What to Know Before You Start
You’ve finally found yourself in a sparkling, noisy casino. You’ve eaten your fill from the buffet and can’t wait to roll the dice and see if luck is on your side. But wait a minute, mate. You may be dreaming of winning the jackpot and retreating to your private island, but that’s not possible here. Gambling is a great pastime and can be a fun thrill when things work out in your favour. But it’s not like it seems in the movies.
The house always has an edge:
No matter what game you play, the house (the casino you play at) has an edge. They don’t have to rely on luck to win and make money, they just need players like you. Math is always on their side. Be aware of this beforehand and never assume you have the upper hand in these games. One person’s big win is nothing compared to the thousands of wins the house claims for itself.
Luck is the most important factor to win:
Unlike the house, you have to rely on luck to win money. There are ways to reduce the house edge by playing smart and thus extending your playing time, but luck is still the most important factor to your success.
Start with a fixed amount you are willing to lose:
Gambling is not a lucrative way to make money. It is purely for entertainment. Before entering the casino, decide how much money you are comfortable playing with (which means losing all the time) and stick to it. Withdraw cash and leave your debit card in your hotel room. Never withdraw money again to get back what you lost. Set limits for yourself. If you can’t afford to lose it, don’t gamble. Sorry. The goal of gambling is not to rob people of their happiness.
Lucky streaks don’t last long:
if you win and have more money than when you started, you may consider quitting. At some point, your lucky streak will be over and you’ll look at your chips and wonder where all your winnings went.
Finally, I recommend looking into the rewards and incentives offered by the casino you are playing at. These programs are often free to join, but you can get great rewards, free play credits, free meals, and even free stays in really nice suites. You’re already spending money playing, so you might as well take advantage of these programs. Look for a customer service desk or ask someone at the cashier.
Choose the right games
Depending on the type of experience you are looking for, some games are more suitable than others. Do you want to use your skills to win money? Or would you rather just hang out and drink free cocktails? Do you want to feel the weight of casino chips in your hands? Or would you rather watch a machine with flashy effects and sounds?
If you want to win, you should choose games that require a certain level of skill and that won’t leave you empty-handed too quickly. The games with the best odds for players who can play are:
- Blackjack (single deck of cards if available)
- Video Poker (I recommend “Double Bonus” or “Double Double Bonus”)
- Craps (some bets)
- Baccarat
If you just want to have fun with an easy-to-learn game, I recommend this one:
- Slot machines (note: penny slots don’t cost a penny to play)
- Roulette (European roulette has slightly better odds)
- Keno
While you are playing the slots, you can grab free cocktails from the waitresses walking around (always tip). Roulette is the simplest of the table games. You simply place your bet on where you think the white ball will land, such as odd numbers, even numbers, red, black or certain numbers (37:1 odds). You have almost a 50/50 chance if you bet on even and odd numbers, red and black, so it is quite relaxing. Keno, after all, is designed so that you can play it while you are drinking a cocktail, watching TV, smoking a cigarette or playing another game. You select several numbers on a grid, place your bet and then wait to see if your numbers are drawn. Think of it as a very small lottery.
Know the Rules and Learn Basic Strategies
If you’re nervous about a table game like blackjack, start with the simple things above and get a feel for placing bets. When you’re ready, you can move on to the more complicated games. Before you sit down at a high-stakes table, though, take some time to get to know the game.
You can easily find gambling guides online, such as this blackjack guide or this craps guide. A quick Google search will easily find plenty of guides and advanced strategies to increase your odds of winning — for example, at sites like Wizard of Odds. If you don’t have time to do any research before you head out, that’s OK too. Look for a low-stakes table with a small minimum bet, such as a blackjack table that bets $5 per hand (depending on the casino and the night, $10 may be the least you can find).
Walk up to the table and tell the dealer you want to play but don’t know how. They’ll be happy to teach you and may even show you how to play your cards properly if you ask. Dealers make a lot of money from players’ tips and so have an interest in you being successful. They want you to win so you can give them money! This is best done when the table is empty so it doesn’t slow down the game for others. However, most people will be understanding or move to another table.
Follow casino etiquette
When you’re playing, it can only work to your advantage to be a positive, friendly, and decent guest – even if you’re losing big. The dealers will be nicer to you, the waitresses will come to your table more often, and the other players will appreciate it. The dealers gave me advice on how to win every hand, the waitresses brought me double drinks instead of singles, and I had a lot of laughs with the other players, all because I wasn’t a jerk. If you can’t lose a little money and still be a decent person, don’t gamble.
In addition, there are a few basic casino rules you should follow:
- Never sit at a table if you don’t want to play (don’t sit quietly and don’t watch your buddy play). and wait until the hand is over before sitting down at a table.
- Never take out your phone while you’re at a table. They’ll yell at you.
- Please do not touch your bet after you have placed it, including the hand/spin/etc. has been spread.
- Only touch your cards with one hand.
- Do not touch your winnings until the dealer has counted them for you and pushed them to you.
- Never delay the game to act like a superhero (don’t blow on the dice, don’t jump around, and don’t pretend to be doing something important).
- Always tip your dealer regularly, either by giving him a chip and clearly saying “This is for you” or by placing a bet for him. Never try to tip him in cash, only in chips.
- Always tip your waitresses. Every time they come by, I give them a $1 to $5 chip.
If you follow these rules, you may still not win any money, but you will stay out of trouble and have a lot more fun.
Know When to Stop
Gambling can be addictive, so you need to take precautions and know when it’s time to stop. Free cocktails, for example, are great, but the casino gives them to you for a reason. Don’t bet too much, and don’t be reckless with your bets.
Never chase your losses. Thinking you can suddenly get lucky and get your lost money back is the “gambler’s fallacy.” You start to believe you’re entitled to a big win and that if you bet just a little more, you can get all your money back. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. As soon as you start thinking, “If only I play a little longer…”, stop immediately.
And finally, avoid the “gambler’s conceit,” which occurs when you’re on the right track, winning, or on a winning streak. You start thinking, “Maybe I should bet more since I’m doing so well,” and “Sure, I could go home with more than I started with, but maybe I should keep going like this…” Bad idea. Stop when you’re ahead. My rule is that if I’m 50% up on what I started with, I pocket the chips and stop playing with them. Then I play out the remaining winnings. If I’m still doing well, I keep pocketing all 50% until I run out of luck. With this setup, if I’m lucky, I always go home with a little more than I started with.
Now you’re ready to hit the dance floor, roll some dice, say cool things like “hit me,” and have fun. Good luck!