AITA for asking my roommate to pay me back $500 after he placed a $1,000 bet I told him not to?

r/

So I was playing blackjack online and my roommate likes to click the buttons for me because he says he’s good luck. I’m always the one who decides the bets, he just presses what I tell him.

This time he decided to “joke” and hit the $1000 chip even though I told him not to. I yelled at him not to do it but it went through anyway. Normally the site lets me undo a bet but it didn’t this time and I lost.

He knew he messed up and even contacted support right after, but it’s still my account and maybe I shouldn’t have let him touch it. I was thinking of asking him to pay me $500, not the full $1000, since I feel like I share some blame for letting him even touch the computer , but I also don’t think he should just get away with it.

Would I be the asshole if I asked him for $500?

Comments

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    So I was playing blackjack online and my roommate likes to click the buttons for me because he says he’s good luck. I’m always the one who decides the bets, he just presses what I tell him.

    This time he decided to “joke” and hit the $1000 chip even though I told him not to. I yelled at him not to do it but it went through anyway. Normally the site lets me undo a bet but it didn’t this time and I lost.

    He knew he messed up and even contacted support right after, but it’s still my account and maybe I shouldn’t have let him touch it. I was thinking of asking him to pay me $500, not the full $1000, since I feel like I share some blame for letting him click, but I also don’t think he should just get away with it.

    Would I be the asshole if I asked him for $500?

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    OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:

    > Because my friend told me its my fault for letting him even touch my computer and he should not pay anything

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  3. sswishbone Avatar

    This is not a gambling sub-Reddit

  4. starrydaisyy Avatar

    Nah you wouldn’t be the asshole. He literally ignored you and cost you money, that’s on him. Asking for half is already generous, most people would want the full 1k back.

  5. HiddenThinks Avatar

    >Would I be the asshole if I asked him for $500?

    NTA. You should ask for the full $1000. But you should also be prepared for a fallout.

  6. Frosty-Comfort6699 Avatar

    yta for considering not getting the full amount back

  7. Lair Avatar

    NTA seems fair, but hopefully you don’t get in a quarrel.

  8. PaperGoodsAddict29 Avatar

    NTA you’re actually nice not to ask for the full $1,000. However, if he refuses, not sure you’d be able to recover any money

  9. SigSauerPower320 Avatar

    Just so I’m clear, we’re talking about real money here, right??

  10. MajinXenu Avatar

    Honestly don’t grasp how you let someone touch this much of your money. Ofcourse ask for the full amount back (from the roommate, card room will chuckle) but this is likely a $1k lesson. Feather soft NTA

  11. Comfortable_Poem_841 Avatar

    Had the bet won, would you have gone “That is all you, here the full $2000 – both the winnings and the original $1000”?

    Horrible situation but at least a little is on you. Ask for the $1000 but be prepared not to get all of it. If it came to court, it would be a toss up if you got anything.

  12. Tiny_Ad6292 Avatar

    NTA, It doesn’t hurt to ask. If he really does feel bad about pressing $1000 against your wishes, then him paying back half seems like he’s getting off pretty easy. Just be prepared for if he says no. At that point either you keep pushing it and likely ruin your relationship, or you let it go and cut your losses.

  13. speakb4thinking Avatar

    YTA you let it happen before. Also
    online gambling is not healthy Seek therapy save your money.

  14. yesnomaybe123 Avatar

    What a ridiculous concept … my roommate likes to click the buttons and I let him…. because we’re 5.

    Gambling is serious business and no one but you should be ‘clicking the buttons.’ What if he hit $10,000 or $100,000?

  15. Outrageous-Arm1945 Avatar

    This is all too weird. You were letting him press the buttons? Do you sit him on your knee and have a sippy sip of your beer?

  16. impendingcatastrophe Avatar

    Quick question. When he presses and the hand wins, do you transfer 50% of the amount won to him?

  17. deadninbed Avatar

    NTA, I’d be asking for the full $1000, but I’m guessing you’re happy to split it and pay $500 yourself?

    Not asshole behaviour at all, and if I were your friend I’d have been preparing to cough up the 1k and see your offer to split it as a gesture of how much you appreciate the friendship.

  18. furystone_0330 Avatar

    NTA. You told him not to place the bet, and he did it anyway that’s not a joke, that’s a $1,000 mistake. Asking for $500 is already generous. If he values your friendship, he should take responsibility and make it right.

  19. IdontKnowAnything84 Avatar

    You are NTA but at the same time YTA. You’re NTA because you told him not to place that bet in the first place and he didn’t listen, so find new friends who have respect for you when you tell them no. YTA because this is online gambling you are doing with your own money, WTF are you doing letting people randomly push buttons or make bets for you? The fact that you let him do this before is your fault, and now that he lost a large some of money you’re upset (but I bet if he won you wouldn’t have posted anything about it), asking for any type of money is only going to cause a rift between you all. If you went to an actual casino and tried to say “Hey I let my friend make a bet for me and I lost, I want my money back” they would laugh in your face. Take the L and learn from it and don’t let other people gamble with your money.

