How a gambling addiction brought a City high-flier to a shuddering halt, but led him to find his true self.

Justyn Rees Larcombe had it all. Around his beautiful home were the mementoes of success - the Sword of Honour awarded by the Queen when he left Sandhurst; the silver photo frames with the pictures of his much loved wife and family; the rooms full of the rewards of a City career. But Justyn had a parallel life: he gambled. Gradually he allowed it to take over everything, getting through a staggering three quarters of a million pounds - some his own money, some his wife's, an some belonging to the company he worked for. The crunch came: he lost his job; his wife left him, taking his sons; and anything that could be sold was - and then gambled away again. One day, he had no alternative but to go back to his mother's home and start again. Today Justyn has a high profile in the media, talking about the dangers of gambling and helping others coping with gambling addiction.

Justyn is the son of the writer and speaker Jennifer Rees Larcombe and grandson of the evangelist Tom Rees. After a highly successful career in the British Army Justyn Rees Larcombe had an equally glittering and well-rewarded career in the City. His life was ruined by gambling.

Justyn Rees Larcombe had everything. Successful in the world of re-insurance, he was being fast tracked for further promotion in a global company. He had amassed a large amount of wealth and all the trappings that went with it, including a big house and fast cars. He had a beautiful wife and three sons. And then he lost it all. Addicted to gambling, Justyn lost three quarters of a million pounds in three years. He spent his wife's money and even used his corporate credit card to fund his habit. It cost him his job, and then his wife, children, home and reputation. Having barely escaped criminal prosecution, he reached rock bottom and considered suicide. In one final throw of the dice, Justyn returned to the God of his youth. It turned out to be the safest bet he had ever made - through a miraculous and dramatic healing he stopped gambling overnight. This is a highly readable and engaging story from a man who had and lost everything only to discover all he ever wanted in the embrace of a loving God. Today Justyn speaks widely about the dangers of gambling. "God has restored much of what I lost and is continuing to do so," he explains. "I am slowly dealing with the consequences of my habit."

__Contents__  
Acknowledgments 11  
Prologue 12  
__Part 1 – Beginnings__  
1\. Early Introduction 19  
2\. Early Loss 24  
3\. Early Idyll 29  
4\. Saying Goodbye 36  
5\. Channelling My Energy 40  
6\. Free-falling 47  
__Part 2 – The Army__  
7\. Blade Running 55  
8\. Down to Earth 61  
9\. A Close Shave 66  
10\. Fully Committed 71  
11\. Dandelions and Daisies 81  
12\. All or Nothing 85  
__Part 3 – Just Business__  
13\. The Bottom of the Pile 93  
14\. Break-up 99  
15\. Lucky Breaks 102  
16\. New Beginnings 106  
17\. The Best Day of My Life 113  
18\. Matty 115  
19\. Shocks 121  
__Part 4 – The Beginning of the End__  
20\. The First Bet 127  
21\. The Gentle Slope 134  
22\. Out of Control 140  
23\. Autism 146  
24\. Toilet Brushes 154  
25\. Easy Credit 160  
26\. Terminal Velocity 165  
27\. Crisis at Work 169  
28\. Humiliation 173  
29\. Train Crash 179  
__Part 5 – Twelve Steps to Recovery__  
30\. Step 1 187  
31\. Step 2 192  
32\. Step 3 201  
33\. Step 4 204  
34\. Step 5 207  
35\. Step 6 209  
36\. Step 7 211  
37\. Step 8 214  
38\. Step 9 218  
39\. Step 10 222  
40\. Step 11 224  
41\. Step 12 231  
42\. Reflection 234  
Epilogue 238  
Contact the author 240

Justyn Rees Larcombe

Cover

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Prologue

Part 1 – Beginnings

1. Early Introduction

2. Early Loss

3. Early Idyll

4. Saying Goodbye

5. Channelling My Energy

6. Free-falling

Part 2 – The Army

7. Blade Running

8. Down to Earth

9. A Close Shave

10. Fully Committed

11. Dandelions and Daisies

12. All or Nothing

Part 3 – Just Business

13. The Bottom of the Pile

14. Break-up

15. Lucky Breaks

16. New Beginnings

17. The Best Day of My Life

18. Matty

19. Shocks

Part 4 – The Beginning of the End

20. The First Bet

21. The Gentle Slope

22. Out of Control

23. Autism

24. Toilet Brushes

25. Easy Credit

26. Terminal Velocity

27. Crisis at Work

28. Humiliation

29. Train Crash

Part 5 – Twelve Steps to Recovery

30. Step 1

31. Step 2

32. Step 3

33. Step 4

34. Step 5

35. Step 6

36. Step 7

37. Step 8

38. Step 9

39. Step 10

40. Step 11

41. Step 12

42. Reflection

Epilogue

Contact the author

Photographic Inserts

Larcombe, Justyn Rees

Justyn Rees Larcombe had everything. Successful in the world of re-insurance, he was being fast tracked for further promotion in a global company. He had amassed a large amount of wealth and all the trappings that went with it, including a big house and fast cars. He had a beautiful wife and three sons. And then he lost it all. Addicted to gambling, Justyn lost three quarters of a million pounds in three years. He spent his wife's money and even used his corporate credit card to fund his habit. It cost him his job, and then his wife, children, home and reputation. Having barely escaped criminal prosecution, he reached rock bottom and considered suicide. In one final throw of the dice, Justyn returned to the God of his youth. It turned out to be the safest bet he had ever made - through a miraculous and dramatic healing he stopped gambling overnight. This is a highly readable and engaging story from a man who had and lost everything only to discover all he ever wanted in the embrace of a loving God. Today Justyn speaks widely about the dangers of gambling. "God has restored much of what I lost and is continuing to do so," he explains.  
 "I am slowly dealing with the consequences of my habit."

How a gambling addiction brought a City high-flier to a shuddering halt, but led him to discover his real self.

"This is a most compelling account of the ups and downs of life, written with deep passion and total honesty". -- General the Lord Dannatt GCB CBE MC DL "Tails I Lose is a raw and fascinating account of Justyn's journey; from the high achieving Army and City, dedicated family man, who, despite living to the highest personal moral code, fell onto a path of personal despair and destruction. Gambling addiction seeps into every aspect of the gambler's life, and its ripple effect is felt by all those around the gambler. There is no mercy once the addiction takes over." -- Frankie Graham, the founder and director of Betknowmore (BKM UK) "Having worked, like Justyn, in the City environment and subsequently as a Trustee of Credit Action, an Advisor with The Citizens Advice Bureau and as Chairman of West Kent Debt Advice, I am familiar with the use and abuse of money, having experienced it's temptations and seen it's devastating impact on people's lives. Justyn's book is a timely wake up call to all who believe they can beat the system and who think they are invulnerable." -- Graeme Connell, founder of West Kent Debt Advice

Meet Justyn, the gambling addict who lost £750,000, his job, and his family but discovered God &amp; experienced transformatio

The Compulsive Gambler Who Lost His Shirt for Good

Tails I Lose

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