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Soccer News of Friday, 3 January 2020

Source: www.mynigeria.com

How gambling affected the early part of my career - Rooney

Wayne Rooney Wayne Rooney

Former Manchester United and England International, Wayne Rooney has opened up on suffering depression at an early stage of his career.

Rooney, 34, who now plays for Derby County, lost about £700,000 to gambling. He also lost £65,000 at a casino 12 years ago, all of which threw him off balance back then.

Speaking as part of his participation in a 32Red's Stay In Contol gambling awareness campaign, Rooney said:

“I was a young lad who’d just come into a lot of money. " For an away game with Manchester United you stay in a hotel – and with England you’re in a hotel for seven to ten days.

“You get bored and do things to fill the time. At that time ga'mbling was one of them .

"It was easy to place bets by phone. It didn’t feel like real money. It wasn't like I had to go into a bookies and put bets where there are limits.

"Before you know it you’ve lost a good bit and you don’t realise the amount you’re putting on.

“I won at the start and thought it was easy money. It draws you in a bit more and I ended up losing, ended up down ."

Rooney continued: “I ended up chasing my bets trying to win my money back .

“You’re there to play for your country or club and when you’re losing money the way I was then it will affect you.

“Thankfully I managed to pay up what I lost and I didn’t ga'mble again. I’ve learned from my mistakes.

" If you carry on gambling, you lose more. That’s when you can get drawn into a bad situation.”