Your handy Gambling Strategy Guide
1. Know your game
Games like slots and keno are truly random and offer you no opportunity to affect the result. When you play these games, you do so because of the hope of winning a big jackpot. Games like blackjack and video poker do however give you a chance to affect the result by making choices. We have strategy pages to assist you in this regard. Click here to visit our blackjack strategy page and here to visit our video poker strategy page.
2. Budget
We are all pretty normal people in that we don’t have an unlimited supply of money. In the first place, decide on how much you are prepared to lose over the period of say one month. Then you decide how often you are going to play. A simple division sum will tell you what your daily budget is. If you don’t stick to this budget, the chances are that halfway through the month you are going to be tempted to spend what you were not prepared to lose.
3. It’s not about emotion
As we said, the games have certain odds and you should play these games according to those odds. When however you find yourself betting to survive, using funds you shouldn’t use (like rent!), then you will find yourself playing to win huge amounts which simply does not happen! So, if you find yourself being influenced by any outside factor then its time to walk away and take a well deserved break.
4. Don’t drink and play!
Again, we reiterate that playing at a casino has odds that can be controlled by you. When your senses are influenced by other substances, rest assured that your good judgement will be impaired as well.
5. The “can’t lose” systems
OK, please send them to us. We want to see them too! There are “can’t lose” opportunites in the sportsbetting world with the advent of betting exchanges but in the casino world, they simply don’t exist. Remember the Random Number Generator that dictates the game results? Well, it is a simple case of mathematics to see that Blackjack favors the casino, video poker favors the casino, keno favors the casino even more! Using strategy does help limit the casinos advantage but it is always there. Why on earth would they still be in business if this was not the case. Don’t fall for the get rich quick schemes!
6. So, it’s all about numbers then
Following a predefined strategy may seem boring but it is the mathematically correct way to limit your losses. Hunches now and then are for fun only and will usually result in a loss. By all means go for it but be aware that you are probably throwing your money away. This of course includes dreams, ESP, and hot tips too!
7. Winners know when to stop
On so many occassions you will find a stage during your play at the casino when you are well up or when, after a losing streak of note, you recoup the vast majority of losses. At this stage, it is perhaps easiest of all to get caught up in the frenzy of winning more. You have to realise that you are actually in the process of giving all you won back to the casino! Have a simple plan to stop when your are up, even going so far as to set a percentage to help you measure your contentment. E.g. stopping when 40% up.
8. Expect To Lose
It may sound strange but when you look at the odds we discussed above, it’s obvious that the casino is in business to win and has game odds to pretty much guarantee this. So, you are destined to lose. If you win, accept it as the LUCKY break that it is. It is not the norm!
9. Side shows
When playing blackjack, the insurance bet increases the house edge. The gamble feature on video poker machines increases the house edge. Sure, some of these add ons run at 50% but when you get into the habit of doubling up, you will often continue to do so until losing your original bet. Rather stick to the game and its direct strategy and rules.
10. Have fun!
The best gambling strategy is to know that you are playing for the fun of it. You are playing because you love to play the game. If it becomes more important than fun, it’s time to consider a change!
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