingProf]

Margaret never explicitly warned me because we bet together so it was shared activity, but looking back I wonder if she would have preferred we do other things together, we spent twenty-five years discussing football when we could have traveled or pursued other hobbies, I will never know if she resented this because I never asked and now cannot ask, perhaps she tried to suggest other activities and I dismissed them in favor of betting analysis, my memory is selective and I may have ignored signals.

 

[TaffyTipster]

Prof that's haunting mate.

"I will never know if she resented this because I never asked and now cannot ask."

 

[SharpEddie47]

Has anyone successfully maintained non-betting friendships?

Or is the progression inevitable - betting dominates, friends leave, social circle narrows?