by Alex Thomas | The Gamble Times, updated 1st of July, 2025.
I’ve spent more of my life around gambling than most people will ever admit to. So pull up a chair. I want to tell you how I went from spinning roulette wheels for tips to building an online casino from scratch, and what I’ve learned about how this world really works.
If you’re here for hype, you’re on the wrong blog. If you want the truth — the wins, the losses, the scams, the adrenaline — you’re in the right place.
Behind the Table at 18
I didn’t discover gambling through some shady online ad. I stepped into it at 18 when my first summer job was working behind a roulette table at my local casino.
To this day, I remember watching players light up when they won. But I remember their eyes even more when they lost — the quiet panic of someone trying to win back next month’s rent in a single spin.
It was the best lesson I could have gotten at that age: never gamble more than you can afford to lose. That rule kept me sane when I discovered online casinos later.
Poker Paid, Roulette Played
Before online gambling really took off, I was big on poker. Texas Hold’em was my game. I was never a sunglasses-at-the-WSOP type, but I made a steady income from it for a while.
Why? Because poker is a skill game. You can bluff a guy with pocket rockets or outwit someone holding a better hand. Roulette? Not so much. I gave it plenty of love, but it never loved me back.
When online casinos started booming, my love for poker stayed, but slots caught my eye. Pure luck, no strategy. As a gamer at heart, I couldn’t resist the visuals, the features, the thrill. But because I’d seen those desperate eyes behind the roulette table, I promised myself to always stick to a budget.
The 60-Cent Spin That Paid for My Road Bike
When I made my first online deposit, I did the math first. How much could I afford to lose without messing up rent or groceries? I set a monthly limit and never crossed it.
Some months, luck was nowhere to be found. I’d hit my limit on the third of the month and have to wait it out. Other months, I’d have some play left over.
I’ll never forget the night I bet 60 cents on a slot and won over €2,000. Did I reinvest and try to double it? Absolutely not. I bought a solid road bike instead. When you sit all day spinning slots, you need a way to stretch your legs.
The Corporate Grind and the Pivot
For a few years, I swapped the roulette table for a suit and tie. Corporate 9 to 5. Big brands, steady paychecks, nice perks. But deep down, I was bored. Something was missing.
Then came COVID and with it, the biggest online casino boom in history. A friend — probably with an affiliate link, no hard feelings — reintroduced me to the online side. Not long after that, I got a call: Want to help build an online casino from scratch?
I took it head on.
Inside the Casino Machine
We built that casino during the pandemic wave, and I ran branding, partnerships, design and user experience. Later, I took over the player and VIP journey too, which gave me a front-row seat to what real players want, what they hate, and how they get taken advantage of.
It’s a strange thing to see the player side and the operator side at the same time. You learn which operators are fair and which ones tweak the odds. You learn what makes people deposit again and again, and what makes them rage-quit forever.
That’s what I bring to this blog. I’ve sat at every seat at this table.
Big Myths, Real Truths
Myth 1: All online casinos are rigged
Truth is, some do shady things like altering slot RTP to cheat players. But plenty don’t. That’s why good review sites exist: to call them out.
Read: Are Online Slot RTPs Real or Rigged?
Myth 2: There’s a system to beat slots
Nope. There isn’t. Slots are pure luck. End of story.
Myth 3: Big wins make it all worth it
Most people lose more than they win. Around 96 percent of players do. If you can’t afford to lose it, don’t spin it.
The Dark Side
If you’ve ever lost too much, you know the feeling:
- The frustration that eats at you
- The anger that you weren’t lucky enough
- The sense you need to prove you’re worthy by winning it back
I’ve watched people lose it all. I’ve also seen them win big and still ruin their lives chasing the next jackpot. The line is thin.
The Good Stuff
When it’s done right, gambling can be fun, exciting and a harmless adrenaline rush. But only when:
- The casino is fair
- The terms are clear
- You play with money you can afford to lose
That’s what I want every player to understand. That’s why TheGambleTimes exists.
Why I Built TheGambleTimes
I’m not here to promise you a jackpot. I’m here to help you see behind the curtain. My team and I dig into licenses, terms, payout histories and the shady fine print most blogs skip.
If a casino’s dirty, we’ll say it. If a bonus is a trap, we’ll expose it. We don’t hype casinos we wouldn’t play at ourselves.
My Hard-Won Rules for Smarter Play
- Always set a limit. Monthly, weekly, session-based, whatever works for you.
- Don’t chase wins. If you score big, spend it on something real.
- Read the fine print. Don’t play at a site with shady terms or a junk license.
- Trust sites that tell you the bad stuff too, not just the fluff.
Why I Keep Ranting
I’ve been the dealer. And I’ve been the player. I’ve been the guy behind the scenes making sure the game is fair. And I’ve seen too many people lose more than they can afford because they never had someone tell them the truth.
If my rants make you pause before you hit Deposit, good. If you’re going to gamble, do it smart. Do it safe. And never let a slot machine tell you who you are.
Your New Home for the Real Talk
If you’re reading TheGambleTimes, you’re getting it straight. No sugarcoating. No fake promises. Just real stories, real advice and real warnings when you need them.
Now go spin — but only if you can afford it. And if you hit big on that 60-cent bet, buy yourself something that lasts longer than a bonus round.
Read more honest guides at TheGambleTimes.com. The truth always beats the spin.
