- If you’re wondering why you’re not winning more at casinos maybe you’re making some of these mistakes.
- One way you might be sabotaging yourself is by not taking advantage of casino promotions.
- Playing at the worst online casinos or casinos that aren’t so great overall will guarantee a losing streak.
We’ve all been there. Spending what feels like endless hours at the casino with nothing but losses to show for it. It’s easy to wonder what you’re doing wrong, or if the casino is somehow rigged against you.
The good news is, most of the time casino losses come down to one thing – player error. And once you know what you’re doing wrong, it’s easy to fix.
Today we’re breaking down nine of the biggest and most common ways players sabotage their chances to win big at casinos.
By avoiding these mistakes you’ll immediately improve your odds of leaving the casino with a little extra cash in your pocket.
What Is a Casino?
Before we get started it’s important to understand what casinos are and how they make money. Contrary to popular belief casinos do not want your experience to end in disappointment. If that was their goal they wouldn’t need to rely on gamblers like you and I.
Their true goal is for you to have a great time at the casino. To enjoy a few rounds of blackjack or roulette, lose track of time, and end up spending more time and money there than you intended.
This isn’t a nefarious ploy to ruin your life; it’s called “the house advantage.” All casinos charge a small fee for providing entertainment. The average house edge across all casino games is between 5% – 10%.
That means for every $100 you wager at the casino you can expect to lose somewhere around $5-$10 on average. Sound fair? Good. Now that we know where we stand let’s dive into the top ways you could be unknowingly sabotaging your success at the casino.
1. Not Taking Advantage of Promotions
One of the easiest ways to ensure you’re getting the least out of your visit to the casino is by failing to take advantage of bonuses, promotions, and rewards programs.
No Deposit Bonus Codes & Free Chip Promotions (2023) - New Boscasino OffersCasinos offer a wide range of incentives for new and returning customers alike. This includes everything from sign-up bonuses to loyalty rewards for frequent visitors.
Nowadays, many people prefer to play casino games from the comfort of their own homes. Online casinos also offer generous bonuses and promotions to attract new players. Make sure to check out this guide to find the best online casino promotions and take advantage of them to boost your chances of winning.
Failing to claim these offers is essentially turning down free casino chips. In some cases, these promotional offers can provide a significant boost to your bankroll and give you a better chance of coming out ahead.
So, before you hit the tables or slot machines, take a few minutes to research the latest promotions and make sure you’re getting all the freebies you can. Trust me; your bottom line will thank you for it.
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2. Playing at Bad Tables (Or at the Wrong Time)
Another mistake that many casino goers make is playing at bad tables or during the wrong times of day. If you’re playing table games like blackjack or craps, the other players at the table can actually have a big impact on your chances of winning.
For example, if you sit at a table where the other players are making large bets and placing crazy side bets, it can quickly eat away at your bankroll. Additionally, if you’re playing during peak hours when the table is full of drunken tourists, things can get even crazier.
To stack the odds in your favor, try to play at quieter times of day or look for tables that seem to have more serious/conservative players.
It may also be worth tipping the dealer to keep you at the front of their mind when deciding who to stand/hit with first. However, be aware that this doesn’t guarantee a win and shouldn’t be relied upon as a strategy.
Remember, there’s no surefire way to guarantee a win at the casino. But by being smart about the tables you choose and the company you keep, you can certainly give yourself a better chance of walking away with a profit.
Casino States Map. us casino states list & legal us Casinos 20233. Failing to Set a Budget
This should go without saying, but you’d be surprised at how many people head to the casino without setting a clear budget. It’s like jumping into a pool without knowing how to swim – you might have a good time, but there’s a decent chance you’re going to end up in over your head.
Before you hit the tables or slots, take some time to think about how much you’re willing to spend. And I cannot stress this enough – TREAT THIS NUMBER AS IF IT WAS BURNING HOLE IN YOUR POCKET AND THERE IS NOT ENOUGH SAND TO PUT IT OUT!
