Why Gambler Leads Are Worth Their Money and How To Get Them

An explosion of profit will occur when you tap into a pipeline of good gambler leads. Hit and miss in the world of lead generation is nothing more than lighting a little firecracker and discovering it was a dud or at the very best, only a tiny pop with some fizzling smoke. Fizzling smoke in this highly competitive marketplace of gambling is a huge liability and clearly not the asset you were looking for. Too many liabilities and not enough assets spell disaster for a gambling establishment.

Gambler leads can be purchased from many different companies. The type of gambler leads varies greatly and the key in knowing your best performing type will depend on your ability to monitor the results. You may purchase mailing lists for direct mailing or telemarketing. There are companies who can design a specialized, powerfully persuasive recorded phone message in conjunction with a targeted phone list. The quality of those leads will vary and creating a valid tracking system to know the results will be the way to determine whether you have tapped into that pipeline of good gambler leads. Purchasing hard copy or hand write leads may an option as is acquisition of electronic databases for turning prospects into clients. The database of information from which leads are categorized is of critical importance to your success. Buying any gambler leads, regardless of the contact approach, will only be as effective and successful as the quality of the leads to begin with. This will require investing money to test and track the results.

Old fashioned as this is going to sound, there is one approach for quality lead generation that will never be surpassed with call lists, phone lists, electronic databases, targeted telemarketing approaches and any other form of mass marketing design, not that this numbers game is unproductive, of course. However, this tip is the oldest form of tried and true results: I call it the one-on-one. As this article might suggest, Gambling Leads at Par 7, I can assure you there are more big gamblers on the golf course today than anywhere else. Why do I call it Par 7? Because 7 is a lucky number. The best big gambler leads are walking around the golf course. If you do not play golf, start hanging out in the clubhouse and you will soon be enjoying explosions of gambler leads.

What Type of Gambler Are You?

Do you know that there are many types of gamblers in the same manner that there are also many types of gambling? While most bettors don't normally have problems with their gambling, you might be wagering a little too heavily for your own good or might even need psychological help. Our two part series begins with a list of what we'd like to call "Okay Gamblers." If you're in this category, congratulations!

Okay Gamblers

Recreational Gamblers

Recreational or social gamblers view gambling as a leisurely activity. It's put in the same category as going to the movies or playing a round of golf. Sure, they might keep a daily or weekly lottery ticket but gambling episodes are never frequent. Rarely do they lose control or money over any form of gambling activity they undertake. Unlike the serious gambler, they do not miss gambling nor do they think about it. Their behavior does not result in any negative consequences for themselves and for their family. Even other people do not see their gambling as excessive and they themselves make no attempt to hide it. Thankfully, most of us belong in this category

Heavy Gamblers

Heavy or serious gamblers belong to our classification of Okay Gamblers since they gamble only what they can afford to lose. They have allocated money specifically for their gambling needs but this is proportional to their earnings and remain constant over time. They don't even borrow from their credit cards to finance their gambling. They still find time to spend with their family and this activity does not cause any problems with those around them. However, they have made gambling an integral part of their lives and unlike the social gambler, would miss it if they fail to engage in it. Those who belong in this category usually focus on one type of gambling. For example, they may choose to bet on the races or play poker. They don't chase losses. Unfortunately, the heavy gambler is more prone to being a problem gambler if he is not careful. Most problem gamblers try to hide under this category.

Professional Gambler

Professional gamblers are placed here insofar as their gambling strategy is concerned. They rarely lose control when they bet and everything is always methodical and carefully planned. They are highly disciplined and rarely will you find a gambler who bets impulsively. They do not chase loses as well. The problem is, they rely on gambling as their primary means of income. There's also the big chance that they will become problem or pathological gamblers in the future.

Why Gamblers Can't Just Stop

Nobody wakes up one day and decides to become a gambling addict. Gambling usually begins as a recreational activity - it's a way to spend time with friends while enjoying the game and the excitement of the chance to win a few bucks. Recreational gamblers generally stick to a time and money budget. When they reach their limit, they stop and move on to the next activity.

Not so for the pathological gambler. Gambling addicts are not really all that interested in winning or losing. Their main goal is to stay in action as long as possible. That action increases the levels of certain chemicals in their brain, primarily dopamine and adrenaline, and those chemicals cause the gambler to feel happy and excited. These are the same brain chemicals that are activated by cocaine use. Using modern imaging tools, we see that brain scans of gamblers in action look practically identical to brains that are high on cocaine. Winning is good because it provides money to extend the gambling action. Money represents nothing more than the fuel to keep the gambling going and the action keeps whatever painful thoughts and feelings that the gambler is seeking to escape, at bay.

There are usually several distinct phases of gambling addiction: the winning phase, the losing phase and the desperation phase. As the disease progresses from winning into losing and desperation, gamblers often turn to criminal activity to fund their addiction. They will lie and steal from those close to them - family, friends, husbands, wives, parents and children. Some gamblers ultimately turn to suicide. In fact, gamblers attempt suicide at a rate that far exceeds that of almost any other clinical population. Forty-eight percent of gamblers in treatment in Oregon have had suicidal thoughts and nine percent have made suicide attempts.

All of this occurs despite the fact that gamblers are generally bright, creative people. Many gamblers are educated and professionally accomplished. In this sense, gamblers' behavior is said to be ego-dystonic, which means that it is incongruent with their true nature. Behaving in ways that run so counter to who they really are, gamblers generate a great deal of internal distress as they violate their own personal values time and time again. As they progress in the illness, they become more and more disconnected from loved ones, their professional lives and themselves. Their dishonesty is not only toward others, but also toward themselves.

Many people believe that if a gambler is losing excessive amounts of time and money gambling, they should just stop. The fact is, gambling addicts cannot "just stop" any more than an alcoholic or drug addict can stop using their drug of choice. Gambling addiction causes changes in the gambler's brain in ways that require treatment and recovery to arrest the addiction.

When gambling stops (usually when there's no more money), the gambler crashes - financially, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. This crash is a combination of the gambler's realization of the money and time lost, and the decrease in dopamine levels in the brain that can lead to desperate thoughts and behavior. This is also when gamblers may realize that they need professional help.

Recovery from gambling addiction begins with the gambler making an honest assessment of his or her situation and deciding that they want to stop gambling. The gambler must initiate abstinence and put barriers in place to prevent access to money. Family members and friends may be enlisted to help the gambler manage finances and they must understand that the gambler is incapable of handling money responsibly at this time.

Once the gambler has some time away from gambling and their system begins to regain equilibrium, the confusion and mental fog created by gambling will begin to ease. Therapy can then address the issues that led them to gambling in the first place. For many, gambling is not their first addiction. Often gamblers have had previous problems with alcohol and/or other drugs, or compulsive shopping, spending, sex or eating. It is important to note that until the core issues are addressed and resolved, individuals disposed to addiction will simply trade one addiction for another. It is an attempt to mask the pain in their lives. True recovery is achieved by doing the hard work to understand and make peace with life's difficulties.

Recovery from gambling addiction is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires effort, diligence and lifestyle changes that keep one healthy and safe from the cravings to gamble that will most surely arise. Exercise, sleeping well, eating a healthy diet and maintaining nurturing relationships are all important parts of healthy recovery.

The ready availability of gambling has made it possible for gambling addiction to run rampant. In Oregon, gambling is as close as the corner deli. Gambling addiction destroys lives and families without bias - it affects men and women, young and old, rich and poor. Like all addictions, it is a disease. But there is hope. When addicts and families seek and engage professional help, true recovery is possible.