I Lost $300,000 Gambling in One Night | Chaz’s Story

In this video, I interview Chaz Donati about his experience as a recovering gambling addict. Chaz was a sports bettor and we talk about how this has impacted his life since he decided to leave gambling in the past. About Chaz: Chaz Donati is a 34-year-old gambling awareness advocate, wannabe endurance athlete, living a simpler and healthier life after a 15 year battle with gambling addiction. He’s hopeful that by sharing his story, others won’t feel like they are alone in this fight. Follow along his personal physical / mental health challenges on Instagram at   / chazdonati   and connect with him if you feel like you ever need any help or know someone struggling. Suicide Crisis Helpline: https://988lifeline.org/?utm_source=g... 🙏🏻 Recovery Resources: https://odaatgamblingawareness.com/re... 🤝HOW TO QUIT GAMBLING - The Complete Guide:    • HOW TO STOP GAMBLING: A Complete Guide   ✅ Sign Up For A Guide Of Free Resources: https://odaatgamblingawareness.com/re... 😅 Subscribe To Avoid Making The Same Mistakes I Did:    / @odaatgamblingawareness   About My Channel: ODAAT Recovery is about helping people who are struggling with gambling problems find resources for recovery and my story of Gambling Addiction recovery so they can avoid making the same mistakes with their life that he made with his. Founded in 2023. ODAAT Recovery reaches an average of 15 million people on a monthly basis across all platforms, and is aimed at being a community platform for all of those who are struggling with problem gambling. It is the culmination of his six years of experience battling a gambling addiction and his two years of experience in recovery. Common Facts About Gambling Addiction: Approximately 2-3% of Americans meet the criteria for a gambling disorder, which equates to around 6 million people. Around 96% of gamblers lose money in the long run, reinforcing the industry's design to ensure the house always wins. Studies show that people with a gambling addiction impact 7-10 others around them on average, showing that a gambling addiction can impact more people than simply the gambler themself. Over 50% of people with gambling addiction also struggle with substance abuse or another mental health disorder, such as depression or anxiety. Gambling Addiction costs the U.S. economy an estimated $7 billion annually, including losses from job productivity, criminal justice expenses, and healthcare costs. CHAPTERS: 0:00 - 0:14 How I Lost $300,000 0:14 - 1:10 Welcome Chaz D 1:10 - 2:02 Chaz’s Gambling History 2:02 - 2:45 The 10-Year Struggle 2:45 - 3:30 Why Gambling Felt Normal 3:30 - 4:38 First Time Gambling 4:38 - 5:04 Gambling as a Teenager 5:04 - 6:13 When It Stopped Being Fun 6:13 - 7:08 Chasing the Big Win 7:08 - 8:15 Dreaming of the NHL 8:15 - 9:00 From Dreams to Gambling 9:00 - 10:07 Trying to Gamble for a Living 10:07 - 11:00 The Reality of Gambling Losses 11:00 - 12:14 My Worst Gambling Loss 12:14 - 13:52 The $300,000 Bet Breakdown 13:52 - 15:34 How Gambling Scales Up 15:34 - 16:21 The Real Cost of Gambling 16:21 - 17:04 What Finally Led to Help 17:04 - 18:14 The Recovery Process 18:14 - 19:38 Learning from Relapse 19:38 - 20:50 Building New Habits 20:50 - 21:36 Finding a Support System 21:36 - 22:38 Therapy & Recovery Differences 22:38 - 23:40 Content Creation & Recovery 23:40 - 24:47 Why Therapy Isn’t Weak 24:47 - 26:00 Breaking the Stigma 26:00 - 27:20 Athletes Speaking on Mental Health 27:20 - 28:40 Money’s Role in Gambling Addiction 28:40 - 30:02 Rebuilding a Relationship with Money 30:02 - 31:04 Memories Over Gambling 31:04 - 32:14 Gambling Is Everywhere 32:14 - 33:35 The Future of Gambling Harm 33:35 - 35:02 Credit, Debt, and Gambling 35:02 - 36:14 Running 34 Minutes a Day 36:14 - 37:25 The Purpose Behind the Challenge 37:25 - 38:07 If You Feel Hopeless, Watch This 38:07 - 39:39 Final Message & Resources