Some estimates put the total number wagered on Super Bowl Sunday in the billions, with bets placed on everything from who will win the match up, to which celebrities receive the most cutaways during the live TV coverage.

Yet, for some, the day is a reminder of a crippling addiction. A former addict spoke to WISC-TV on the condition of anonymity. "Bob" has been clean for 12 years, but said he became so fixed on gambling, it took over his life.

"The last month or two was between two to three hundred dollars a day, seven days a week," he said, noting that he wasn't winning. "The winning doesn't matter to a compulsive gambler. It's about the thrill."

 A thrill that came from scratch-off cards, lotto tickets, and betting on big games like the Super Bowl. "Bob" said he sometimes dropped hundreds of dollars at a time -- it ruined his life not just financially, but spiritually and morally as well.

 "I loved gambling more than my wife, my family or anything. It was my mistress, it was my lover," he said.

Facing foreclosure and more than $30,000 in debt, he sought treatment and attended Gambler's Anonymous meetings. He said his wife wasn't initially sure if she'd stay with him, but did and held him accountable, taking his paychecks before he opened them.

"The first year she gave me a $3 a day allowance. And I had to show her the receipts where I spent that $3. I was 45 years old -- that's humbling as hell," said "Bob."

Addiction counselors said most people can gamble socially without it becoming a problem, but there is a clear line that is crossed -- indicating betting is no longer just for fun.

"The difference is that people continue to do something, despite the negative consequences," said Penny Raimer, an addiction counselor with UW Health Gateway Recovery. "They're probably lying to family members about how much they are spending."

"Bob" knows all about the lies, and the losses. He said his biggest win was finally asking for help.

"If you're willing to seek the help and do what's necessary, it will work for anybody," he said.

Wisconsin residents who need help with a gambling problem can call the statewide help hotline, 1-800-GAMBLE-5.