First things first – online casino gaming should never be about redundant attempts to turn a profit. While there’s a chance you may walk away with a prize of some kind, you’re far more likely to play right into the pockets of the casino itself.
After all, it’s not as if these aren’t pretty rich and savvy businesses we’re talking about.
Truth is, gambling (both online and offline) becomes problematic when those taking part lose sight of what the whole thing is all about. If you get into online gambling with the intention of making money, you’re on thin ice from day one. By contrast, if you accept that losses are more likely than wins and it’s all about the enjoyment of the whole thing, you stand to have a great time and stay safe while doing so.
The Strategy and ‘Winning Formula’ Debate
Scattered all over the web, you’ll find literally thousands of weird and wonderful gambling guides with interesting insights into so called strategies. You’ll also find some touting techniques they claim can pretty much guarantee wins with various online casino games.
Whether it’s a classic casino table game of the latest online slot, some people genuinely think that they can beat the house.
But here’s the thing – any online (or offline) gambling guide that doesn’t make the following admission right off the bat is a dangerous resource you want nothing to do with:
There is no such thing as a winning formula for any casino game – never has been and never will be.
When you think about it, the whole thing isn’t exactly rocket science. Casino games in one form or another have been around for centuries, attracting hundreds of millions of players from all walks of life. If there was any realistic way of beating the house with any kind of consistency whatsoever, it would have been figured out long before now.
In doing so, it would also have put casinos worldwide out of business.
The simple fact of the matter being that each and every casino game across the board incorporates an edge that favours the house. This means that in terms of pure probability and statistics, the house will eventually win…period. Even if the house edge is low, it still accounts to the practical impossibility of the house losing out long-term.
Not only this, but casino games across the board are designed specifically to ensure that it is 100% impossible for them to be cheated. Hence, if you come across anything even close to an apparent ‘winning strategy’ for a casino game, don’t even waste your time reading it.
Tipping the Balance (Slightly)
Still, this doesn’t mean that there isn’t much that can be done to at least tip the balance in your direction a little more favourably. None of the following tips are going to guarantee a profitable experience, but they can at least limit your likelihood of facing heavy losses when gambling online.
Here are a handful of tips to bear in mind during your next online casino experience:
1. Practice is important
Familiarising yourself with the way any given online casino game works is essential. The reason being that when you make things up as you go along, you’re naturally more likely to make mistakes. It’s not that you can practice your way to success with most casino games, but knowing your way around a roulette wheel or blackjack table is a good place to start.
2. Always check the RTP
This applies exclusively to online slots, for which it is a legal requirement for the casino (or software developer) to publish its RTP rate. This refers to the ‘return to player’ percentage – the amount of money the slot pays out in prizes for every 100 units of currency paid in. So, a machine with a 97% RTP would return £97 for every £100 it takes, though this £97 will not necessarily go in your pocket. In any case, high RTPs are always better than low RTPs.
3. Set a budget and stick to it
Whether you prefer classic casino gaming or the latest online slot gambling, it’s astonishingly easy to get carried away. This is why it is essential to set a budget ahead of time and stick to it like glue. Setting up budgets means considering how much money you can comfortably afford to lose, given the fact that this is the most probable outcome. Gambling with money allocated for more important expenses and outgoings is a fundamentally terrible idea…period.
4. Make the most of bonus offers
An important point at this juncture – making the most of bonus offers does not mean signing up for each and every bonus you come across. The reason being that while some special deals and incentives are great, other bonuses are bogus in the extreme. Prior to signing up for any type of casino bonus, it’s your responsibility to carefully consult all applicable terms and conditions in full. Play particularly close attention to wagering requirements, withdrawal restrictions and time limitations – all of which can make a real difference to the true value (or otherwise) of the bonus offer.
5. Take your time and enjoy yourself
Last but not least, rushing things along at a frantic pace or allowing your emotions to get the better of you will only ever lead to guaranteed losses. Remember – online casino gaming is supposed to be a 100% enjoyable and entertaining experience. Hence, it’s important to take your time, enjoy the experience and make rational decisions based on logic. The moment things become frenzied or unpleasant, it’s time to take a step back and take a break.
As is often said, when the fun stops, it’s time to stop.
You might also find the following articles interesting:
- 5 Online Casino Tips You Cannot Live Without
- 10 Top Tips for Winning Big with Small Stakes
- 10 Totally Random and Massively Overpriced Purchases