March Madness sparks illegal gambling

March Madness sparks illegal gambling

PHOENIX (CBS5) - Sports gambling experts predict more than $7 billion will be wagered illegally on this year's NCAA college basketball tournament, and some of the participants will end up with a gambling problem.

"Steve" is a former gambling addict who said that he used to place bets every day on everything.

"If I win, I have to go back and win more," said Steve. "If I lose I have to go back and win my money."

The former gambler asked to hide his identity and not use his real name.

"I won the first bet I ever made," Steve said. "I didn't win a whole lot of money, but it was such a thrill to know I was smarter than everyone else."

Steve confessed that he would sneak away from his job as a computer professional to place bets with money he didn't have.

At one point, Steve said he was writing up to 10 bad checks a day to keep his addiction going.

"It adds up and the next thing you know, oh, where did all my money go and how do I pay my bills and what do I do about food and how do I pay rent?" said Steve.

The 69-year-old grandfather said that his gambling problem got to the point where he knew if he kept going he'd lose his family.

It was a bet, he finally, wasn't willing to take, but other compulsive gamblers aren't so lucky.

"Cars, homes, relationships, wives, you can lose all of it," said Steve."It can get to the point people don't want to go on anymore and feel there is no way out."

Steve said he was able to get past his gambling addiction through the Valley chapter of Gamblers Anonymous, and wants to encourage others to do the same

"There are people in our meetings who say it has saved their lives, because they don't know what they would have done if they didn't stop gambling," said Steve.

Right now, there are 35 Gamblers Anonymous meetings held every week across the Valley.