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The True Face Of Trump Derangement Syndrome
“All-in” on Trump.
Manchester, 2012. Lewis Bigmore places his first-ever bet, aged 16, and wins £64,000 ($80,000). He realises immediately that this is a life-changing moment, he just doesn’t realise that it will change his life for the worse.
By 18, now hooked on gambling, Lewis was over £40,000 ($50,500) in debt, and over the next eleven years lost a further £80,000:
Addiction is like a massive grasp on you […] It’ll keep you down, but whilst you’re in the moment, whilst you’re properly involved in whatever addiction you’ve got […] [you’ll] be deluded into thinking it’s making [you] feel really good.
Cheltenham, 2018. After twelve years of gambling addiction, Patrick Foster places one final bet at the Cheltenham Gold Cup horse race.
Even after losing his house and his job, even after stealing money from 113 friends and acquaintances, Patrick had convinced himself that this bet would turn it all around. His horse loses.
I always say to people, I can’t explain the feeling it gave me because I’d never had it before. And weirdly, I’d never have it again. It gave me a rush and buzz like nothing else […] People talk about drugs, that was definitely my drug.