Gambling is one of the most entertaining activities known to mankind, preceding even the earliest signs of civilization amongst our ancestors. As we developed technologically, new games came into existence but the essence of gambling remained ever the same.
Finally, with the invention of the internet, gambling started migrating into the digital environment. Nowadays, online casinos are a force to be reckoned with and the volume of traffic that they receive on a daily basis exceeds even the numbers seen in some of the world’s most popular casinos.
Still, like the casinos of old, online casinos have their rules and etiquette. Here are the top five tips that every beginner should know about.
1. The House Doesn’t Have to Cheat
Every game is slightly in their favor. That means that the mathematics and statistics alone guarantee their profitability with a large enough subject sample. In other words, while the game is technically rigged, no one is rigging it in the way you would expect it to. No croupier has to scam you directly, no one has to “do something” about your lucky streak, and there’s no plot against you.
That is something you need to understand from the very start. Now, if you want to understand exactly what you’re up against, you might want to look up the statistical odds for various games. Also, keep in mind that odds are quite consistent but may not apply to your subjective perspective. Out of 50 throws, there’s a chance that a coin will land on tails every single time. The odds are low but they’re there and mathematically more than possible.
2. Pick a Strategy
The next thing you might want to take into consideration is the importance of a betting strategy. Strategies are there to make your wins more consistent and your losses smaller in value. They’re also there to give you a psychological comfort of sorts.
Let’s say you play a game where you need to pick one number out of 9. You pick number 7, five times in a row and lose. Then, you pick number 8 on your sixth try and the number 7 comes up as the winner. This is a scenario in which most people lose it and it is why using gambling strategies is so good for your sanity. On that eighth-try, number 7 was just as likely as number 8. Every single time it’s up to luck.
The key thing is to have a system and stick to it. The most popular betting strategies are Martingale, Labouchere, and Oscar’s Grind. Still, you could come up with a system of your own. As long as there’s a system, you’re doing all right.
3. Find Your Game
Every game has its rules and the longer you play, the more you’ll understand it. Sure, that doesn’t mean you have to be exclusive to one game but having a favorite is going to take your enjoyment to a whole new level.
With gambling, every game is a run of its own, which is why there’s no way that it will ever get boring or repetitive. You don’t have to take our word for it, just take a look at the examples. What is roulette? A ball spinning, landing on a different number every time. People often complain about these games being unfair, rigged, or broken but one complaint that you will never hear is that they are boring.
Once you start playing a game for a while and understand its mechanics, you might be able to develop your own strategy. The more you know, the more fun it gets. You can even start by learning simple casino terminology like what does casino wager mean and you will surely notice how you are more attracted to the game itself.
4. Never Bet More than You Can Afford to Lose
If you had to listen to just one tip, and had room in your mind to memorize a single item from this list, it should be this one. You should never bet more than you can afford to lose. There are two possible outcomes of any bet – you’ll either lose or win money. Every time you log into your online casino account, there are two outcomes to the session – you’ll either lose or win money. Both of them are just as likely. Both of them are possible outcomes. You need to be ready to face the worst-case scenario.
Imagine any situation in which you’re spending money on something you enjoy – an expensive meal in a restaurant, a movie ticket, a ride at a theme park. You’re exchanging money for fun. The same rule should apply to your gambling. Set aside the amount of money that you’re ready to part with and only play with this money. Speaking of fun…
5. Have Fun
The last thing you need to understand is that gambling is a game. It’s not going to pay for your mortgage, it’s not going to get you through college, and it’s not going to provide you with a steady income for the lifestyle you want. As a game, its primary purpose is to be a source of fun. As soon as it starts feeling like fun, it’s time to quit. It’s that simple.
Money is there simply to give some weight to what you’re doing. As the ultimate material incentive, it’s a reward that helps remind you of the stakes. At the end of the day, as we’ve already mentioned, you should never bet more than you can afford to lose. If you stick to this golden rule, the money that you bet is just a number.
Final Thoughts
While you swap the traditional casino environment for the digital, the nature of gambling remains the same. Sure, you no longer have to worry about the casino etiquette in terms of how you treat the staff but the tips regarding gambling still apply. Never bet more than you can lose, try to understand what you’re up against, follow a strategy, and, most important of all, remember to have fun. This way, you’ll always come out on top, regardless of the odds.
Read more:
5 Online Casino Tips That Every Beginner Should Know