Might Bite
The Secret Life of a Gambling Addict
Published on 3. February 2022
Book
Hardback
256 pages
978-1-4729-9213-0 (ISBN)
Description
'An electrifying account of gambling addiction ... compelling' - The Times
'Searingly honest ... should be in the hands of anyone who has eyed a bet' - Daily Mail
'A remarkable piece of work' - The Cricketer
With a foreword by Marcus Trescothick.
For more than 12 years, Patrick Foster lived a double life. Turning 31, a popular and sociable young teacher and former professional cricketer, he had a lovely girlfriend and a supportive family. But he was hiding a secret and debilitating gambling addiction from even those closest to him.
Huge bets had led to huge debts, thousands of lies, and consequences for his mental health that pushed him to the edge of the platform at Slough station, where he was moments from taking his own life in March 2018.
That month Patrick had turned a GBP30 bet into GBP28,000, then lost GBP50,000 on a single horse, Might Bite, in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, watching the race in a silent classroom as his students undertook a mock exam in front of him. In his desperation, he had taken out every possible loan, and borrowed money from family, friends and even the parents of children he taught. Although his life was unravelling around him, he could not stop.
You might think that this is just one man's story. But problem gambling affects one in 200 people in the UK alone. Hundreds lose their lives annually as a result. The industry is worth more than GBP14 billion.
Might Bite is a shocking, cautionary tale of just how easy it is to fall victim to the insidious lure of 'winning big'. And of how recovery is possible from the depths of addiction, no matter how inescapable it seems.
'Searingly honest ... should be in the hands of anyone who has eyed a bet' - Daily Mail
'A remarkable piece of work' - The Cricketer
With a foreword by Marcus Trescothick.
For more than 12 years, Patrick Foster lived a double life. Turning 31, a popular and sociable young teacher and former professional cricketer, he had a lovely girlfriend and a supportive family. But he was hiding a secret and debilitating gambling addiction from even those closest to him.
Huge bets had led to huge debts, thousands of lies, and consequences for his mental health that pushed him to the edge of the platform at Slough station, where he was moments from taking his own life in March 2018.
That month Patrick had turned a GBP30 bet into GBP28,000, then lost GBP50,000 on a single horse, Might Bite, in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, watching the race in a silent classroom as his students undertook a mock exam in front of him. In his desperation, he had taken out every possible loan, and borrowed money from family, friends and even the parents of children he taught. Although his life was unravelling around him, he could not stop.
You might think that this is just one man's story. But problem gambling affects one in 200 people in the UK alone. Hundreds lose their lives annually as a result. The industry is worth more than GBP14 billion.
Might Bite is a shocking, cautionary tale of just how easy it is to fall victim to the insidious lure of 'winning big'. And of how recovery is possible from the depths of addiction, no matter how inescapable it seems.
Reviews / Votes
Powerful ... electrifying ... compelling ... challenges deep-seated class assumptions about gambling ... [which is] still regarded as a problem for poor people, for losers. You only have to read Foster's unflinching account of entitlement, self-hatred and degradation to know that is the biggest lie of all. -- Melanie Reid * The Times * [A] mesmerising, superbly written story of despair, decline and redemption ... Searingly honest ... compelling ... should be in the hands of anyone who has eyed a bet * Daily Mail * I don't think any book has gripped me like Might Bite. * Chris Evans * Gripping and harrowing ... enough to make any gambling enthusiast think carefully. * The Spectator * Reading of Foster's descent is itself compulsive * The i * An extraordinary story ... vital stuff -- Adrian Chiles * BBC Radio 5 Live * An in-depth testimony ... show[s] how anybody can fall prey to gambling addiction. * Daily Telegraph * A powerful story that I know only too well - a no-holds barred journey through gambling addiction and into the hope of recovery. -- Paul Merson A well written, ruthlessly honest account of gambling addiction -- Jimmy McGovern As a society, we are only just getting to grips with gambling addiction. Patrick Foster is a trailblazer. His work will help many. -- Marcus Trescothick A shocking insight into life with gambling addiction and proof that these issues really don't discriminate. -- Tom Curry, England rugby player Foster's compelling account of a once charmed life careering on a downward spiral proves [gambling addiction] can affect anyone. * Bristol Post * A must read journey through gambling addiction and out the other side - ultimately uplifting. -- Charlotte Edwards CBE, ex-professional cricketer and England captain This story will stop you in your tracks. -- Sam Billings, England cricketer Might Bite is beautifully written -- Charlie Baker * TalkSport * A powerful read and a hell of a story -- Paul Hawksbee * TalkSport * A remarkable piece of work * The Cricketer * You should all read Might Bite...a brutally candid, must-read memoir co-written with Will Macpherson, the Evening Standard cricket correspondent that ought to transcend the world of elite sport. * The Cricketer * A brilliant memoir which exposes the scale of this addiction -- Caroline Sanderson * The Bookseller * Astonishing...Might Bite is a harrowing tale of the final moments of a gambler's descent to near destruction, but it's a tale that demands to be told. * Racing Post * A must - electrifying confessions of a high-achieving public schoolboy who destroyed himself with a secret betting addiction -- Melanie Reid * The Times *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 135 mm
Weight
368 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4729-9213-0 (9781472992130)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
02/2022
1st Edition
Bloomsbury Sport
€10.49
Available for download
Persons
Patrick Foster is a former professional cricketer, insurance broker and school teacher whose life was shattered by a pathological gambling addiction. He now devotes his life to preventing others following the same path through his work with EPIC Risk Management, the leading gambling harm-minimisation consultancy in the UK.
Will Macpherson is a sports journalist. For the last two years he has been the Evening Standard's cricket and rugby correspondent. Before joining the Evening Standard, he worked mainly for the Guardian and the Times.
Will Macpherson is a sports journalist. For the last two years he has been the Evening Standard's cricket and rugby correspondent. Before joining the Evening Standard, he worked mainly for the Guardian and the Times.
Content
Foreword by Marcus Trescothick
March 2018
October 2006
June 2007
January 2010
August 2011
July 2012
October 2014
January 2016
December 2016
March 2017
August 2017
January 2018
March 2018
At the time of writing
Reflections from recovery
References
Acknowledgements
March 2018
October 2006
June 2007
January 2010
August 2011
July 2012
October 2014
January 2016
December 2016
March 2017
August 2017
January 2018
March 2018
At the time of writing
Reflections from recovery
References
Acknowledgements