How and Why I Conned the Bookies: Lessons from a Loser for Gamblers the World Over

How and Why I Conned the Bookies is the true story of a gambler out of control. Author Jason Haddigan spent much of his life on the road, scamming bookmakers to fuel a gambling addiction that simply meant him returning virtually every penny in lost bets. It is a roller-coaster story that begins on England’s south coast as a child feeding fruit machines with pocket money and only ends following his extradition from the USA after playing and losing in the casinos of Las Vegas. In-between are his daunting accounts of a chaotic early life in the shadow of his father, also an inveterate gambler one step ahead of his creditors, always needing to sell up, move on, and finally to go on the run. It tells of how the parallel world of gambling can destroy everything: marriages, relationships, home life and all normal values. A compelling, true account of problem gambling. Opens-up a twilight world of betting, casinos and scams. Highlights temptation and manipulation of gamblers. Highly topical due to Parliamentary and media debates.

Extract: ‘A few days later, I got myself a job in Debenhams. I was working in their sports store and found myself selling sports equipment to literally anyone that came in… I only lasted a week though. Poker and the evil roulette tables were more important than selling rowing machines.’