Ed's first gambling experience came age seven, playing with his childhood friends, pitching coins and betting on neighborhood sports games. He remembers raising himself, as his father had long work hours and his mother was uninterested in him. His first trip to the racetrack came at age 12, thanks to friends' parents who worked the stables. But he soon moved onto card games each day and heavy sports betting. By his late teens, Ed was hard into bookmakers and had to tell lie up on lie to cover up his losings.