We don’t really like talking about things like this, but I think this kind of topic is important and should be discussed among gamblers. Most of the time, we only want to talk about winning, and because of that, we sometimes forget that losing is not just possible, but something we’ll experience more often than winning. So let’s take some time to talk about it -- how do you handle losses?

This topic is really for gamblers who are consistent with gambling. Those who say they only do it occasionally or just for entertainment won’t really feel this the same way, and probably won’t feel the pain of losing either. So to my fellow gamblers, feel free to share your experience, and I hope we all still stay responsible even after going through tough losses.

What’s happening right now doesn’t really affect Bitcoin. I’ve seen a few threads saying the current war between Iran and Israel, plus US intervention, could cause the market to collapse. And yeah, it kinda looked like it was going that way when Bitcoin dropped below $100k.

But look what happened -- it bounced back and is now trading at $105k. That just proves there’s nothing to worry about. Bitcoin can stand through tough times, and in fact, it’s something you can actually trust with your investment.

How many times have you said that to yourself? usually we only say this when we've already lost badly. Once we've lost control and a significant amount of money, we regret our actions and promise ourselves we won't gamble again. We tell ourselves we're done gambling to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

But what happens afterward?
Days or weeks pass, emotions settle down, we get our hands on some extra cash, and suddenly we're gambling again.

Have you ever been in that situation yourself? How many times have you promised yourself you'd stop gambling only to find you're still doing it today?

The Indiana Pacers now have a real shot at winning their first NBA title.

This franchise has only made it to the NBA Finals twice: back in 2000, and now in 2025. With the Pacers leading the Finals series 1-0 - thanks to Haliburton’s clutch, game-winning shot. I think they deserve a thread here, just in case they actually make history.

This thread is also for those who believe in the Pacers, even though they’re big underdogs. Some of us aren’t afraid to take the risk, hoping it pays off especially with the odds being what they are. If things go our way, the payout could be massive.

I know it’s only Game 1 and it’s way too early to say, but I have a feeling the Pacers could really win it all this year.

Although most of the time we end up losing, there are those moments when we actually win big, and of course, that feels great!
I’m just curious, since we all have different ways of enjoying our wins, let’s talk about the positive side of gambling for a change, which is winning.

So, how do you guys spend your winnings? Don’t worry, feel free to be honest - after all, it’s your money, so it’s your right to spend it however you want.

To those following the NBA Conference Finals.. have you noticed anything?

I’ve always believed that the NBA is still a business. More games = more money. So it makes sense that the league would benefit from extending a series as much as possible.

With that said, do you believe there’s some level of conspiracy between the league management and the referees to help one team get more favorable calls, just to make sure the series goes longer?

Curious to hear your thoughts.

Most of us here only remember our biggest wins, and sometimes that makes us feel like we’re actually profitable in gambling just because we can recall that one lucky moment.

But what we often forget is that we're regularly losing small amounts. And when those small losses pile up over time, they could easily add up to more than what we've ever won.

So the real question is: who here actually tracks their losses?
I’ve heard that professional gamblers do. Do we have that kind of "pro attitude" in this group?

Just wanna throw this topic out there ’cause lately, betting on underdogs has been treating me better than my diet plan.

So here’s the question: Which one's more exciting for you, favorites or underdogs?
No need to show receipts or win-loss records,^{( I’m not a tax officer)}.
Just real talk based on experience.

This is just to help us figure out what path might actually lead to profit especially for us who are still trying to level up from “gambler” to “smart gambler.”

And please… no “it depends” answers. Pick a side like it’s the NBA Finals.

With all this talk about national reserves, that idea basically means governments would be buying Bitcoin which means they could become even bigger players than institutional investors, since they have access to public resources.

They could buy as much as they want, and if multiple countries start doing this, they’ll end up owning a huge piece of the pie.

Now the question is -- is that really what we want to see?

And more importantly, will ordinary people still benefit from it?

People say we have to put in some effort to study a certain game before placing a bet. By study, they mean using different resources, checking the news, trends, rumors, and so on, because those are all important factors when capping games.

If we do all of that, it really means we're not being lazy.
But does doing all that really increase our chances of winning, or more specifically, make us profitable?

We read a lot about gamblers who are very aware of the risks of losing,  and because of that awareness, they’re already willing to lose even before they start gambling. What happens is, they become more loss-oriented (to stay in control) instead of win-oriented.

So for you guys --  do we still consider them real gamblers?

Or are they just here doing some kind of experiment?

We all have daily profit targets when gambling. Say you're playing normally with realistic bets, aiming for $200 that day. You actually hit your goal... but then greed kicks in. Instead of walking away, you keep playing and end up losing everything. Sound familiar? How many times has this happened to you? And more importantly - did you finally learn your lesson?