Once you’ve lost that amount, it’s time to go home. No exceptions. Failure to set (and stick to) a clear budget is one of the quickest ways to go from feeling like a high roller to stumbling out of the casino with a permanent hole in your wallet.
I recommend withdrawing the amount of money you’re comfortable losing in cash and leaving your debit/credit cards at home. There’s something magical about not having easy access to more funds when you start to blow through your initial stake.
best online payout casinoTrust your gut here. Everyone’s comfortable losing different amounts of money – just make sure you’re being honest with yourself about what that number is.
Want to have a bit more fun while gambling? Consider visiting a theme park with a casino to balance out the thrill.
4. Ignoring Game Variance
Some casino games are simply more conducive to big wins and massive jackpots than others. Understanding the variance of different games can be key to maximizing your chances of walking away with a big pile of cash.
For example, games like baccarat and craps typically have lower variance, which means you’re less likely to hit a huge win – but you’re also less likely to go on a long losing streak. On the other hand, games like slots and keno often have higher variance, which means you’re more likely to hit big wins – but you’re also at greater risk of blowing through your entire bankroll without seeing a single cent in return.
If you’re looking to stretch your bankroll as far as possible and minimize the chances of a devastating loss, games with low variance might be right up your alley. Just be aware that the smaller wins mean you’ll need to place a larger number of bets to accumulate a sizeable profit.
On the other hand, if you’re feeling lucky and have a healthy bankroll to work with, higher variance games can offer the potential for life-changing payouts. The key is finding the right balance between risk and reward that works for you.
best 3d slots5. Chasing Your Losses
This is perhaps the biggest mistake that casino goers make – and also one of the quickest ways to blow through your entire bankroll. If you find yourself down $100, it can be tempting to tell yourself, “Well, I’m already here and I came to win big. I’ll just put everything I have left on this one bet and turn things around.”
Spoiler alert: this almost never works. In fact, there’s a good chance you’ll end up losing even more money if you continue down this path.
Here’s the hard truth: if you’ve already been at the casino for several hours and you’re deep in the red, the odds are strongly against you making a sudden comeback. The laws of probability don’t care that you really need to win this hand/spin/roll to make up for your losses. They won’t bend to your will, no matter how hard you plead.
Rather than chasing your losses, it’s usually better to accept that today just wasn’t your day and move on. Remember, the goal is to walk away from the casino with more money than you had when you arrived. Sometimes that means cutting your losses and coming back another day – and that’s perfectly fine.
Don’t forget to protect yourself online too. Stay safe while gambling on sites like these.
6. Believing in Gambling Myths and Superstitions
There’s no shortage of myths and superstitions when it comes to gambling. From believing that certain slot machines are “due” to hit soon to carrying around lucky charms and insisting that luck favors you after a series of wins, these beliefs can be surprisingly pervasive – despite the fact that there’s no real evidence to support them.
Yes, you might hit a bunch of green lights on your way to the casino and end up walking out with a big pile of cash. But there’s no real reason to believe that the traffic lights knew you needed the win and decided to favorites you (sorry, no special treatment!).
Believing in these myths and superstitions can be dangerous because it can lead you to make irrational decisions – like doubling down on a losing bet because you’re convinced that a big win is right around the corner.
Mobile Slot Games That Will Pay You Real Money While You Play Other GamesIn reality, every bet has an equal chance of winning or losing – past results don’t change these odds in any meaningful way. So, try to approach your next trip to the casino with a healthy dose of skepticism when it comes to these types of beliefs. Stick to a logical and rational approach to betting and remember that, in the end, the house always wins – mostly.
7. Drinking Too Much
Alcohol and gambling often go hand in hand, but downing a few too many cocktails can be a surefire way to light your money on fire. We’ve all seen (or been) the person who turns into a complete maniac at the casino after knocking back a dozen vodka cranberries – placing ridiculous bets, shouting obscenities, and generally making a fool of themselves.
While a few drinks can definitely help loosen you up and make the experience more enjoyable, it’s important not to let things spiral out of control. This is easier said than done, as casinos are notorious for plying their patrons with free booze in the form of complimentary drinks.
