Affiliate Interview Series: Pat Chapdelaine ?giggles7p

**GPWA Dan** · 26 October 2011, 12:39 pm

[Editor's note: This interview originally ran in the September 2009 edition of the GPWA Times Magazine]

Age: 47
Hometown: Bristol, CT
City currently residing in: Bristol
Favorite food: Anything Italian
One book everyone must read: The Stand, by Stephen King
Sites: Triple777s Gambling Forum, Gamblingaffiliateplace.com

You’ve got a pretty wild-looking avatar. What’s going on there?

What do you think is going on there? I am a 47-year-old woman who is at her peak sexually ?need I say more?

Tell us about your three sites and how they developed. Which one came first?

Where do I start? Well, when I first entered online gaming it was as a player, I had never heard of “forums?or “affiliates.?I was just looking to gamble, and blow all my hard-earned money. I started noticing that there were places that you could go online that offered contests, free chips and bonuses to some of the casinos I frequented (forums). “The HidingPlace?was the first one I started becoming a member at and after awhile I was offered a “moderator?position, and that led to other sites and other moderator jobs which I loved doing, talking, laughing, becoming known as “the fart queen?Lol It was great. Then one day I was running a contest for a gambling forum with “Casino Grand Bay,?where the manager at the time was Mark Woods (wonderful man; I owe a lot of what I do to him). He took to me and we would talk for hours on the phone when approving contests for us and he always would insist that I start my own forum because I was just making money for someone else, when I could be making it for myself. So with his help and guidance I started Triple777s, and that was 7 years ago and “Referspot?has become “Grand Prive?without Mark Woods, and we all know how that story ends! Then I started my first “portal,?Triple777s Casino Gambling Guide, which is, as of now, closed and being reinvented because I have learned so much from GPWA and CAP (at the time) that I feel the need to just start from scratch because the site was going nowhere. Then BB1 came into my life. I met him over at CAP and we became great friends with a lot in common and of course some fun flirtations! (Love ya, Steve!) He and a silent partner started up the Gambling Affiliate Place and he asked me if I wanted to help out and work with him, and it’s the best thing I have done! I have met some of the best affiliates, have learned so much in such a little time, and Steve has given me the opportunity to really work close with affiliate managers and earn my own reputation with them and it’s priceless. The only way to make it in this business is having the right contacts, being honest and willing to keep on learning from your peers, and being flexible enough to be able to change when the industry changes, which lately has been a continuous adventure.

How did you become involved in the online gambling industry? Why did you become an affiliate? What were you doing before you became an online gambling affiliate?

I became an affiliate because I was broke from gambling! I was making money for other people, and I was earning nothing but a pat on the back for doing a good job, being creative with contests and getting members to come and participate and post. So as I said above, it was time to put my personality and creativity to work for myself. One thing I must say about this business, it has given me a much-needed boost in self-esteem. Starting a business without any prior knowledge or training, and self-teaching as we all have done to get were we are, is a great accomplishment, whether others say so or not. Affiliates are some of the best business-minded people in the world; we just don’t get the credit because it’s such an obscure business! Before I entered this business I was a “Soft Lines Manager?for Ames Department Store, and I would probably still be with them if they didn’t go bankrupt and go out of business. Before that I worked with truck drivers! Now that is a whole other story! I traveled all over the USA driving a “flag car?for “oversized load trucks?that were transporting “Modular Homes.?It was a great job for a single mom with two small children. I didn’t need a babysitter or daycare, and they traveled with me until they hit school age. It was cash paid daily, and the trips were fantastic! And that’s where my username “giggles?came from, on the CB radio! Loll.

Operating forums has been an important part of your career and success. What’s the most difficult thing about operating a forum?

This may not be a popular opinion for some, but I truly believe to have a successful “gambling forum?you need “sponsors.?If you do not have casinos, bingo halls or poker rooms that are willing to sponsor contests for your site, you will never make the “big?money that other forum owners do. Gamblers that visit forums are looking for “deals,?plain and simple; that’s how they find your sites in the first place. They may become regulars, and post all the time and even become great friends with you and other members, but if they were not looking for some kind of “deal??bonus, free chip, etc. ?they never would have found your place. And if you stop offering these incentives, eventually your forum will slow down, and so will your earnings. So when running a forum, the most important advice I can offer to anyone is, make good contacts with only the best online gaming sites. Get special promotions, offers, contests, etc., to offer your members that are unique and marketable, and you will see your site grow by leaps and bounds. Everything else will fall into place after that. Also, keep everything current: news, updates, promotions, etc. If a player stops at your forum and there are no new posts, no one talking, no contests or promotions that are recently posted, then he or she will leave and find a place that is more active.

