This sort of things happen a lot mostly with guyz and honestly it is one of the biggest red flags that gambling is no longer just fun!! once you start lying to cover up your losses!! Whether it is telling someone you lost way less than you actually did or making up some excuses like a short paycheck or something then it usually means you are already chasing losses and can’t find the courage to face them head on with maturity. It much better to be upfront with yourself!! Like if i lose, i will just say it, It might sting!!! but it keeps me in check and stops me from going down that path of lying. Because the more you hide it, the deeper the hole gets both financially and emotionally. At the end of the day, it is better to admit the loss than to lose trust from people close to you because money can come and go! but once trust is broken, it is very hard to rebuild . some people think they are protecting their love ones by lying to them, but in reality they are only pushing them away and adding guilt on top of the financial stress.
And the scary part is that once lying becomes a habit!!! it does not stop at gambling alone. It transfers into everyday life!! truely owning the loss might hurt my pride, but it kind of saves me from hurting my relationships