JJ Glanville lost £3 million over eight years after developing a gambling addiction at 17 years of age
A man who gambled his way through £3 million claims his addiction left him feeling ‘possessed’ – wagering £30,000 nightly on football fixtures. JJ Glanville, 29, fell into a gambling habit at 17 after turning to internet platforms to punt on matches.
Following an initial big win, the auctioneer rapidly descended into a severe gambling dependency, withdrawing from others and devoting countless hours daily to online betting platforms. JJ, from Ealing, London, revealed he staked thousands of pounds – collecting and forfeiting substantial amounts over an eight-year period.
He confessed: “In any given sitting, at the peak, I was losing £30,000 in one night. It feels like you’re possessed. You have no control over your brain. I was under 18, I shouldn’t have been able to bet.”
Despite being a minor, JJ could enter gambling websites without any age-verification procedures. He explained: “It really became a problem when I was about 17.
“I had been using a site where you predict 6 football scores and if you get all six correct you win 250k. It was free to enter and had no ID checks. When you submitted your predictions, it says, ‘thank you for submitting – if you place £5 you can win this amount.'”
JJ experienced success remarkably swiftly on the platform, though his fortune proved short-lived. He recalled: “Early on, I won £1,000 from a £30 bet. I was chasing that feeling every week, but it never came.
“I drained all the money I won. My logic was ‘I can either make the money bigger or I lose it and I’m back to where I was before.’ Even after losing the winnings, I would lose my original money.”
JJ became addicted and discovered himself consumed by wagering on the platforms, placing stakes exclusively on football fixtures and sports-related punts. There were spells when he’d refrain from gambling, but these never endured.
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He was staking increasingly substantial sums as the months passed, and JJ accumulated significant debts. JJ continued: “In any week, I would lose tens and tens of thousands.
“I spent £100,000 to £150,000 of my own money. In total, I estimate that I lost £3 million. Most of the time the money I won would go back in.”
When JJ did use his winnings rather than reinvesting them, he would jet off to Dubai and embrace an extravagant existence. He remembered: “I was living in Dubai, living the high life, driving nice cars. It would last a week and I would end up back on the bookies.”
The former betting addict concealed his habit effectively, as his loved ones remained unaware of his mounting losses. JJ explained: “My friends never really knew anything, they thought I was very good at it. I would only tell them about the wins, they didn’t see how much it consumed me.”
JJ revealed that following years of struggling with the addiction, he felt utterly drained and chose to abandon gambling entirely: “It got to a point in January 2022 when I had enough. I was exhausted. I was in so much debt – all day, every day, I was mentally and physically drained.
“I had to put things in place to stop. I went to therapy and Gamblers Anonymous.”
After confessing to his family about his problem, they assisted in clearing his debts and helped him rebuild his life. He explained: “My family were unbelievably supportive. They could have made me suffer the consequences of my actions.”
JJ has now been free from gambling for four years, and has committed himself to supporting others in conquering their addiction. He continued: “What I’m trying to do now is inspire people and help them get out of that hole.
“And I’m excited to share that my story is due to hit the big screens to stop other people falling victim to gambling.”
