Las Vegas. Atlantic City. New Orleans. A riverboat. And, maybe one day, if you’re lucky, a fancy famous casino in Monte Carlo. These are places that you might find yourself gambling. More likely you will be gambling at whatever casino is closest to your home. Wherever you gamble this list represents some general guidelines to reduce stress, cut losses, save money and walk away a winner. No list or “system” can guarantee wins and in gambling you will suffer some losses no matter what you do but some basic practices could help slow down the losses and maybe put an extra chip or two in front of you. I hope they help you. Nothing suggested is radical or highly risky. Try them if you like and see what works for you.
- It should go without mentioning but since it is so important for stress-free gambling I am mentioning it first. This way you can enjoy whatever game you are playing and not feel like it is the end of the world if you lose all of your betting money. Another way to put this is to set a gambling budget and stick to it. Don’t even bother with the other guidelines until you do this one, writes website casinosenligne-francais.com.
- Don’t raise the amount you bet after a loss. There is more than one school of thought on this point. Many people double their previous bet when they lose to offset the previous losses with wins. This can and often does work. In fact the casinos set betting maximums just to keep progressive doubling from hurting them financially. If you have money to burn it might be okay to do this but the losses can be and will be expensive (see guideline number 1 about how much you should bet). For most, unlimited riches are not the case and you’ll be on a budget. It is just smarter to bet conservatively after a loss. If you lose again, it reduces damage and if you win back a bet you lost previously you can break even. Breaking even is better than losing.
- Always raise the amount you bet after a win if you need to raise a bet. There is no necessity to ever increase your bet (unless the table game demands it according to its rules) but if you are going to do it, why not do so after a win? This way at least some of what you bet will be out of winnings and not just your original betting money.
- Breaking even is winning. Well, mathematically it is not winning but it is winning in another way. Picture this: you go to a casino, you enjoy their free drinks, socializing during the table game, gambling and having a good time, maybe even for hours. After all this you have the same amount you started with when you placed your first bet. Congratulations! You won. For less than the price of a two-hour movie you have enjoyed an evening full of laughter, risk, drinks and entertainment. And if you happen to meet that pretty girl or handsome guy, well, another win. So, another way of putting this: Anything which is not losing is winning.
- Know when to quit. Probably the oldest axiom about gambling, it certainly rings true. You must remember that no matter what game you are playing the casino has the advantage. You can reduce the advantage depending on what game you play, however. For example both Casino War and Baccarat give you about a 50% chance. Of course the casinos do things to increase their advantage in these games. For example in Casino War, if you go to war, you have to bet more money but the casino of course does not, which gives them a significant advantage, so it is better not to go to war.
However, they still gain an advantage because if you do not go to war you must surrender half of your original bet. In Baccarat the “banker” hand has the advantage over the “player” hand. That’s why the casino charges players a commission from those who bet on “banker” and win. Because they know more gamblers will win on “banker” and they want to regulate their losses coming from gamers playing that hand. This is so true that there is no commission paid if you win on the “player” hand. Typically though, in most games, the house has a much more dramatic advantage so if you make a good jump in your winnings, it may be time to go. As a general rule, if you double your money, it is time to go. But remember if you start with $200 and win $50, that’s a 25% increase. If a business did that well it would always follow the same formula.
- Play like the casino, not like the players. As mentioned in number 5, the casinos know what is favored and what isn’t. Follow their lead wherever possible. For example, paying a commission on Baccarat when betting “banker” at first may seem foolish since on “player” you can keep all of your winnings but remember the casinos charge commissions on “banker” because even only the slightly larger percentage of wins makes them nervous. By the way it should be noted here that Baccarat in particular is a “well-dressed” game with dealers in tuxedos as well as many players.
Just about everyone is in suits and nice dresses or at least well dressed. The whole thing is a tradition of elegance and gaming. It is six centuries old and began in France and its tradition runs deep, but the game itself is just a matter of betting on one hand or the other or “tie.” Note: tie bets give the house a much higher advantage so use caution with this option. Depending on the Baccarat version (Baccarat, Midi-Baccarat or Mini-Baccarat) players may also take turns dealing cards. A “caller” runs the game and other dealers handle wins and losses and commissions. Overall, the game is 2-3 cards against 2-3 cards to see which hand is closest to 9 without going over. Think of it as “Casino War meets Blackjack meets ancient tradition.”
- If someone is noticeably drunk at your table, find another table. This does not directly affect betting but it will affect your mood which can affect your decision making. Besides, gambling should be a pleasant experience and if it is not, even if you win, it feels like you are losing.
- Don’t blindly follow the dealer’s advice. As in all things and professions, some people are genuine, some are not. With casino dealers, err on the side of caution. It is their job to keep you there and losing money. They will often give good advice because most people have no idea how to gamble wisely and even if they know some basic rules it won’t hurt the casino but it is hard to see when they are on your side and when they are not and remember whatever you decide you have to pay for it, literally. So be polite, take their words into consideration, even follow their advice if that’s what you want to do but if you don’t want to, stick to your guns. Remember it’s your money. The dealer won’t replace it if his advice was wrong.
- Don’t gamble without a break. It’s fun and it’s exciting especially when you are winning but just for that reason, because it is a “heady” pastime, take some time, walk away from the casino tables, go outside for a walk, have a drink at the bar (you’ll have to pay for them there) and strike up a conversation with a cool guy or a hot girl depending on your viewpoint and let gambling go for awhile. Just like anything else, gambling excess can exhaust your spirit and your energy and you may forget to relax. Another way to put this: Losing time is worse than losing money. Money will be lost and won. Time is only lost no matter what you do. Make sure you make the most of it. Gamblers will enjoy the game more healthily by taking some air between rounds.
- Learn your games of choice. Learn the house advantage percentages, learn how they are played, learn strategies. You can even practice most gambling table games online for free in many places. This can give you a feel for the games even on your home computer. I would not recommend paying to gamble online, however. There are often many aspects of the fine print that can bite you. It is always better, lose or hopefully win, to have it happen physically in front of you with chips you can hold that you know are worth something. Everything, win or lose, is immediately accountable.