Cheltenham Festival: 'I gambled £50,000 on a horse and lost everything'

image copyrightPatrick Foster

image captionPatrick Foster had nearly 250,000 of gambling debts before his family sent him to rehab

Patrick Foster hit rock bottom in March 2018. The teacher had racked up huge gambling debts and could not see a way forward.

Looking back on his life, the 33-year-old recalled placing his first bet at university. It was just a bit of fun with his friends.

But his taste for gambling became an addiction when his career as a cricketer ended abruptly and he started working in the City.

Things only got worse when he left to be a teacher, borrowing money from his students’ parents and lying to his colleagues.

He decided he could win it all back with one final bet and staked 50,000 on a single …

Patrick Foster hit rock bottom in March 2018. The teacher had racked up huge gambling debts and could not see a way forward.

Looking back on his life, the 33-year-old recalled placing his first bet at university. It was just a bit of fun with his friends.

But his taste for gambling became an addiction when his career as a cricketer ended abruptly and he started working in the City.

Things only got worse when he left to be a teacher, borrowing money from his students’ parents and lying to his colleagues.

He decided he could win it all back with one final bet and staked 50,000 on a single …

Cheltenham Festival: ‘I gambled £50,000 on a horse and lost everything’ – BBC News