Casino Gambling – becoming a better player (part one)

When it comes to learning how to be a better casino game player, there are many things to understand and take into consideration. Needless to say, this article could be a lengthy one. Because we don’t want to leave out too many points of interest about becoming an overall better casino game player, we will split this article into two sections.

In this article, we will cover dollars and sense, good wagers versus bad wagers, what it really costs to play and picking the right casino game for you. This will cover the first part of the article and the second part will be posted shortly there after.

You and your money

The idea of this article is to show you how to better understand becoming a smart player. To give you the best chance to maximize your online poker or online casino enjoyment is the reason we are posting this helpful article. There are no secret tips or surefire formulas, but there is a common sense to playing casino games well. Your common sense is so easy to lose when you are at online casinos and you see all the exciting games and the atmosphere is just pulsing.

Some of the things we will be going over with you in this article may seem simple and even obvious to many of you, but it is some of the very things we cover in this article that you will forget the second you log on or walk into a casino. Take this article to heart. Better to read this an say “this is easy”, than it will be to not read it and not understand.

In order to have a fighting chance when playing casino games, you must be able to understand the rules of the games you are playing and what the best bets are. As long as you already know how to play these games, this article will give you a further understanding into the ways and means of casino gambling. This article will point you in the right direction to better maximize your pleasure when gambling. In order to do so, you need to win the battle with yourself that may lead you to lose money if you don’t know where your money is going and where your head is. Keeping a level head is important when playing casino games, whether you are playing online poker or sitting in a casino playing slots. Your success in playing casino games depends on more than just knowing the rules of the games.

The essential advice we give in the article will help you gain the most value when playing casino games. It may take a bit of effort to become a smarter player, but becoming a value conscious player is mandatory for anyone looking to play better, longer and clearer.

Dollars and sense

When playing casino games, the fuel for your excitement and the measurement of you risk always revolves around money. Money isn’t just the scoring system of playing casinos games, but it is also hard earned and precious. Many of you may be thinking that this is obvious, but the minute many of you start playing, you forget this. When you are actually playing for real money at a casino, you may lose sight of this. Too many, once game play is on, money is just a means to keep the action going. Always remember that beyond the flashing computer screen or casino noises, money can be lost in huge amounts.

You would be amazed (practically stunned) at the amount of gamblers that don’t know the rules when they are playing and actually don’t know the odds against them. Seriously, many of these same gamblers are the people who clip coupons to shop with. Intelligence outside of the casino needs to spill over to intelligence inside the casino, too. The smart thing to go is to figure what you are going to with your money before you lay it on the line, not to moan about losing after the fact – because you didn’t realize where it was going.

Good wagers and bad ones

It is not easy to define what a good wager is and what a bad one is. People possessed of solid logic (not your typical casino patron) might say that any wager that has a negative expectation is a bad wager. If this is true, than just about all casino wagers are bad ones. So, it realistically takes a bit more latitude than that to figure out which wagers are good and which wagers are bad.

The most important way to determine whether a wager is good or bad is to compare its cost from the value you get from it. You must contemplate what you are going to obtain out of it other than just a big win. A big win is certainly NOT a sure thing, so do not base anything on it. The main thing you must do as a smart gambler is to compare your money to the value you place on factors such as entertainment value, trill, social interaction and so on. If you use those factors when considering a wager’s validity, you will be a more informed gambler.

Honestly, look at it like this – any wager (except rare sports wagers and poker wagers) that has more than a 1.5% house edge is not a good wager. You should think of it like this, too – knowing that the casino is taxing your play by more than 1.5% detracts from the entertainment value of the game in the first place – right? Try sticking to the best wagers in games like blackjack, craps, baccarat, and video poker.

The real cost of game play

The house edge is a vital guide to how fair or unfair a wager is. AN even more important evaluation of your calculation is your theoretical win or loss for each hour you play any game. This formula (result per hour) incorporates the house edge along with the number wagers per each hour and the size of those wagers. Here is the break down: Theoretical result per hour = average wager x number of wagers each hour x house edge.

