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Why didn't we all have a bet

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Hoganstand you should be ashamed running the story about how we could have been millionaires had we bet 5 euro on those results over the weekend. I find the post deplorable given the epidemic of gambling addiction in this nation not least among the gaa

KeshGFC (Fermanagh) - Posts: 334 - 10/07/2017 22:07:08    2014549

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Replying To KeshGFC:  "Hoganstand you should be ashamed running the story about how we could have been millionaires had we bet 5 euro on those results over the weekend. I find the post deplorable given the epidemic of gambling addiction in this nation not least among the gaa"
A tad harsh?

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6480 - 11/07/2017 08:43:47    2014695

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Replying To slayer:  "A tad harsh?"
No, they should not be running such stories. Gambling is an epidemic in this country, particularly among younger people.

Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 11/07/2017 14:24:03    2014976

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Replying To slayer:  "A tad harsh?"
Harsh ... speak to the 1000s of shattered families across the county destroyed by gambling and ask them if its harsh ... it's a silent epidemic... ever tried gambling online ... u are encouraged when u lose a lot and you are curtailed when u win ... sure go on have a first bet free on us ... like a pusher slipping a free sample thru the letter box

KeshGFC (Fermanagh) - Posts: 334 - 11/07/2017 18:16:03    2015129

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Replying To KeshGFC:  "Harsh ... speak to the 1000s of shattered families across the county destroyed by gambling and ask them if its harsh ... it's a silent epidemic... ever tried gambling online ... u are encouraged when u lose a lot and you are curtailed when u win ... sure go on have a first bet free on us ... like a pusher slipping a free sample thru the letter box"
KeshGFC, I like the odd accumulator of €5 or €5 draw during the GAA season with the bookies, but personallly I wouldn't go near online gambling.

lilywhite1 (Kildare) - Posts: 2989 - 11/07/2017 18:52:48    2015161

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Replying To KeshGFC:  "Harsh ... speak to the 1000s of shattered families across the county destroyed by gambling and ask them if its harsh ... it's a silent epidemic... ever tried gambling online ... u are encouraged when u lose a lot and you are curtailed when u win ... sure go on have a first bet free on us ... like a pusher slipping a free sample thru the letter box"
You're right. It is everywhere and it's dangerous. What's more, a bit like alcohol, it's easily accessible and while most can drink and gamble responsibly it can be a crippling addiction for some.

But I don't agree that Hoganstand having a humorous article about a few matches with astronomical odds is promoting gambling.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7337 - 11/07/2017 19:03:24    2015170

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thought it was a silly and pointless article. Like not one person in the country would have had it? sure there was a draw in Louth SFC as well, why not put that in it and have odds at 10000000/1??

Frederick (Louth) - Posts: 479 - 11/07/2017 19:20:15    2015182

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Totally agree with the sentiment of the post. Gambling has become so "acceptable" yet ruins people's lives. You can usually tell when someone has an alcohol problem but gambling is diferent, it explodes at some point and usually when that person can't go any lower. It's as big a problem but so many talk about the odd bet and tell when they have a winner but not about the deep debt they are already in. Not their fault, it's an addiction

Sindar (Roscommon) - Posts: 348 - 11/07/2017 19:29:59    2015197

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...and maybe we shouldn't publicise Lotto wins either in case 0.001% get addicted to it! Pointless post really.

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 12/07/2017 09:59:39    2015408

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Replying To KeshGFC:  "Harsh ... speak to the 1000s of shattered families across the county destroyed by gambling and ask them if its harsh ... it's a silent epidemic... ever tried gambling online ... u are encouraged when u lose a lot and you are curtailed when u win ... sure go on have a first bet free on us ... like a pusher slipping a free sample thru the letter box"
Yeah I had an account for 6 years. I lost a hefty amount on a game once and closed my account.

I take your point, I just think there is a light hearted nature to betting and maybe that's what the article was aiming at.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6480 - 12/07/2017 10:25:18    2015423

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Replying To Sindar:  "Totally agree with the sentiment of the post. Gambling has become so "acceptable" yet ruins people's lives. You can usually tell when someone has an alcohol problem but gambling is diferent, it explodes at some point and usually when that person can't go any lower. It's as big a problem but so many talk about the odd bet and tell when they have a winner but not about the deep debt they are already in. Not their fault, it's an addiction"
I agree totally with the sentiment of your post but just disagree with your last line.

