Sorry for your loss, such a sad story.
I gambled back in the pre online days and loved thinking I had a chance to win a few bob, but overtime I found I was neither good or bad and spending too much time trying so stopped, no instant stop but sort of lost interest.
Anyway while at work last year I started to hear one of the lads was doing well on football betting so had a good chat with him.
Cash out was the name of the game he told me and to be honest he was picking up a grand some weeks, I was starting to think this modern gambling could be the winner.
I didn't do anything but always asked how he was doing bet wise, not so good he started to reply which led to more detail chat's.
I realized that the bookie's can't be beaten, everyone who bets have computers tracking every bet with algorithm's.
The master plan from bookie's is simple.
1- advertise and give free bets.
2 - over payment on cash outs for a decent spell, some seem like printing money.
3- lower the cash out so instead of cashing out mid bet your almost forced to ride the bet out so your chances of getting all of the bet up is much harder.
4- here's the kicker, if you still turn a profit they will close your account. It's not those mythical gamblers who get accounts suspended, I imagine it happens with anyone making regular returns.
Algorithm's doing all the work, no guessing, flagging up the risk punter's and protecting the bookie's profits.
Sorry to all you who like a gamble, the fun stopped with the invention of the internet....
No wonder gambling companies are raking in the cash, the sooner people understand how they legally fish you in until they bleed you dry then these sad cases will continue.
Good luck with your quest, you could save many a heartbreaking story like your own.
