What happens when gambling becomes deadlier than drugs?

In this raw, unfiltered episode of Nothing’s Off the Table with Louis Ruggiero, Chicago native Joe Cannon opens up about his 12-year gambling spiral — from $50 bets to risking $150,000 on a single game, chasing losses across five bookies, and losing $580,000 in just 10 days.

Joe’s story isn’t about money — it’s about survival.He shares how sports betting apps like FanDuel, DraftKings, and Caesars prey on vulnerable young men, how the dopamine rush mimics drug addiction, and how gambling drove him closer to suicide than opioids or alcohol ever did.

From hiding bets while holding his newborn daughter’s bottle…To sitting in a Chicago apartment wondering if the pipes above him could hold his weight — Joe’s brutal honesty will shake you to your core.

This episode exposes the dark truth about America’s gambling epidemic, the predatory tactics of major sportsbooks, and the silent crisis destroying millions of families behind the bright lights of “responsible gaming” ads.

Watch now to hear:

How gambling addiction destroys lives in silence

The moment Joe’s family found out and saved his life

Why self-exclusion isn’t enough to stop the spiral

How to rebuild your life after losing everything

Why recovery is possible — no matter how far you’ve fallen

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What would make a straight-A student, loving husband, and father of two paint his face black, put on a Bob Marley wig, grab a gun, and start robbing bodegas in Newark, New Jersey?

For Bo Joseph, it wasn’t greed. It was gambling — the invisible addiction that nearly took everything.

In this jaw-dropping episode of Nothing’s Off the Table, host Louis Ruggiero sits down with Bo, the author of An American Loser, for one of the most shocking, brutally honest comeback stories ever told. From being minutes away from abortion to building a $20-million business empire, Bo’s journey is a rollercoaster of chaos, crime, desperation, and redemption.

Before the money, before the mob threats, and long before success, Bo was a teenager just trying to save his family’s home. What started with $5 handball games in the schoolyard turned into a compulsive gambling spiral that left him owing hundreds of thousands of dollars to violent bookies and loan sharks. When the debts piled up, he stole, scammed, and lied — and when that wasn’t enough, he crossed the line most people never could.

“I painted my face black, put on a Bob Marley wig, and robbed bodegas to pay off my gambling debts.”

Bo’s story gets darker: mobsters beat him in public, his wife was terrorized, and his daughter was handed a note at school that said, “Next time, she won’t come home.”

That was his breaking point.

What happened next was a moment of pure transformation — a decision that changed his life forever. From that night on, Bo swore he would never gamble again. He started from nothing — sleeping in his mother’s pink childhood bedroom, working minimum-wage jobs, rebuilding his integrity piece by piece.

Now, decades later, Bo is a respected businessman, husband, and father again — living proof that even the darkest rock bottom can lead to redemption if you’re willing to face the truth.

This conversation isn’t just about gambling. It’s about the human condition — addiction, survival, forgiveness, and rebirth.

If you’ve ever battled demons, chased losses, or wondered how far desperation can push a person — this episode will shake you to your core.

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Buckle up for a no-holds-barred episode as Louis sits down with J-Mac, a Boston street kid turned graffiti artist and recovery warrior. From stealing at 8 to shooting heroin by 21, J-Mac’s life was a whirlwind of drugs, high-speed chases, and heartbreak. Witnessing domestic violence at 6, growing up with an addicted mom, and chasing the rush of graffiti and opiates, his story is as real as it gets.

But this ain’t just a sob story. J-Mac clawed his way out of addiction’s grip, turning his street art into a powerful voice for hope. With nearly 9 years sober, he’s painting murals, running groups at treatment centers, and helping others rise from the ashes. From dodging cops on Revere Beach to losing friends to overdoses, J-Mac’s journey is a gut-punch of pain, relapse, and redemption.

Louis and J-Mac dive deep into the chaos of addiction, the power of recovery, and why speaking your truth is the ultimate weapon against demons. Whether you’re fighting addiction, mental health struggles, or just life’s bullshit, this episode will hit you in the feels and leave you inspired.

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She was beaten at six, sexually abused by her stepfather, and abandoned by her mother.

By her 20s, she was trapped in addiction — living behind the mask of success while dying inside.

Today, Marci Hopkins is 10 years sober, a TV host, author, and advocate helping women find healing through faith, forgiveness, and recovery.

In this powerful and emotional episode of Nothing’s Off the Table, Louis “LJ” Ruggiero sits down with Marci to unpack her journey — from the darkest corners of childhood trauma to the light of sobriety and purpose.

“Once you surrender, life becomes so much more beautiful.” — Marci Hopkins

What You’ll Hear:

The trauma that started it all — and how she survived it

The night of her DUI and the moment she surrendered

Healing the wounds of her childhood and breaking generational cycles

The truth about recovery vs. abstinence

Finding God and spiritual freedom through surrender

Honest talk about parenting, shame, and forgiveness

This isn’t just another recovery story — it’s a roadmap to redemption, faith, and freedom.

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In this explosive episode of Nothing’s Off the Table, Louis Ruggiero sits down with Mathew Bowyer — the infamous bookmaker tied to Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter and a man whose life spiraled into the extremes of compulsive gambling, high-stakes bookmaking, federal indictments, and staggering casino losses.

Bowyer reveals:

How he went from hustling as a teenager to running one of the biggest bookmaking operations in the country.