But if you find yourself getting hammered and making reckless bets, it might be worth setting a limit on how much you drink – or even abstaining altogether. Or, consider sipping on non-alcoholic beverages to slow your role and ensure you stay level headed.
At the end of the day, responsible drinking is all about knowing your limits and being aware of how alcohol can affect your judgment and decision-making skills. So, cheers to that!
Awesome No Deposit Promo Codes You Can Use Right Now8. Being Afraid to Walk Away From a Big Win
Okay, this one is a little counterintuitive. After all, isn’t the goal to win as much money as possible? Yes – but sometimes, it can be tempting to push your luck and try to turn a modest win into a gigantic score.
There’s a name for this phenomenon: the gambler’s fallacy (more on that in a sec). Essentially, it happens when you become so focused on increasing your winnings that you ignore the cold, hard facts of probability – leading to some pretty disastrous outcomes.
For example, let’s say you start out at the blackjack table with $200 and manage to turn it into $600 thanks to a hot streak. At this point, it can be tempting to keep playing, telling yourself that you’re on a roll and the wins will keep coming.
However, the truth is that the laws of probability haven’t changed just because you had a few lucky hands. Each new hand of blackjack still has a 50% chance of being a win or a loss – regardless of what happened before.
So, rather than risking your hard-earned winnings on a futile quest for even more dough, it might be wiser to call it quits while you’re ahead – cliche as that may sound. Trust me, walking away with a solid profit is much more satisfying than trying to double it and ending up with nothing.
9. Falling Victim to the Gambler’s Fallacy
Speaking of the gambler’s fallacy, this is perhaps the most insidious mistake that casino goers make – and also one of the hardest to avoid. At its core, the gambler’s fallacy refers to the erroneous belief that past events can influence future outcomes – essentially, the idea that “things are due” to happen a certain way.
For example, let’s say you’ve been spinning the wheel at roulette and you’ve seen six reds in a row. Because you’ve witnessed a streak of red wins, you might begin to think that black is now “more likely” to come up – as if the wheel somehow knows you’ve been losing and is trying to make it up to you.
Unfortunately, this just isn’t how probability works. Each spin of the roulette wheel is an independent event – the previous spins have no bearing on the outcome of the next spin.
Falling victim to the gambler’s fallacy can lead you to make some truly head-scratching bets – like putting all your chips on black after a long string of reds, confident that the law of averages is on your side.
play on line casinoHowever, the truth is that the law of averages has nothing to do with it. Every spin of the roulette wheel is a roll of the dice – a random event that defies prediction or explanation.
Understanding the gambler’s fallacy is crucial if you want to improve your chances of success at the casino – or anywhere else, really. By accepting that probability is a constant and that past events have no bearing on the future, you’ll be better equipped to make rational, informed bets – and avoid the pitfalls that can lead to big losses.
10. Choosing the Wrong Casino
Finally, one of the biggest mistakes that players make is choosing the wrong casino. Whether you’re talking about brick-and-mortar casinos or online platforms, not all gaming venues are created equal. Some offer better odds, more generous bonuses, and a wider variety of games – while others can be downright predatory.
Do your homework before committing to a particular casino – whether virtual or IRL. Read reviews from other players, check out the house rules and payout rates, and compare bonuses and promotions to find the best deals.
Indiana Casinos Worth VisitingBy choosing a reputable, player-friendly casino – both online or off – you’ll give yourself the best possible chance of coming out ahead. Trust me, it’s worth taking a little extra time to find a venue that treats you fairly and enhances your chances of winning. Otherwise, you may end up feeling frustrated and taken advantage of – especially if shady practices are in play.
Footnote:
- Article updated on June 6, 2022.
Resources:
- Maya Rudolph on SNL’s Weekend Update skit
- The science behind the gambler’s fallacy
Anthony is a sports writer for GamblingSites.com covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and more. He also covers other various topics such as entertainment, general sports betting tips, and more.
His favorite teams are the Chicago Bears, Bulls, Cubs, and Blackhawks. He also will be a temporary fan of any team if it means winning him bets.