Patrick Foster on his new book and gambling addiction - "the bet that changed my world"

Virgin Radio

21 Mar 2022, 12:32

Ex-professional cricketer Patrick Foster bravely opened up about his struggles with gambling addiction in his brand new book ‘Might Bite: The Secret Life of a Gambling Addict’, and while on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky, he revealed the moment he decided to turn his life around for good. 

For over 12 years, Patrick lived a double life. After first gambling while at university in Durham, the sportsman’s life turned upside down after his cricketing career ended, and he started working in insurance in London and then onto teaching. 

Patrick was soon borrowing money from anyone and everyone to feed his addiction, and with big wins came even bigger losses, and he eventually ended up with ‘a quarter of a million pounds worth of pure gambling debt’. 

It was the 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup which eventually led to rock bottom for Patrick. He placed a £50,000 bet on a horse called Might Bite, but when the horse lost by a single length, Patrick’s world came crashing down. 

Now, four years later, Patrick is dedicating his time to helping others with similar struggles, and explained to Chris why he decided to name the book after the horse that cost him everything. 

Patrick said: “It was the bet that kind of changed my world. It wasn't actually quite my final bet. But four years ago, tomorrow, that was the time I placed my last bet. And I put a huge amount of money on a horse called Might Bite during the Cheltenham Festival that came second. I always say it's the best thing that ever happened to me. But at the time, it wasn't because my world came crashing down.”

At his lowest, Patrick described his addiction as a ‘full time job’. He added: “It was exhausting. I used to go into school, and if you ask most, well, I'd hoped most of the kids that I taught, they would probably think I was probably the last person that had a problem because I went to such a degree to hide it or to make sure that I was covering it up. 

“Then when I was behind closed doors, it would just break me. I was exhausted, but I just kept doing it over and over again. And this kind of spiral of just nothingness.

“I borrowed money off anyone and everybody, all rationality went out the window. It was just pure desperation. And I kind of took advantage of the situation I was in. I was very aware that I was surrounded by money. People liked me,  respected me, were worried about me, and I took advantage of that. And I'm not proud of it at all. But it did enable and allow me to gamble for way longer than I ever thought was possible.”

Since his moment of clarity and treatment in rehab for his addiction, Patrick has turned his life around and started paying back the people who let him borrow money when his gambling was at its worst. 

As well as his book and giving talks in schools about gambling addiction, Patrick wanted to share that an addictive personality isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and that he’s been able to have a positive experience since that final bet. 

He continued: “One of the things I talk about now when I share my story with young people is that actually having an addictive personality, however you want to term it, if channelled in the right way, you can be so successful. And my addictive personality manifests itself in all sorts of weird and wonderful ways now, and I actually see how powerful that can be.

“[When gambling] I was a compulsive liar and so dishonest. And actually, I was lying to myself, I wasn't true to myself and that hurts. So having that kind of self love and self care again, being happy with the person that I am and accepting that everybody else does is huge. 

“You can't really be at peace with yourself unless you're happy with who you are. And that's huge. And unfortunately, it took me to go through what I did to realise that, but whilst I wish I could change it all, I'm glad I am where I am.”

Patrick’s book - Might Bite: The Secret Life of a Gambling Addict - is out now. 

For more great interviews listen to The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky, weekdays from 6:30am on Virgin Radio, or catch up on-demand here.