If other affiliates are thinking about operating an affiliate, what things should they know and consider before taking on the endeavor?

If you mean operating an Affiliate Forum, the first thing I think is making sure you have been in the business long enough to be able to make a difference in affiliates?lives. Knowing how this business works and having good relationships with other seasoned affiliates who are willing to help you make a great community are key to being successful. Having the knowledge of which programs are respectable and which aren’t is essential; if you promote “bad?programs, you will never make it. You cannot be in this type of job and only be looking out for number 1. Affiliates are a very closely tied together group of people, and you need their respect and knowledge in everything you do to make a difference in your own business and in theirs.

What prompted you to join the GPWA? Has membership helped you in any way? If so, how?

Ha! Well, I heard there was a party going on there 24/7 and that Universal was doing a strip tease, so I had to come see for myself! Loll. (Got ya, Rick!). Seriously, I have a LOT to learn still in this business, and between GPWA and CAP, I was starting to feel equal to some of my peers because of their generous nature and time spent explaining things to me. And then something went wrong at CAP (?) and I started spending all my time here at GPWA and getting to know everyone better, and I just love everyone to death. I have such a great time here, laughing, flirting (one of my favorite things to do) lol - and learning. It’s priceless the knowledge that comes out of this site; there are a few members here that I swear are at a genius level!

What influence, if any, does feedback from GPWA members have on you as you develop and fine-tune your site?

I am too afraid to actually ask anyone to go and critique my sites, for fear they will laugh themselves silly! There are a couple of members here whose help I value so much, and they have directed me into a new direction in this business that I believe is my “niche? I not only run a gambling forum and an affiliate forum, but I also have been doing a lot of writing, content, reviews of slots, casinos, etc. And if not for them (hugs to slotplayer, tryme1, pdjoe and Dominique) I would have never thought of expanding into this side of the industry! So to anyone out there who is just starting and hasn’t found their “niche,?look around; there are so many different avenues in this industry that you can travel and become successful and the best part is, it’s yours for the taking; just get out there and find it. Coming to sites like GPWA helps you find your area of expertise and guides you to your future with friendly people and support from all over the world. It’s Awesome!

Do you like to gamble? If so, what are your favorite games at a live casino, and what are your favorites online?

Are you kidding me? ROTFLMAO. Look up the definition of “slot player?and you’ll see my pic! Lol. I love slots, any slots, and hot slots especially. Online I love to play the older video slots like Spring Break, Adventure Palace, Agent Jane Blonde and Thunderstruck, but if my money is running out, I swear I can go to either City of Gold or Cherry Red, classic one payline slot games, and work my way back up to cash out winnings!. Those two slots for me have been so lucky, and that’s why I love one payline slot games: the odds of my winning are so much better than at most multi payline slot games. At land-based casinos, I love to play Double Diamonds and Wheel of Fortune!

In your GPWA bio you mention that you and your husband have two sons, one of whom is in Iraq. When will he be back home?

He is back Stateside! Yeah!! That has been one of the hardest times in my life, watching my youngest go to Iraq “TWICE”… I couldn’t breathe, the whole time he was gone. I had CNN on constantly, which is really a bad thing to do, because everything that is reported over there is not good. When I would talk with my son on the phone he would tell me, “Mommy, it’s not that bad, the people are nice, and they don’t hate us as much as reported.?But you know they are in danger ? he just won’t worry me and tell me that, so for those out there who have loved ones serving in a war zone (Mojo, I am thinking of you) . . . keep the faith, think positive and believe. On a funny and ironic note, my son is in the Air Force, and guess where he is stationed? LAS VEGAS, BABY! LOL Can you believe the irony? And better yet, I have never been to Vegas! Lol

What’s your favorite vacation spot? Why?

My bed. Hahaha. Need I say more?

What does your family think about your work as an affiliate?