The insane Vegas nights where he won $3.2M in 48 minutes—only to lose $13M at Resorts World.

His connection to the Ohtani scandal, wire transfers, and how the feds finally came crashing through his doors.

The dark psychology of gambling: why losing often feels more addictive than winning.

Raw confessions about addiction, family destruction, and recovery—and what it really takes to break free.

This isn’t just about sports betting scandals. It’s about the rush, the ruin, and the razor’s edge between fortune and self-destruction. If you’ve ever wondered how gambling addiction can take down anyone—from everyday hustlers to celebrity insiders—this is the story you need to hear.

Watch until the end to hear Mathew’s unfiltered truth and Louis’s powerful reflections as two compulsive gamblers face the realities of recovery.

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This episode of Nothing’s Off the Table will leave you speechless. Jenn opens up about losing both of her parents as a teenager, falling into addiction, and marrying a man whose choices nearly destroyed her family. From watching her husband get arrested on Christmas Eve in front of her children, to paying off hundreds of thousands in judgments, to almost losing everything—including her will to live—Jenn’s journey is raw, unfiltered, and unforgettable.

But this isn’t just a story of pain. It’s a story of resilience and redemption. Jenn shares how she fought her way through the darkness, raised three kids alone, built a successful business from scratch, and reclaimed her life in sobriety.

If you’ve ever doubted whether recovery is possible—or whether you can rise again after your world falls apart—this conversation is the proof you need.

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Shane Moses has lived a life most people couldn’t survive. From selling fake SATs in Texas, running drug empires in college, and moving hundreds of pounds across state lines — to seven years of heroin addiction, overdoses, arrests, and near-death experiences.

In this unfiltered conversation with Louis Ruggiero on Nothing’s Off the Table, Shane reveals:

How addiction destroyed his family, his future, and nearly his life

The chilling moment his mom discovered needles and bloodstains in his room

The seven-year spiral of heroin and gambling that left him broken

The relapse after 6.5 years of sobriety — and the painful price it cost him

How becoming a father and surrendering to God finally brought him back to life

This isn’t just another recovery story — it’s a blueprint for transformation. Shane’s raw honesty, his battles with gambling, heroin, and ego, and his comeback as a father, businessman, and spiritual man will leave you floored.

If you’ve ever struggled with addiction, relapse, or wondered if change is possible — this episode is your proof.

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In this powerful episode of Nothing’s Off the Table, I sit down with my close friend Bruce W.—a man who went from stealing nearly $1M to feed his gambling addiction… to serving time on Rikers Island in 1972… to becoming one of the longest-standing voices of recovery in the compulsive gambling community.

Bruce doesn’t hold anything back:

-Growing up in a Brooklyn neighborhood where gambling was everywhere

-Stealing checks at PaineWebber to cover debts with the bookies

-Facing lie detector tests, FBI investigations, and finally prison time

-His first Gamblers Anonymous meeting that changed his life forever

-The spiritual awakening that has kept him gambling-free for 54 years

This is more than just a story about addiction. It’s about redemption, rebuilding trust, and learning to like yourself again after years of self-destruction.

If you or someone you love is struggling with gambling addiction, this episode is proof that recovery is possible.

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Christine Baker’s story is one of the rawest transformations you’ll ever hear.

Born into chaos with an addicted mother, Christine started using at 13—with her mom. By high school, she was deep into cocaine and opioids, eventually shooting heroin every day for nearly a decade. She lost jobs, nearly lost her fiancé, and even overdosed while her baby sat in a highchair—her father, a retired NYPD detective, worked on her for 40 minutes to keep her alive.

But Christine didn’t just survive—she rebuilt. After multiple failed rehabs, she finally surrendered, embraced recovery, and has now been sober for 8+ years. Today she’s a wife, a mother of two, and even an Olympic-level athlete. And her fight isn’t over—she’s battling skin cancer with the same resilience that carried her through addiction.

We dive into:

-Growing up with an addicted parent and using drugs together at 13

-How heroin took everything—including her graduation, jobs, and family

-The overdose that almost killed her while her baby was in the next room

-What finally made recovery stick after 10 failed attempts

-Building a new life: motherhood, fitness, faith, and fighting cancer

-This isn’t just a story about addiction—it’s about survival, faith, and the power of never giving up.

Watch until the end for Christine’s advice to anyone struggling in recovery while facing life’s toughest battles.

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In this raw and unfiltered episode of Nothing’s Off the Table, I sit down with Ian Bick—host of Locked In with Ian—whose story is one of the wildest redemption arcs you’ll ever hear.

At just 21, Ian was indicted by the FBI and sentenced to federal prison after his nightclub empire collapsed in chaos. He opens up about the lies, the gambling, and the downfall that led him behind bars—and how he transformed that rock bottom into one of the fastest-growing podcasts in the country.

We dive into:

-What was harder—real prison or MrBeast’s fake prison for $500,000

-The insane behind-the-scenes of the 100-day MrBeast challenge (what you didn’t see on camera)

-The truth about gambling addiction, restitution, and rebuilding from nothing

-How Ian went from public disgrace to inspiring millions with his story of resilience

This isn’t just about prison or YouTube fame. It’s about what happens when society writes you off—and you decide to rewrite the ending.

Watch until the end for Ian’s powerful advice on owning your story and turning your lowest moments into your biggest comeback.

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