Town striker Michael Chopra has revealed that he was gambling up to £20,000 a day and has probably lost a figure totalling around £2 million over the years. On Thursday, Blues boss Paul Jewell confirmed that the former Cardiff, Newcastle and Sunderland frontman recently spent three weeks in the Sporting Chance Clinic as he looks to recover from his gambling addiction.
Chopra said: "Your first bet's your worst bet. As the years have come along and I've earned more money I've started to gamble more.
"I was gambling up to £20,000 a day at times. As soon as I'd step over the white line I would focus on football - but as soon as I got to the dressing room I would check my phone to see if I'd won.
"As a gambler you want to be playing to get the appearance money. I was playing through injury to cover a debt."
He says the signing-on fee from his move to Sunderland helped cover his losses: "In my first season at Cardiff I had a gambling debt from when I was at Newcastle.
"I had to leave Cardiff and sign for another team to pay that debt off. I have probably lost between £1.5 million and £2 million on gambling."
The 27-year-old says his mind is now very much on getting the Blues into the Premier League: "The main thing now is to get promoted with Ipswich. They've backed me and I want to pay them back."
Meanwhile, Town's reserves are in action in a friendly against Arsenal at Playford Road this lunchtime (KO noon). Fans are welcome to attend the match.