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After twenty years of fighting gambling addiction, you would have thought the last thing Sky Sports columnist Paul Merson would do is to become the face of a betting chain. Amazingly, that is exactly what he did.

Driven to bankruptcy, burdened by debts and personal tragedy the self-confessed gambling, alcohol and drug addict has joined forces with the founder (and they’re apparently best-mates too) of the newest chain of betting shops, Better, as he agreed to be the face of company. It’s like having Amy Winehouse as the face of a heroin dealer’s, errr, dealership, innit? “Come on in and shoot up, but as f  ked-up as I was/am!“

In November 1997, the former Arsenal player admitted being an alcoholic and cocaine addict. And by the year 2000, things got worse, his severe problems with alcohol, drugs and gambling cost him his 15-year marriage. He had admitted himself to a US clinic to cure his gambling addiction. And now, he is urging you into the betting shop to part with your hard-earned cash.

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