At the heart of any addiction there is a choice. That's the power the addict has over their own addiction.

It is their fault. That's not to demonise them either but it should be recognised that they are making the choice to gamble, to drink, to shoot up etc.

To say that doesn't mean that we as a society should not examine how we facilitate people to make those choices and that we shouldn't help addicts to make the right choices.

It's very important imo, that addicts remember that they have a choice. Sometimes people don't see that choice and other times there is no one there to help facilitate the right choices.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13705 - 12/07/2017 10:58:13    2015440

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Replying To slayer:  "Yeah I had an account for 6 years. I lost a hefty amount on a game once and closed my account.

I take your point, I just think there is a light hearted nature to betting and maybe that's what the article was aiming at."
As someone who has struggled with Gambling Demons all his life and will continue to do so till I hit my grave I was not offended nor did I think the ad was in bad taste , I live with gambling decision's everyday of my life ,
for me I can find it hard to watch Sky and in particular football which seems to have sold its soul to the betting industry , you cant watch a game without being encouraged to have a bet , look at the amount of shirts with betting companies as their sponsor , oh but a short message if the fun stops stop who are they kidding.

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 12/07/2017 10:58:17    2015441

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Gambling can be damaging as can be drinking, smoking, wreckless driving etc. However folk can enjoy all of these if behaving responsible. I will honestly be amazed if folk get addicted to anything reading an article on HS (outside an obsession with Diarmuid Connolly)

What do we do? Stop any articles about folk having a drink in case it shows young folk how great it is to get hammered? Like it on not, folk love reading these articles in the same way they read about Euromillion tickets. We cannot put cotton wool around everything out there to stop addiction. Many reasons for addiction but would put flippant articles on sport websites as extremely low risk. Lighten up folks.

poguemahone (Dublin) - Posts: 365 - 12/07/2017 11:58:25    2015486

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One of the best things my dad ever did for me was to get me to run a bet for him one Saturday afternoon when I was 17. The characters I saw inside the betting shop, on a beautiful summer's day, put me off gambling for life.

Still, the article in question seems harmless enough tbh.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 12/07/2017 12:14:21    2015502

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Replying To Gleebo:  "One of the best things my dad ever did for me was to get me to run a bet for him one Saturday afternoon when I was 17. The characters I saw inside the betting shop, on a beautiful summer's day, put me off gambling for life.

Still, the article in question seems harmless enough tbh."
the problem is,you no longer need to see the bowsies in the betting office.you can now do it all on your phone.

perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 12/07/2017 12:34:56    2015513

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As the years and days go by I find myself more and more questioning what has gone wrong with society. Everything has to have a cause and a preventative action - no matter how Draconian. Everyone has to be pigeonholed in some way or another. We have people who go out of their way to show people they are different to the rest of society then complain that society is treating them different. We have people who show Moral outrage at things like a lion being killed but then are completely indifferent to human atrocities throughout the world. We have people complaining about things which haven't happened to them, have no bearing on their lives yet they feel it is their right to make noise about it. Most of all we have people who are insignificant in the grander scheme of this life/planet we live on who through their actions or deeds to bring misery on others but think that is OK.

Hoganstand posted an article which showed you what you could have won had you put a bet on - so what! It may come as news to some but there are people who can gamble responsibly (in the same way that people can drink responsibly and even take drugs responsibly) and that snippet of information may be interesting to them. As poguemahone said - where does it all stop!

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 12/07/2017 13:13:05    2015552

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Replying To Offside_Rule:  "As the years and days go by I find myself more and more questioning what has gone wrong with society. Everything has to have a cause and a preventative action - no matter how Draconian. Everyone has to be pigeonholed in some way or another. We have people who go out of their way to show people they are different to the rest of society then complain that society is treating them different. We have people who show Moral outrage at things like a lion being killed but then are completely indifferent to human atrocities throughout the world. We have people complaining about things which haven't happened to them, have no bearing on their lives yet they feel it is their right to make noise about it. Most of all we have people who are insignificant in the grander scheme of this life/planet we live on who through their actions or deeds to bring misery on others but think that is OK.