Casinos use this theory when rating gamblers in order to figure out what they can expect to win from them. This formula is also used to figure out what they can return to players in the way of comps. You really ought to utilize this exact theory when evaluating your entertainment cost. The speed of the casino game directly effects how many wagers you will be making on average per hour. Game speed and the amount of your average wager are almost as important to this equation as the house’s edge. This theory, equation or whatever you want to call it is the best tool fro figuring out your cost of game play. – it is no doubt accurate in the long run.

What you are buying

Cost of game play per hour clarifies so much of your evaluation – but it can also cloud some clear cut decisions you need to make. For instance, say you have the choice to play a five coin $1 video poker game that has a 99% payback (1% house edge) or a five coin 5 cent slot game with a 90% payback (10% house edge). The choice here seems clear cut, based on what we have suggested to you so far, right?  - Cut the house edge. But, based on a cost per hour basis (if both games were played at the same speed and maximum wager), the cost of playing the slot is much less. Playing cheaper is cheaper. This being said, it is still really best to make the bet that has lowest house edge. Meaning, if you only plan to spend $50 an hour (and no more) - you will still want to play a game with the lowest house edge. If you just want to extend your playing time, then stick with the nickel slots.

Try making your decision based on the amount of time that you want to spend playing or on the amount of money you want to spend playing.

Always shop casinos for the best offers, too. Slots players will always want to search for slots that have bigger certified payouts. Roulette players need to look for single zero games and so on.

Picking the best game for you

In order to pick the best online casino game for land based casino game for you, you must understand the facts. Theses facts will not always be about money either – unless that is all you care about. If you want to go only by the numbers, there is not much to argue.

Do not belittle your entertainment preferences. Serious gamblers will tell you not to play games like keno and slots because you are basically throwing your money away waiting for the big win (remember, big wins are certainly NOT a sure thing), but do not throw away your entertainment needs either. If you are a gambler who puts a lot of value on entertainment, you are not throwing your money away by playing keno and slots. We can’t tell you that. What we can tell you is the expected cost of that entertainment and how to reduce it. Then, you can decide for yourself, as an informed casino game player, what to do and which games are the best for you. If you know the odds against you, the amount of money you are risking, the amount of money you can stand to risk, and the amount of fun you are getting out of it, then you will be good to go.

Your choice of casino games and bets will additionally be based on your circumstances and the amount of money you have to play with. If you only have ten bucks to play with – try the slot machine that has the huge progressive jackpot and give it a couple of spins. If you have a much larger bank roll, try a game that has a more long term positive expectations.

Here is a small guide that will help you pick the game that is right for you based on the most important things that drive players toward and away from games:

 

Game	Complexity	Skill Needed	Social	Bet variety	Large Payoff	High Edge	Low Edge
Baccarat	Low	Low	High	Low	No	14.4%	1%
Blackjack	Medium	High	Medium	Low	No	3.5%	-1%
Craps	High	Low	High	High	Medium	16.7%	0.01%
Caribbean Stud	Low	Medium	High	Low	High	6.5%	5.3%
Keno	Low /Medium	Low	Low	High	High	40%	25%
Let It Ride	Medium	Medium	Medium	Low	High	5%	3.5%
Pai Gow	Medium	Medium	Medium	Low	Medium	3%	1%
Poker	High	High	High	Medium	Low	N/A	N/A
Roulette	Low	Low	Medium	High	High	7.3%	2.63%
Slots	Low	Low	Low	High	High	25%	1%
Sports Betting	High	High	High	High	Medium	30%	N/A
Video Poker	Medium	High	Low	High	High	15%	-1%

 

Stay tuned, the second part of this article is coming your way. In the article Casino Gambling – becoming a better player (part two), we will discuss more things that will have direct baring on your ability to become a better casino gambler. Whether you play at casinos on land, or at online casinos, this next article will continue in the direct this one has.

The topics that we will discuss are money management, gaming psychology, and a listing of the most essential tips for playing any casino game like a pro.

The idea of having the chance to win money online should never be lost in the excitement alone, a level head and the ability to understand the things we will point out are vital for making winning a reality.

 

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