Boxing and Betting Blues: Dave Allen's Struggle and Recovery
Boxer Dave Allen Claims Family Regulate His Financial Affairs Due to Gambling Dependence
In the brutal world of professional boxing, British heavyweight contender Dave Allen isn't afraid to step into the ring with the likes of Dillian Whyte and Luis Ortiz. Yet, it's not just punches that Allen has faced. He admits to a crippling gambling addiction that nearly derailed his career.
Allen, now 33, opened up about his battle on Darren Barker's podcast, sharing how his addiction took a devastating toll on him. "I was gambling tens of thousands of pounds, maybe into hundreds of thousands," he shared, admitting that his vices could have easily swallowed all his earnings.
The addictive cycle was so strong that, at 26, Allen confided in his sister, "You're going to have to look after my money." Known within his family as the 'Doncaster De La Hoya,' Allen relinquished financial control, routing all cash flow through his sister and wife to curb his gambling urges.
Unconventional Save: Family Beyond Finances
While Allen is a traditional orthodox boxer, his approach to combating gambling was anything but conventional. "If I want any money at all, I have to text my sister and now my missus, I get a card and they send me money." This radical move was necessary, he explained, as, "if I could still gamble now, I think I would."
Allen’s gambling led to extravagant spending, splurging on foolish endeavors. "It wasn't about the money for me. I just wanted to keep winning," he revealed. The lure of gambling fueled his need to fight for money, leading to questionable financial decisions.
"I think I owed a few quid at the time of the Dillian Whyte fight, I think I lost about eight grand on the day of the fight, I didn't clear too much more than that really." The constant money woes weighed heavily on Allen, impacting his choices both in and out of the ring.
The Root of Gambling Woes: A Childhood Bet
Allen's addiction to gambling began at eight years old with a simple £1 wager on a horse race. Spending hours in betting shops, and eventually moving online, Allen's vices grew exponentially. European bookmakers offer a myriad of online gambling options, and the "online stuff is where it got bad for me because it was so easy, it was numbers on the screen."
In the Barker podcast on YouTube, Allen revealed the "online gambling was a convenient and effortless way to fuel my addiction." He explained, "It offered a constant stream of thrill and the illusion of control while I was slowly losing control of my life."
Fortunately, Allen's story doesn't end in despair. With the help of his family, he's defeated his gambling addiction, having remained gamble-free for seven years. His battle serves as a powerful reminder that addiction can affect anyone and that support from loved ones is crucial in overcoming adversity.
In an effort to maintain control over his gambling addiction, Dave Allen, the 'Doncaster De La Hoya,' chose an unconventional solution by routing all his cash flow through his sister and wife, ultimately surrendering financial control. Despite the lure of gambling fueling his need to fight for money, leading to questionable financial decisions, Allen's extravagant spending on foolish endeavors was not driven by wealth accumulation, but rather by the desire to keep winning.
