When you launch an online casino or step into a brick-and-mortar establishment, prepare to be dazzled. These establishments’ glittering, rich setups mimic the luxury of diamonds and fast cars promised by their games. The experience is amplified in land-based casinos, where courteous staff materialize to serve your every whim. Seeing these things makes it seem like you stepped into a fantasy world where every spin and hand has a good chance of being a winner and making all your dreams come true.
While there are lucky players that make life-changing fortunes every day, the reality is that most of the money ends up on the house’s side of the table. For that reason, the casino is not shy to pour millions to attract you to walk inside, explore the presented options, and, most importantly, spend money. This guide prepares you for how you can make the most of your experience without getting distracted by starlit ceilings and neon animations.
Go Pro
The idea of professional gambling is often glamourized by pop culture in films, songs, and intriguing characters like James Bond. On the upside, anyone can embark on the career path as long as your jurisdiction legalizes the activity. However, you should note that the reality of pro-gambling is far from the pretty picture painted in the movies. Luxury cars, sultry seductresses, and vodka martinis are not guaranteed. A lot of work and dedication is required, just like in the everyday proper job. The only difference is that if you get lucky, this venture has the potential to reward you with a big win. Being a professional gambler requires:
- Knowing your stuff – study trends and statistics to see if there are patterns you should pay attention to. Learning about the practice is a never-ending process; there is always another horse race or esports match to watch to increase the knowledge you already have.
- Total commitment – learning and commitment go hand in hand. Alex and Gavin Walker are a good example, twin brothers who watched four to five matches every day. Their high dedication level led to them amassing a whopping £440,000 in 18 months.
- Logical thinking – Emotions have no place in professional gambling, and all decisions should be based on hard logic. Follow where your knowledge guides you and not what your sentiment tells you.
Study the Risks
Game odds are always in the house’s favor no matter which game you play. Even if there is a chance to trigger massive payouts from time to time, the house is the biggest winner in the long run. Therefore, to ensure the wins end up on your side of the table, it is best to know which games to play depending on the odds. For instance, if you are playing to win, blackjack games are some of the most ideal. These sets often have a low house edge that falls between 0.0% and 2.0%. These odds change depending on the game, and they are as shown in the table for other popular casino game categories.
| Game | House Edge Range |
| Keno | 27% |
| Poker | 2.5% – 5.3% |
| Roulette | 1.35% – 5.36% |
| Baccarat | 1.2% |
| Slots | 1% – 10% |
| Craps | 0.6% – 1.4% |
| Video poker | 0.5% – 1.4% |
Use Strategies Where Possible
All casino games depend on luck to generate winnings with no possibility of predicting results. Even so, some sets leave some wiggle room for strategy use, and now let’s discuss the games you need to play.
One such game is roulette, and in its time around, several strategies have cropped up to make the most of any winning chances. Such gameplay approaches are possible since the game has limited outcomes and offers a range of betting options. The most popular roulette strategies are:
- The Martingale Strategy;
- The Reserve Martingale Strategy;
- The Grand Martingale Strategy;
- The Fibonacci Strategy;
- The James Bond Strategy;
- The D’Albert Strategy.
Other games that allow strategy use are blackjack and poker, but they can only be exploited in location-based casinos. In blackjack, you can use the card-counting trick to track whether high or low-value cards are in the shoe. In poker, wits and cunning can be used to trick other players and end up winning.
Practice the Gameplay
Most casino games have simple gameplay strategies that can be practiced in free-to-play versions. The demo sets come packed with fake credits that abide by the same bet and win limits as the real money versions. Playing the free options before embarking on cash-funded gameplay allows you to save funds until you have mastered your craft. Free casino games are available in all casinos that offer real-money sets. They can also be found on affiliate sites.
Manage Your Money
Unless your dream is to go bankrupt, managing your money when gambling is necessary. Once you move on to real-money gambling, have a handle on your spending habits from the get-go, even if it means tracking where every penny goes. Keep in mind that casino games are usually fast-paced, with rounds in some games lasting as little as two seconds. Therefore, even if you place bets worth a few pennies per round, they quickly add up to a significant amount.
Before starting any gameplay session, establish the amount you are comfortable spending, which should be sourced from disposable income. Set betting limits for each round and adjust the amount according to the changes to your balance. Ensure the bet exploits the high wins while playing as many rounds as possible. It is crucial never to source gambling funds from credit cards. The last thing you want to do is go into debt spending on something that is not an assured source of income.
Manage Your Time
If you spend too much time playing casino games, you are not making your dreams come true. Falling short in other important areas of your life like work, self-care, and socializing due to gambling will only result in stress and anxiety. If you are going to a brick-and-mortar establishment, bring a watch or a device with it since casinos are built with no windows or clocks to keep gamblers playing as long as possible. If you are playing online, set a time limit and log off once it elapses. Determine a reasonable period you can spend playing daily and weekly. Even if you plan to gamble professionally, establishing a work-life balance is crucial.
Choose Trusted Casinos
Embarking on a life-changing gambling journey means nothing if the casino you choose to play in is not reliable to award winnings when they come by. Some rogue destinations go as far as tampering with the odds to make winning almost impossible. This is especially the case with gambling sites online. Confirm the reputation of a gaming site before committing to their services by checking:
- Licenses – a licensed casino undergoes testing and monitoring to ensure it abides by fairness and safety standards. The best casinos also have approval seals from RNG testing institutions like GLI, BMM Labs, eCOGRA, and iTech Labs.
- Security – since personal and financial information is necessary for real money gameplay, confirm that the gambling house has adequate security measures to keep out prying third parties.
- Reviews – read the reviews of professional websites and real players who have explored the casino’s services.
Claim Friendly Bonuses and Promotions
Nearly all casinos have incentives to accompany their games, but not all of them should be claimed. Go for casinos without wagering requirements since any collected winnings using bonus funds can be withdrawn without strings attached. If this term is included, ensure it is low enough to leave room for profit generation. Also, pay attention to any game, bet, and maximum win limits. Free spins, cashbacks, match promotions, free chips, and loyalty points are among the many rewards available to take advantage of.
Wrap Up
These tips are not assurances that you will win big while gambling, but they help to increase your odds significantly. Whenever you are lucky enough to come by payouts, save the extra funds and invest them elsewhere while gambling with your disposable income. Also, ensure to be sober when engaging in the activity, and have a handle on it to avoid falling victim to gambling addiction.
