There’s no doubt about it; when you walk into a casino, the first thing that catches your attention is the flashing lights and loud sounds of the slot machines. When you’re playing at an online casino, you won’t get quite the same feel because there’s not hundreds of these machines jammed close together, but you can replicate a lot of the excitement thanks to the fact that most casinos now use video slots. If you’re looking for realistic casino action at home, then slots are your best choice.
As attractive and inviting as the slots might seem, there is a downside to playing them, and it’s one that the casinos are hoping that you don’t mind. While there could be big winnings from some machines, the vast majority of those that play these end up losing money. No one wants to just give money away to the casinos, but there is a price on the entertainment that these provide, and if you’re going to play, you need to be aware that there’s a possibility that you will lose money. Because of that, we’ve put together a few little ideas to help you alleviate some of that risk.
First, you should always set limits for yourself. It’s hard to walk away from the machine, or turn your computer off, but you need to once in a while. You should set three types of limits: a high point, a low point, and a time limit. When any of these three are met, it’s time to quite for the day. The high point is the one that you want to hit and hit quickly. This is the amount of money that you win. Once you have doubled your money, or made $100, or some other number that you are happy about, it’s time to stop. Walking away on a hot streak can be tough, but it allows you to preserve your winnings.
But let’s say you have set an amount for yourself to lose—say $250—and you have lost that. There’s a strong temptation here to chase those losses, increasing your bet size and taking riskier bets. You can’t do this, either. Each spin is independent of the last, and there’s no guarantee that you won’t just keep losing more and more. Plus, when emotions come into play, your decision making ability will decline, and you’re more prone to making really bad choices. In a casino, that can only equal losing money. When you have the convenience of playing online, the stakes are just as high.
Next, think about setting a time limit. This will make sure that you aren’t falling victim to making poor decisions because you’re tired or you’re in a rush. Before you play, set aside a given amount of time. It can be an hour; it could be four hours. Whatever is realistic for you to stay focused and attentive. Set a timer on something other than your computer, such as an alarm on your clock, and once it goes off, quit for the day. This will make sure that you’re not chasing losses, making bad decisions, or any of the other number of detractors that can take away your money. Playing at an online casino is fun, but losing money because of carelessness or not having self-imposed limits and control can achieve the exact opposite of that fun you were going for.
Our hope is that with this awareness, you will not lose quite as much or quite as often. It’s also a great way to encourage yourself to quit while you’re ahead and keep more of your winnings than you ever have before.