I’ve come across quite a few scam accusations where users claimed their accounts were under 'self-exclusion,' yet they still ended up gambling. There was even one user who complained about a casino allowing them to play despite being self-excluded. So, I’m curious...  how many of you actually use this feature to curb your gambling? Or is it not really effective, since determined gamblers can just switch to another casino?

When issues like this arise, and you don’t know the full story, what’s your first impression?

Do you side with the gambler or the casino?

Bitcoin's dump continues, and today it has dropped below $80K, which is already a huge decline from $100K - more than 20% in less than a month. So, what do you expect to happen next? Will there be another massive drop that pushes the price below $70K?

In sports betting, looking at different markets makes things more complicated since you need to study them all. So I’m thinking, why not simplify it? Since some of you know I’m into NBA sports betting, I figured a way to make it easier, just focusing on betting on the underdog.

So I’d like to ask, is anyone here strictly betting on underdogs, moneyline? If you’re doing the same, or even if you’re not but have some thoughts on it, feel free to share your opinion.

Let’s be profitable in sports betting!

With the current bull run, one country has benefited significantly - El Salvador. They started accumulating Bitcoin well before this bull run, and as recently reported, they’ve already gained more than 100% on their investment.

Just imagine what that kind of profit could do to improve their country. I think other nations, especially developing ones, should start considering following El Salvador’s lead when it comes to Bitcoin investment. It could improve their economies, it should be a game- changer.

Look at the numbers.

Among those celebrating bitcoin’s ascendance past $100,000 is the country of El Salvador.

President Nayib Bukele on Thursday posted a screenshot of the country’s portfolio on X that showed a current year-to-date balance of $603,340,991, a gain of 117%, or $326,245,977.98, thanks to a bitcoin investment that began in 2021.

During the hack, the stolen Bitcoin was valued at $71 million, but by the time of the arrest, its value had skyrocketed to $4.5 billion according to report. That’s an insane amount of money... A significant portion of the stolen Bitcoin was seized by the U.S. government, marking the largest financial seizure in the history of the U.S. Department of Justice.

It’s crazy how much Bitcoin they managed to hack, but we know when the government gets involved, it’s tough to escape. Still, the sentence of just 5 years in prison seems pretty light. If that’s the case, some might see it as worth the risk, imagine hacking $100 million and spending only 5 years in jail. That’s like earning $20 million a year behind bars! 

You should check out the full story for all the details...

https://www.reuters.com/technology/us-man-sentenced-5-years-over-laundering-crypto-stolen-bitfinex-hack-2024-11-14/

According to the latest report from New York Digital Investment Group (NYDIG), Bitcoin continues to stand out as the best-performing asset in 2024. Additionally, Q4 is expected to remain positive for Bitcoin’s price, despite facing various challenges.

https://beincrypto.com/bitcoin-best-performing-asset-2024/

With that information we see above, it shows that Bitcoin has had a very positive year, and the year isn’t even over yet. If it hits a new ATH by the end of the year, that percentage of profit will increase significantly. We should definitely believe in investing in Bitcoin since it's backed by data.

If there are people we want to convince to invest but who are still doubtful, we can point them to this thread. They can ask questions, and we’re ready to share facts with them.

[But here are the words that would make someone panic.]

Do you know people keep intimate pictures and videos on their phones, and they might not have enough idea about the kind of crypto scams going around online? Better tell them to read this - it's a warning, but someone might fall for it, especially if they’ve really got something to hide.

"This is utilizing, essentially publicly available imagery of your home, so if you go to, like, Google Maps, or Apple Maps you can actually see photographs of your home, type in your address and there it is."

He said scammers crop those photographs and send them to potential victims, as though they are outside their homes, to indicate they have compromised devices such as phones, laptops and desk tops.

He said they will say thing such as, "We have access to your intimate photographs, we have access to your pornographic website browsing,"[/b]

But here are the words that would make someone panic.

Another news  that would impact the price of bitcoin.. will this result to Bitcoin dropping below $60k, or even more?

The Supreme Court's decision allows the US to sell 69,370 seized Silk Road Bitcoin, setting up one of the largest Bitcoin auctions in history.

Key Takeaways
Supreme Court paves way for US to sell $4.4 billion in Silk Road Bitcoin.
Battle Born loses appeal as US preps for largest seized Bitcoin auction in history.

The US Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal regarding the ownership of 69,370 Bitcoin seized from the infamous Silk Road marketplace. This decision paves the way for the US government to move forward with selling the $4.4 billion worth of BTC.

The decision effectively upholds a 2022 ruling by the US District Court for the Northern District of California, which ordered the government to liquidate Bitcoin under existing laws.

The case, brought by Battle Born Investments, argued that the company had acquired rights to the Bitcoin through a bankruptcy estate connected to the Silk Road. Battle Born claimed that the Bitcoin was stolen by an individual known as “Individual X,” who allegedly took the funds from Silk Road.

Read in full --- https://cryptobriefing.com/supreme-court-silk-road-bitcoin/