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BOSTON, MA – JANUARY 20: Joe Rogan is seen in the commentary booth during the UFC 220 event at TD Garden on January 20, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

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BOSTON, MA – JANUARY 20: Joe Rogan is seen in the commentary booth during the UFC 220 event at TD Garden on January 20, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
UFC commentator Joe Rogan is a treasure trove of wild experiences. Rogan’s multifaceted professional life has given him a lot of stories to talk about. Often, these experiences come up during conversations on The Joe Rogan Experience. They are part of what makes the show entertaining to listen to. Recently, Rogan talked about his early twenties and hanging out with gambling addicts.
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In episode #1909 with stand-up comic Stavros Halkias, Rogan reminisced about his early days in New York. He talked about discovering pool halls and finding the world of hardcore gamblers.
Joe Rogan lost money in gambling in his youth
While talking to Halkias, Rogan described his early days in New York. He moved there in ’91-’92 shortly after he began his career as a stand-up comic. Rogan described discovering the world of gamblers as a “wild experience.”

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PASADENA, CA – FEBRUARY 01: Comedian Joe Rogan performs during his appearance at The Ice House Comedy Club on February 1, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Michael Schwartz/WireImage)
Rogan said these were a renegade group that did not fit in with society. Therefore, they found a world of their own where they thrived.
“These people were renegades. They were like this part of society that I didn’t know existed. People that never felt like they fit in and they found this one thing and they hung out together.”
Rogan also mentioned that he lost money in gambling. He said, “Oh yeah [I lost money]. I was terrible… I became pretty good, but I became what’s called a B player. Most good players could beat me.”
The former ‘Fear Factor’ host also described the gambling addicts he encountered and the pool hall culture in New York at the turn of the century.
Rogan on the gambling addicts he encountered in his youth
Discussing his indulgences in gambling during his early twenties, Rogan told Halkias about the gambling addicts that populated the pool halls of New York. Speaking of these people, the BJJ black belt said, “I’ve seen people lose their lives to gambling. It’s wild to see. It’s wild to see people who can’t stop going to casinos… who can’t stop betting.”

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LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 05: UFC host and commentator Joe Rogan conducts a Q&A session with fans during day one of the UFC Fan Expo Las Vegas 2013 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on July 5, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Powers/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Rogan also described the pool halls where billiards was the main game. He described how people lied and cheated and stole from each other.
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“…this pool hall was filled with degenerate gamblers… that would just always lie to each other and were always stealing money and they were always gambling.”
Rogan added that the compulsion behind gambling was the excitement that came from it. He said the appeal lay in putting money on a strike of the ball on the pool table.
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What do you make of Rogan’s gambling stories? Give us your thoughts in the comments below.
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