A former England footballer, Paul Merson has opened up on his darkest gambling moments as he confessed that his demons are back again.
Paul Merson made this known as he sobbed on ITV’s Harry’s Heroes show saying:
“My gambling is out of control.”
The 50 year old who has seven children with three wives continued:
“I’m struggling with life at the moment. Gambling. I’ve lost control completely again.”
“I placed some silly wagers, £60,000 here, £80,000 there.
“My system was all over the place and I was gambling on absolutely anything and everything.
“I’d ring up the bookie and bet £10,000 on who would be the first batsman out at Lord’s that day. I was off my head.”
Paul Merson confessed that at a point he was so hooked on betting that he told his pregnant wife to drive herself to hospital because he was monitoring bets in an American football game.
“I was such an addict I even felt low when I won.”
He revealed how he got hooked on cocaine and also how he figured out that his gambling is motivated by his drinking habit.
“You have so much time on your hands… My life was completely and utterly out of control.
“I was major, major taking cocaine. I haven’t taken drugs since 1994, but it wouldn’t take long.
“Being an addict is hard… Addiction is a strong thing. It is weird how it takes you.
“I’m playing for England and have all the money in the world and yet I want to kill myself. I was lower than low.
“On the show, I talked a lot about my gambling, but afterwards, when I looked at the issues – it was the drinking.
“I realised the deep thing was the drink. If I have a drink, I have a bet. So I am not going to have a drink now.
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