re: Guy absolutely rips into sports gambling

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As someone who’s been a staunch Libertarian for most of my life, I’ve had to rethink some of my positions.

Legalized gambling and porn are two things that are wrecking young men. Marijuana isn’t helping either.

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I’m specifically starting to appreciate that the “gray zone” where a lot of this shite existed about 10–20 years ago was ideal. Officially illegal, inappropriate for public facing content like cable TV, socially censured… but if you did it in the privacy of your own home, the cops weren’t coming to kick your door in and throw you in the slammer. That puts enough friction in the way of the average person getting deeply involved in it while not going as far as throwing degens in jail, which seems like the right line to thread.

Alcohol should be here too but I know that’s not going to go over as easily

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Then you’re not really a Libertarian… I believe the freedom to frick yourself up (without affecting others) is true freedom

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That’s kind of what I meant. I’ve had to abandon some of those positions. So I’m not a libertarian anymore.

The key to what you said is “without affecting others”

These people are affecting us. Our workforce has fallen apart. We losing our functional and productive society. It’s very naïve to think you can throw all these people on the trash heap and assume there will be no repercussions for the rest of us.

I don’t think we should make sports gambling illegal. I don’t think you should be able to advertise it, and I think it should have to be done in person.

My signup bonuses lasted me a while. I was placing small bets a pretty good bit, but recently went all in and lost. Wasn't a big deal because it was all promotional bonus bets.

I decided to quit just to see the effects it has on me watching sports, and man...it's totally screwed with my love for sports. I loved college basketball, and could watch any teams play and just enjoy it. Same for MMA. Sports betting put a different spin on things and I was enjoying the additional dopamine hit I was getting.

Maybe I'll get back into it at some point. I don't place large bets, but it make for some entertainment...it also robs the entertainment of just enjoying the pure sport. I guess it's like everything else in society...looking for additional dopamine hits.

Guy in our neighborhood committed suicide... Wife had no reason why he did it... Turned out he had hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of gambling debt, wife didn't even know it...

You have to start betting golf. The sweat on Sundays are incredibly. Just last weekend was amazing when Lowry choked a 3 shot lead with 4 to play.

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I decided to quit just to see the effects it has on me watching sports,

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Playing in an NFL Fantasy league affected how I watched NFL games. I can't imagine what it would be like if there was money on the line.

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Im not real sure what you just said walrus but you sound like you might be a gambling attic yourself! Call a hotline and get some help before you loose it all and possibly even your own family because of your own greed!

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People only call you an addict if you lose. If you are winning then you are a professional gambler.

When you can bet on the results of PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING matches (if you can get a hold of the script, you can't lose), you know it's out of control.

What's next? Whether Macbeth lives or dies?

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This is my biggest complaint. I throw 5 bucks here and there on a game or parlay but was watching a football game last season at a friend’s house and this other guy there was non stop yapping about his 75 different parlays and what was hitting and what wasn’t etc. I’m just trying to enjoy the game man

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I do not gamble; like everyone else here, I think I could make educated guesses and win more than I lose. But that's just it; everyone thinks that, but the house still wins. No one cares about other's bets, least of all, me. Anytime someone talks about their bets, I always hope they lose, just for wasting my time. Sports gambling and pornography are terrible and they ruin people, but it makes an extraordinary amount of money, because people are easily manipulated.