Winner: Would You Stop Gambling if This Were a Piece of Cake and Raked in a Huge Profit?

By Thanos Apos and Dimitris Thanasoulas

Would you stop gambling if this were a piece of cake and... raked in huge profit?

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Apr 4, 2017
• ISBN: 9781483591971

Book preview

Epilogue

The Most Difficult Thing

The most difficult thing about the present book is how to convince those it addresses, so that they will read it from cover to cover, and not just bits and pieces. There are two categories of incredulous readers:

The it doesn’t concern me ones

So, you think that this book is of no concern to you as you wager only 30 dollars (or euros) a week, you play safe, not just like the others, the losers. Well, I’ve got news for you.

You have a gambling addiction, even if you have the upper hand, and play safe throughout your life. Just because you will only lose a small apartment with the amounts of money you bet on a weekly basis, and not all your life belongings, doesn’t mean you’re one of the winners of gambling, or those who are not addicted.

Just as someone who has 5 cigarettes a day is a smoker, even if he doesn’t smoke 3 packets, as a chain smoker, so are you addicted to gambling, since you bet regularly. You shouldn’t fall for the fact that your life isn’t ruined yet.

All those heavily addicted to gambling, all those who lost their fortunes, held everything in check, just like you do. They are bright, honest people with a family and a job. They’re not aliens or criminals. They are normal, everyday people, just like you, and sometimes they are even brighter than you and me.

The I’m hopeless ones

Someone under the sway of a heavy addiction and constant compulsive gambling thinks that nothing can save him or her but, even if they could, they wouldn’t like to stop. All they want is gamble all the time. That’s why I kept this book short enough to read through within two hours—even for those who don’t read books.

Dear Gambler, do not stop gambling just because you’ve begun to read this book. Keep at your daily schedule but, please, do me a favor: devote some of your limited time to it when relaxed and lucid. Take a look at what I’m writing, which will lead you TO PROFITS YOU CAN’T EVEN IMAGINE. If you like profits as much as I do, then we speak the same language, and you have to listen to me. After you receive these profits, then I’ll tell you how you can make your own contribution to this cause, so that everyone in your position can benefit.

An unexpected beginning

In this book, you won’t read what you expect to read, like, for example, stop gambling, or you’ll lose money. This is something gamblers know and experience far better than anyone else. Yet, as it seems, this knowledge alone can’t save them from addiction. Real life confirms that. Gamblers, although they play against all odds, still carry on. That’s why I don’t consider a constant reminder of financial loss an effective deterrent to gambling.

Not to mention the fact that some people, no matter how few of them, WIN, while others, just a handful of them, come by immense fortunes. Don’t believe those who claim that EVERYBODY loses.

•There are the big lottery winners, who wallow in oodles of money

•There are quite a few who have won thousands of dollars, and solved some financial problems

•Finally, there are those who have won small amounts. They didn’t get rich, but… the money was more than welcome!

Later on, I’ll give you their exact numbers in each category.

In the present book, I won’t tell you about the money down the drain, unlike all the other books. I will tell you mainly about the money gamblers win! I won’t tell you about the horrible stories of sorrow, ruin, and suicide that gambling is littered with, like we see on TV, but I’ll talk to you about real PLEASURE. Even if some people deny it, you have experienced it, my dear gamblers, and know that it is something amazing, like you are on the crest of a wave.

I admit it. Up to now, I sound like a representative of gambling companies, as if dictated by them. However, just like gambling, this book is not what it seems on the face of it…

It is the book that will kill without mercy your big or small addiction to gambling, without any suffering involved on your part. Maybe, this assertion sounds far-fetched but, if you re-read this insane page after you finish this book, it will sound absolutely sensible.

My story in brief

My first encounter with gambling was in my childhood years, when we played card games with relatives on New Year’s Eve. I have an addictive nature. Others are completely impervious to the emotions of a game. Ever since I was a little boy, I’ve always felt the excitement of playing.

In my university years, I was passionate about football pools. I remember delving into the Sunday match. A goalpost, a penalty, or a parry were often the reasons why some bright victories slipped through my fingers. I wagered many bets, which secured some great victories, as well as some major losses. I was always self-controlled. When losses far exceeded a certain limit, I stopped. As for other lucky games, I rarely gave in. However, whatever I say about lucky games holds for all forms of gambling (keno, scratch cards, horse races, one-armed bandits, poker, and so on).

Let’s go back to blackjack, which is my biggest passion. I studied the game from a mathematical point of view, and visited the casino on quite a few occasions. Of course, I played at internet casinos much more often. I thought I could win. I had wins and losses, with small amounts involved each time—nothing out of the ordinary. Throughout my life, I estimate that I’ve lost about 3,000 dollars—a petty loss compared to how many games I’ve played. I was just lucky.

In early 2016, I thought I had to finish my book on gambling, which I started writing years ago. So, I thought of playing again to have some hands-on experience. I wanted to live as a heavily addicted gambler for a few days. I made a rough estimate of the amount I would need—600 dollars—, and started playing online blackjack.

I lost my first 200 after quite some time. I lost the other 200 very fast. Naught… Then, I chipped in my remaining 200 dollars. After a few ups and downs, the impossible happened. I won 9,800 dollars! I was close to 10,000!

The night was magic, festive… I was on another dimension. I thought I’d been playing for a couple of hours but, when I gazed at my watch, I realized more than 5 hours had passed. I had lost track of time, which is what most gamblers often claim to experience. I had had a few drinks, as well. I was in a fairy-tale.

I decided to stop, but I found it hard. I placed my last bet, and promised to myself that, if I lost, I was going to stop for good. I did lose, and stopped at 9,014 dollars. Still, I felt a nagging need to carry on. As I was aware of the dangers and nature of gambling, I decided not to play anymore, and take that money, which was sorely needed. I would have sworn not to play anymore. I was so sure and happy. I took a screenshot of my profits, and shared it with my Facebook friends that happened to be online at 3 in the morning. I was intoxicated! I was thinking what to do with the money.

What? You need to hear more? There’s nothing more to be told. I am intelligent enough to know when to stop. It’s as simple as that.

Lie

A half truth is a whole lie.

— Jewish proverb

You believed me? You should have known better. Sure I carried on! At the end of the story, I told you a petty lie. Everything went as I said, but after a week I played again (that was much too