  20. k23_k23 Avatar

    “but it’s still my account and maybe I shouldn’t have let him touch it. ” .. this. Take it as a learning fee.

    And: NTA … go ahead and ask – but it is unlikely he will pay.

  21. Sea_Fig7278 Avatar

    Wow. OP lets the roommate press buttons because he likes it. That’s poor judgment and easily avoided by playing solo. I wouldn’t expect any money back (I would not ask for it) and take it as a lesson learned. Stop letting him click the button, that’s within your control.

  22. Healthy_Read_5942 Avatar

    YTA. No matter what buttons your friend pushed, you handed him the phone. You handed him a device, knowing he could make a bet you were responsible for. You made a bad decision. Who does the gambling site say owes the money? Take the loss and learn from it.

  23. T3RRYT3RR0R Avatar

    NTA.

    That said, giving someone access to this in the first place is a mistake. Hell, These types of sites are a mistake full stop, but that’s entirely your choice.

  24. Ugly4merican Avatar

    You would have lost that money eventually anyway. ESH, move on and quit letting your buddy mess with your stuff.

  25. DecemberFlour Avatar

    He stole $1000 from you and youre wondering if Y T A for asking he pay back half? Buddy

    NTA, get the $1k. If I did that to someone I’d immediately be there with my Venmo/Paypal/CashApp to pay them back without them even asking

  26. Bud_Johnson Avatar

    Nta. But what are you guys like 16 with a parents credit card?

  27. odanhammer Avatar

    YTA if you ask for money back.
    Don’t let others gamble your money for you. I would even go so far as you’re breaking some agreement with whatever online blackjack you signed up for.
    And depending on location you could be breaking laws, as you’re allowing someone else to gamble in your name.

    Best answer, you learned a lesson.

  28. Castle_of_Aaaaaaargh Avatar

    ESH
    You’re both gambling together. I don’t think your playground games of “i click button A and he clicks button B” count, nor is any casino going to give a return because “oops, one of us didnt want to do that.”
    Sounds like a perfect case of, “play stupid games, win stupid prizes.”

    Does he ever see any returns on some of the $$ you win, since he is apparently so “lucky?” And is your roomate 10 years old? Are you both underaged, for that matter? Lol

  29. reredd1tt1n Avatar

    I think that asking for $500 is kind and reasonable.  You were taking a risk letting someone else hit buttons betting your money.  It’s an expensive lesson.  Good on you for not expecting him to pay 100% of what is also your own poor judgement.

  30. CallMeMrRound Avatar

    Yta simply because you are definitely going to be on Reddit about your online gambling debts in the future.

  31. Know_the_rules Avatar

    He would have asked for money if you had won, for sure.

  32. Only_Music_2640 Avatar

    He owes you the full $1,000!!! Get your money back and get rid of this guy!

  33. Weird-Grocery6931 Avatar

    Question 1: did he try to minimize what happened?

    Question 2: has he offered to pay for his mistake?

    If he tried to minimize what happened, no matter what that friendship is over.

    If he hasn’t offered to pay you back, you should think about that.

  34. CarbonationRequired Avatar

    I mean NTA for wanting your money back after your friend lost it by doing something you told him not to do but like… you’re a dumbass for “letting him click the buttons” in any circumstance that can lose you real money.

  35. Maelefique Avatar

    tl;dr I did something really dumb for fun, and now I want to blame someone else because it didn’t turn out as fun as I thought.

    YTA.

  36. rynslys Avatar

    NTA, however you gave him control over the mouse knowing the risks. So IMO should he pay you the money, yes. At the same time he doesn’t owe it to you.

    If you give a knife to a monkey and it stabs someone… Who’s to blame? The monkey. Or you?

  37. tangential_quip Avatar

    Info: Do you share the winnings when it works out?

  38. jackalopeswild Avatar

    OP, ask yourself this:

    If the bet had won and you had gained $1000, would your roommate have asked for a cut? I’m betting he would have asked for half.

    I think you’re on solid ground asking for the difference between what you authorized and what he actually bet, but if you feel guilty at all, consider that.

  39. Actual_General_3597 Avatar

    Yta, but only slightly. They say money can damage any relationship and it’s why they also say don’t go into business with family. If he’s well off, then it’s no big deal and it’s nice to make that break since there is fault on both sides. I wouldn’t make him pay since as you stated, he is a good friend. Share the thought process and it was a lesson that you won’t be letting him play on your account again and he should just have his own account.