For more than 12 years, Patrick Foster lived a double life. Turning 31, a popular and sociable young teacher and former professional cricketer, he had a lovely girlfriend and a loving family. But he was hiding a secret and debilitating gambling addiction from even those closest to him. Since being introduced to gambling as a first year student he had spent millions of pounds online and in bookmaker’s shops, placing hundreds of bets – mainly on sport, but on casino games too. Huge bets led to huge debts, thousands of lies, and mental health issues that pushed him to the edge of the platform at Slough station, where he was moments from taking his own life in March 2018. That month he had turned a 30 bet into 28,000, then lost 58,000 on a single horse, Might Bite, in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, watching the race in a silent classroom as his students undertook a mock exam in front of him.

Author Patrick Foster Published by Bloomsbury Sport ISBN 9781472992130 EAN 9781472992130 Bic Code Cover Hardback