Have you ever visited a live or online casino, confident that you knew what you were doing, only to lose every dollar of your bankroll? Did you think you had it all figured out, only to leave with your head hung low, wondering what went wrong? Do you wish you knew how to be a better gambler?
Don’t worry. You’re not alone. In fact, most gamblers suffer this exact same fate time and again before they finally figure it out. As with most things in life, knowledge is power.
Fortunately, thanks to the world wide web, we have access to a lot more information these days. You don’t have to rely on experience – learning from your mistakes over a multitude of failed attempts – to get it right. The following advise will teach you how to be a better gambler in 3 easy steps.
1. Understanding How Casinos Operate
The first thing you have to understand is how casinos operate. If it were that easy to win, they wouldn’t be in business, now would they? These companies make millions of dollars from there patrons. Then again, so do night clubs, concert halls, movie theaters, and all other major entertainment venues.
If you look at your gambling experience as anything but entertainment, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. You are here to have a good time, and should expect to spend money for the entertainment value.
Knowing how to be a better gambler doesn’t always mean walking away a winner. But with a little luck and premeditated knowledge on your side, you can certainly increase your odds of leaving with a larger bankroll in your pocket than when you started.
2. Knowing the Rules & Strategies of the Games
The second most important aspect of becoming a better gambler is to be perfectly familiar with each game you play. Don’t walk up to a blackjack, craps or roulette table without prior knowledge of the rules, and the pay table on offer. Never play a slot machine before reading (and fully comprehending) its pay table, either.
Just knowing the rules isn’t enough. You should also develop a strategy for whatever games you intend to play. For example, there’s a variety of blackjack strategies that can be applied; everything from basic decision making charts, to betting systems, to various card counting techniques.
Do your research and find a proven strategy for your game(s) of choice, and practice that strategy many times before you play for real money at a casino. Online and mobile casinos afford players unlimited practice of their games for free. There are blackjack apps for applying basic strategy and card counting.
As I said before, the internet has opened the flood gates to a vast wealth of knowledge, and it can do wonders for teaching you how to be a better gambler. You’d be a fool not to take advantage of it.
3. Managing Your Money Wisely
Last but not least, you must learn to manage your bankroll wisely. This is the simplest step of all, but often the most difficult for players to abide by. The rules are easy enough:
– Remove the temptation to overspend. Only bring what you can afford to lose, and leave your ATM card at home.
– Size your bets to make your bankroll last according to the game. You’ll need at least 20 bets for table games, and 50 for slots.
– Set a profit goal of 10-20%. Once you reach it, set that aside, and don’t touch it. You can either leave at this point, cheering your win, or continue playing with the original bankroll, setting a new profit goal.
Learning how to be a better gambler isn’t hard at all, but it will take some effort on your part to learn the ropes, and to know when (and have the willpower) to walk away.
