Might Bite

This is the shocking story of a life secretly shattered by pathological gambling addiction, and the first steps to putting the pieces back together.

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 supportive family. But he was hiding a secret and debilitating gambling addiction from even those closest to him.

Huge bets had 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.

Gambling addiction affects more than 1.4 million people per year in the UK alone. It is a growing and pervasive issue: gamblers are getting younger, more women are betting every day, and the industry is worth more than £14 billion.

This book explores the reasons behind gambling addiction and its terrible consequences, through the eyes of one man - who almost didn't survive.