You win some, you lose some – a well-known saying and an inevitable part of every gambling experience. However, for a betting experience to be truly stress-free, one needs to keep losing down to a minimum. This means to choose your battles carefully, have a good strategy, and above all – resist the gambling itch when a loss may lead you into debt.
All who have engaged in games of chance at least once in their lives will tell you this is easier said than done, and they would be completely right. All casinos, whether online or not, are designed to enchant. Physical casinos will lure you in and keep you playing with their soft lights, flashy gaming stations, luxurious ambiance, and everything that appeals to your senses. Online casinos, on the other hand, offer unbeatable ease of betting you can manage in a few clicks and on the go, along with bonuses you can not resist.
That said, how do we rise above the temptation of online betting when it’s so easily manageable? Is today our lucky day? Should we try something new? A new game, a new strategy? If you’re not careful, the slippery slope is just around the corner. And here’s how to avoid it.
Make a plan for your budget first
It’s one thing to know that you can afford a little fun playing your favorite game of chance, and quite another to decide how much exactly you’re willing and able to spend. First, make a list of all your monthly expenses. This includes rent or mortgage installments, bills, funds for groceries, and household essentials, basically all things that make up your current lifestyle.
Then, set aside the budget for playing. You need to be disciplined and refrain from chasing your losses. If you see you’re nearing the budget’s end, walk away rather than saying Just one more try to see whether I’ll win my money back. This is most often the road that leads to losses you can’t easily recover from. If you feel this could be too hard for you, set a payment method where you’ll have only the spending money you can afford to lose. Once that runs out, you won’t be able to go over the limit.
Pick the right casino
The vast industry of online gambling boasts many websites which you may choose to play on. However, be wary. Some may be dodgy in terms of safety, but also less suitable in terms of bonuses and other perks available. Safety first, though. This is how you can tell whether an online casino is a safe bet:
- There will be two-phase registration involved
- You will be asked for your personal as well as payment information
- They will never ask for such information more than once
- They will offer well-known payment methods
- There will be fast payouts
- Responsive, helpful, around the clock customer support
- Certification by different third-party casino regulatory authorities
- Reviews by experts in the field that offer good arguments
Whether it’s a game of poker or you wish to place a sports bet, reading betting sites reviews should be obligatory. Being that they stem from personal experience, they’ll give you a unique insight into your chosen online casino.
Not all games will suit you
What they lack in ambiance (in contrast to brick’n’mortar establishments) online casinos make up in the abundance of games and bonuses offered. You might have a really strong desire to stay true to your game of choice, but if you’re on a losing streak, it’s time for a change. You don’t have to stray far from your comfort zone since there are so many variations of the same thing – like slots, for instance. But, if you switch, you should check the house edge (a statistical prediction of how much one can lose on every bet in the long run) and aim for the lowest one you can find.
Blackjack has the best odds, with the house edge being 1% or less and video poker usually goes at 3% or less. Slot machines tend to be slightly higher with a range from 5% to 30%. That means that a switch from slots to video poker may just save you some cash.
Bonuses are another thing you would be well advised to read about since you could use them as wagers and they tend to be a lot more elaborate in online casinos than in land-based ones.
Know the rules
Playing it by ear won’t get you far. If you think that you’ll figure things out as you go along, you are more than likely to lose much money very quickly. Instead, familiarize yourself with the rules, especially before playing games of strategy like Poker or Blackjack.
Fortunately, and largely thanks to the internet which has become an infinite source of ever-expanding knowledge, there are many ways in which you can educate yourself in this area. There are numerous books available which touch on the strategy of every casino game imaginable, YouTube tutorials, and online communities you can join for advice and support. You can attend real games on live-streaming platforms or even visit a physical casino and watch an actual gameplay or two at a real table.
Walk away when you win
Getting carried away drunk on success after a win may just cause you to lose your winnings and much more than that. Don’t push your luck, as they say, since it’s not very likely to win big twice in one day. A more probable scenario is that you’ll end up chasing your losses and be broke or even in debt in a blink of an eye.
Instead, take a deep breath, control yourself, and walk away. Try thinking about how you can spend your winnings. Would you like to treat yourself to something special, buy something nice for friends and family or invest in something that may bring you long-term profit? Only then will you feel like you’ve truly won.
In a nutshell
Having fun while gambling online means having a stress-free experience, which is only possible if you’re not burdened by debt. With some discipline, a healthy outlook on games of chance, and a well-balanced budget, you’ll be happy, have a great time, and most importantly – never be in the red.
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