Ex-Premier League player Dean Sturridge reveals this week that he kept his gambling addiction a secret for over 40 years.
Sturridge opened up about how his gambling began in his youth and persisted throughout his career, describing how it started innocently with bets placed at his mother’s request, but escalated into a compulsive habit that he hid from teammates, family, and friends due to feelings of shame and guilt.
Now at the age of 51, Sturridge has been free from gambling for over five years and is speaking out to raise awareness about the risks, particularly for young footballers, and to support others facing similar struggles.
‘My wife walked in and I just broke down’.
Former Wolves striker Dean Sturridge recalls the impact his gambling addiction had on his life and family.
Listen on BBC Sounds pic.twitter.com/d53Sq3AnQ4
— BBC Radio WM Sport (@sportbbcwm) March 26, 2025
We’re thrilled to welcome Dean Sturridge as the new Brand Ambassador for Gordon Moody!
Join us in giving Dean a warm welcome as we continue to expand our impact together! #BehindTheBet#GordonMoody #DeanSturridge #GamblingHarmsAwareness #BehindTheBet pic.twitter.com/FdzTeWSgIN
— Gordon Moody (@GordonMoodyOrg) March 25, 2025
Sturridge said: “It took me 40 years-plus to realise I was an addict. Gambling can be a form of escapism for a footballer.
“You feel a pressure, maybe you’re having a hard time with a manager, if you’re not playing, you can get bored but gambling can be a release and also feed your ego.
“I think I overachieved in my career. But away from the pitch, the burden and the stress because of how much money I’d lose, then chasing your losses and having conversations with people and not being present in that conversation because you’re thinking about your next bet.
“Football was never my poison. Horse racing, golf, maybe a couple of other sports, but that also shows I had a level of control because I knew football was taboo. Although I had an addiction, I had a form of self control.
“I’ve never totted up my losses. In the Gamblers’ Anonymous room, we rarely talk about financial losses, as these can vary dramatically, but will still be relevant to each person. I have never worked out how much money I have lost because, reflecting on my addiction, I have learnt that my biggest loss was that of time and connections with my family and friends. This is where I have most regrets.
“It fills me with shame, embarrassment and guilt. All those different emotions. Now we have to eradicate this stigma to where people are comfortable talking about it.
“A lot of addicts will say this, I had a big win at a young age and I was thinking: ‘I’m ahead of the game here, I’ve got a secret system which nobody else knows’. I gambled when I was a young player, 17 or 18, I was going to buy my first car but then I gambled away my signing-on fee and had to borrow the money from someone else.
“Did it impact upon my career? Well, I did extras all the time when i was a youngster – practising my first touch, practising my finishing – and then when you get older you can’t wait to get away to put a bet on and the day’s finished by 1pm.
Happy birthday to a #DCFC legend, Dean Sturridge!
pic.twitter.com/04kAuUrASr
— Derby County (@dcfcofficial) July 26, 2021
“When I was flying, playing regularly and scoring, I had no interest in betting because you are focused on your football and being successful. But if you’re out injured, you’ve got a tight hamstring or whatever, you are suddenly thinking about having a bet.
“When I was playing football, I was not aware of Gamblers’ Anonymous or Gordon Moody. I think I needed the support of someone else or the education and a message to say: ‘This is available to you.’ I wish I was aware of that in my early 20s.”
It was when Sturridge came across the advert – with the simple slogan When The Fun Stops, Stop – which resonated while watching TV on the sofa with his wife.
He added: “You can’t see the wood for the trees sometimes. It was like a lightbulb moment for me. I’m thinking: ‘hang on a minute, my last five or ten bets, there’s been no dopamine rush. It’s no fun anymore.’
“My wife knew I had a problem and an issue and me breaking down was confirmation for her. Now I wear my recovery as a badge of honour. I’m proud of it because it’s made me a better person and I’m more at peace now with myself than when I was a footballer.
“I came through that era, I remember Arthur Cox at Derby, he gave me my debut and I’ll be forever in debt to him for that. But I was told back then that fans may be racist towards you, it’s not right but you have to have a thick skin to accept. Whether it’s racism or addiction, we were conditioned to keep it to yourself, dust yourself down and get on with it.
“This generation are much more open than previous generations but there’s still massive room for improvement. From representing players because I’m an agent now, I’m aware there’s still an element of players in general looking for escapism.
“That’s why I am so passionate about Gordon Moody because it allows people to reach out for help and support without feeling like they are being judged.”
Gambling can harm many areas of your life. This can include problems with your:
relationships
physical and mental health
finances
If you’re not sure if gambling is causing problems for you… answer these questions:
Do you bet more than you can afford to lose?
Do you need to gamble with larger amounts of money to get the same feeling?
Have you tried to win back money you have lost (chasing losses)?
Have you borrowed money or sold anything to get money to gamble?
Have you wondered whether you have a problem with gambling?
Has your gambling caused you any health problems, including feelings of stress or anxiety?
Have other people criticised your betting or told you that you had a problem with gambling (regardless of whether or not you thought it was true)?
Has your gambling caused any financial problems for you or your household?
Have you ever felt guilty about the way you gamble or what happens when you gamble?
Score 0 for each time you answer “never”
Score 1 for each time you answer “sometimes”
Score 2 for each time you answer “most of the time”
Score 3 for each time you answer “almost always”
If your total score is 8 or higher, you or those closest to you, are likely to be experiencing gambling-related harms.
If your total score is between 1 and 7, gambling might still be having a negative impact on your life.
There is support and treatment available if you need it.
The post Ex-Premier League player reveals he kept gambling addiction a secret for over 40 years appeared first on Fan Banter.