My husband and children are extremely proud. They think Mom accomplished making her own business without any help and that has made them proud. The rest of my family all seem to be unable to get past the statement, “You gamble on the computer??Btw ?the cartoon in the June 2009 GPWA magazine says it all! Lol

If you left online gaming today and you could be doing anything you wanted to do, what would it be?

I think everyone who knows me at GPWA can answer this one for me! I would open up my own animal rescue foundation! I plan on doing this in the future, some kind of animal rescue, rehabilitation, etc. My life is not complete if there are not animals included, all animals ?except spiders!

What do you know now about the industry that you wish you’d known when you got started?

I wish I’d known about the meaning of the word “niche?and how to be selective on what programs I decided to promote. Research a program before investing any time into promoting it. I made some mistakes when starting out with programs that I now know are not reputable and are a waste of time and could have tarnished my reputation by promoting, but thankfully I had peers looking out for me who steered me clear. So another thing I wish for all new affiliates is that they become friends with others in the business ASAP, and listen to their advice; it’s priceless.

If you had to pick 5 keys to success as an affiliate, what would they be and why?

1. Establish good contacts and surround yourself with knowledgeable people and realize you can never learn enough.

2. Patience. Without it you will give up before realizing your potential. Success in this business does not come over night.

3. Find your niche (maybe being an affiliate is not enough for you), look around, read the forums, talk with peers and listen to their ideas, and take their advice on other areas in the business. I did, and I am finally making enough money to say I am on my way to financial freedom.

4. Be friendly and helpful to others. You’re not in this business alone, and when others are kind to you, be kind back. When you ask for help, be sure to be helpful to someone else. The best people I have met in my life are through this site and this business, and I have never met any of them face to face; that says a lot about the integrity of the people you are working with.

5. Laugh, enjoy and dream.

If you were casting a movie with yourself in the starring role, who would play your romantic interest? Why?

Do I have to pick just one? Lol. I have to go with Mel Gibson or Tom Selleck. Just looking at them makes me ******! The movie would have to be a saga, ’cause once just wouldn’t be enough! Lolllllll

If someone was cooking the perfect dinner for you, what would you want? And why?

A glass or two of white wine to start off, with some candles and music. An appetizer of mozzarella sticks with dipping sauce sounds wonderful. Spaghetti and meatballs (all homemade, of course, including a nice think pasta sauce) with garlic bread. As a dessert I would have to go with a cheesecake with raspberry topping. Now, are you offering to cook me dinner? Lol

You’ve mentioned you’re a big gadget person. Besides air-conditioning, what’s your favorite gadget?

Hahahaha, now if this isn’t a loaded question, I don’t know what is! Are you trying to get me in trouble? Lol My favorite gadgets, umm. Well, if they made a generator-powered “French tickler?that would be on the top of my list! Lol Cell phone, cp, DVD player, CD player, digital camera, Magic Bullet kitchen gadget, telescope?

Finally, please tell us 3 things that nobody knows about you.

1. I play the clarinet and saxophone.
2. I love to draw.
3. I secretly would love to do some stand-up comedy!

**rak** · 26 October 2011, 1:25 pm

Originally Posted by Digo

You’ve got a pretty wild-looking avatar. What’s going on there?
What do you think is going on there? I am a 47-year-old woman who is at her peak sexually – need I say more?

Finally, please tell us 3 things that nobody knows about you.

1. I play the clarinet and saxophone.
2. I love to draw.
3. I secretly would love to do some stand-up comedy!

Classic Pat, thanks for posting.. lets everyone, who were unlucky to have known her, to know the genuine human being she was. You can just read the humour into her posts and her attitude towards life.

**davemerry** · 26 October 2011, 2:59 pm

Gave a huge laugh at the first question, classic!

**Renee** · 26 October 2011, 7:14 pm

She would have been a great comedian I reckon.

**Zoorana** · 27 October 2011, 2:34 am

Cheers for bringing this interview back GPWA. What a pleasant read that was. I totally agree Renee, she would have been a great comedian. Even with the interview above she's made me laugh and not to mention her posts here. Oh man would have loved to hear her giggles!

**wagerjunction** · 27 October 2011, 11:29 am

Pat definitely was one in a million. Thanks for posting this interview again GPWA.

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