Hoganstand posted an article which showed you what you could have won had you put a bet on - so what! It may come as news to some but there are people who can gamble responsibly (in the same way that people can drink responsibly and even take drugs responsibly) and that snippet of information may be interesting to them. As poguemahone said - where does it all stop!"
Excellent piece ,
and your right ,
my issues with gambling are MY issues , responsibility is with me as an adult , I brought the SKY piece up as I've never ever heard a negative word said about their very pro bookmakers stance which is in stark contrast to a light-hearted article from HS

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 12/07/2017 13:30:00    2015560

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Replying To Offside_Rule:  "As the years and days go by I find myself more and more questioning what has gone wrong with society. Everything has to have a cause and a preventative action - no matter how Draconian. Everyone has to be pigeonholed in some way or another. We have people who go out of their way to show people they are different to the rest of society then complain that society is treating them different. We have people who show Moral outrage at things like a lion being killed but then are completely indifferent to human atrocities throughout the world. We have people complaining about things which haven't happened to them, have no bearing on their lives yet they feel it is their right to make noise about it. Most of all we have people who are insignificant in the grander scheme of this life/planet we live on who through their actions or deeds to bring misery on others but think that is OK.

Hoganstand posted an article which showed you what you could have won had you put a bet on - so what! It may come as news to some but there are people who can gamble responsibly (in the same way that people can drink responsibly and even take drugs responsibly) and that snippet of information may be interesting to them. As poguemahone said - where does it all stop!"
Very succinctly put.

The Internet has improved our lives immeasurably but has also given a platform for people to rant and rave all the live long day about things.
Now I'm not dismissing the OP's point completely. Gambling is a a serious problem for many. But like MesAmis says, there is always a choice.
Choose to bet. Choose not to bet. Choose to seek help if you can't stop yourself from betting.
I commend anyone who puts their hand up and admits they have a problem. But it is their choice to make that decision in the first place. No one can make that for them. Everyone has a responsibility to themselves and Hoganstand is hardly twisting the arms of us all here to head heedlessly to the bookies to part with our money.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9116 - 12/07/2017 13:32:39    2015562

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Replying To Offside_Rule:  "As the years and days go by I find myself more and more questioning what has gone wrong with society. Everything has to have a cause and a preventative action - no matter how Draconian. Everyone has to be pigeonholed in some way or another. We have people who go out of their way to show people they are different to the rest of society then complain that society is treating them different. We have people who show Moral outrage at things like a lion being killed but then are completely indifferent to human atrocities throughout the world. We have people complaining about things which haven't happened to them, have no bearing on their lives yet they feel it is their right to make noise about it. Most of all we have people who are insignificant in the grander scheme of this life/planet we live on who through their actions or deeds to bring misery on others but think that is OK.

Hoganstand posted an article which showed you what you could have won had you put a bet on - so what! It may come as news to some but there are people who can gamble responsibly (in the same way that people can drink responsibly and even take drugs responsibly) and that snippet of information may be interesting to them. As poguemahone said - where does it all stop!"
Very true. That is the way it is in Ireland/world in 2017, no more putting things in perspective. One of the biggest gambling attractions there is the lotto/Euromillions. TV promotes it live, tells people that must buy a ticket to win. TV shows are saturated with expensive phone ins to try win a prize. These are the new increases in gambling to the traditional sport bettings. They also attract households who'd have never spent a penny on gambling. However no stigma attached to them so no outrage. Only a bit of fun unlike having a bet in your bookies. Fantastic marketing.

I would be stunned if 'new gamblers' were attracted to the idea of becoming rich from an obscure GAA draw accumulator (involving eh WM county matches?). If anything the article was highlighting the unusual amount of GAA draws in one particular weekend. Showing the odds you'd have got was just to underline how bizarre the occurrence was. Would stand corrected if anyone at Gamblers anonymous can tell me of a case of someone standing up to say "My addiction started when reading about this hypothetical GAA draw accumulator on a relatively niche GAA site"

poguemahone (Dublin) - Posts: 365 - 12/07/2017 14:48:09    2015626

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Replying To perfect10:  "the problem is,you no longer need to see the bowsies in the betting office.you can now do it all on your phone."
True, though in my case I was never tempted to bet online either, no matter how authoritative a tone Ray Winstone takes :)

Regarding the Lottery and Euromillions, at least the money one spends on the ticket goes to funds social causes (including GAA clubs) across the country, so I'd class them as slightly different from the for-profit enterprises.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 12/07/2017 16:00:48    2015675

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