5 Steps for Online Casino Beginners

Its rise to prominence has taken place without much fanfare, but online casinos are experiencing a sort of growth that is rarely seen in any industry.

It’s not surprising. Relaxed gambling laws are starting to become more commonplace throughout the United States. This has had a major impact on the ease and accessibility of starting, and joining, an online gaming community.

Believe it or not, millionaires have been made through online casinos, so it could be argued that giving them a shot may very well be worth your time.

In this article, I’ll go over the five steps every beginner should take before joining an online casino.

1 – Research the Site’s Security

Let me first say that the vast majority of online casinos are safe. Plenty of protocols are in place to ensure that not just anyone can start up an online gambling community and start taking bets with people’s hard-earned money.

With that being said, sometimes, the reliability of 99% of the sites can make players that much more vulnerable to a nefarious gambling site because they’re used to feeling secure. Luckily, a few minutes of research will help you avoid getting into something that could potentially take your entire deposit or worse.

Typically, a secure site will have some sort of page that explains the safety measures they’ve set up to make sure none of their players lose their money to any potential threats. If you can’t locate this page on a site, or find it by searching elsewhere, maybe that site isn’t the best place to deposit hundreds of dollars.

The bottom line is that you don’t need to be totally freaked out about a range of unsecured sites, but you do need to put in a minimal amount of effort to make sure your cash is protected. If you’re ever in doubt about the safety of your site, it might be time to cash out and find a new one.

Finally, remember that browsing through user reviews on other websites or online casino chat forums is a great way to see the experiences real people have had with the site. Getting the inside scoop from other players is always an effective research method for ensuring safety.

2 – Rate Your Priorities

Hundreds, if not more, online gambling sites exist. Many of them have one particular area that separates them from the competition. This could be something like, more game options, lower house edges on blackjack or slots, quick payouts, big bonuses upon signup, etc.

It’s up to you to decide which “perk” you’re looking for when trying to decide on a site. For example, if you’re the type of player who typically only plays for a day or two then takes a break from gambling, the quick payout option might be attractive since you probably don’t just want your money sitting online.

If blackjack is your thing but you don’t have a particularly deep bankroll, you might want to focus your efforts on finding a site with a low minimum bet. If you like to play roulette online, your focus should be on finding a site that has European Roulette, as the odds are better than the American version.

In addition to the considerations laid out above, there are also other components of online sites that you should be taking a look at before making a decision. I won’t lay all of them out here, but you should know that although sites might seem almost identical, there are differences that appeal to players of different preferences.

Don’t forget that the look and feel, although a pretty basic idea, is important. You want to be playing on a site or app that feels uncomplicated, straightforward, and allows you to focus on the games themselves.

3 – Research Bonuses

One of the major perks that have led to the increased use of online casinos is the presence of “bonuses.”   If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, bonuses are extra incentives, often financial, that are basically just free money.

Allow me to clarify—sites aren’t offering free money in the sense that you can simply just cash it out, but it is money you can use toward gambling. If you’ve been conditioned to think that there must be a catch attached to an offer like this, the good news is they’re usually legit.

Online casino bonuses can vary greatly depending on what you’re looking for, but some can truly be massive. For example, some slots websites will match up to $1,000 or more based on how much you deposit initially. Needless to say, if you aren’t taking advantage of these, you’re missing out on a lot of easy money.

Because each site is so different in what they offer new players, do a bit of research beforehand. Just know that in most cases, these offers are real, and ignoring them is not part of a winning strategy.

4 – Don’t Forget Mobile Compatibility

One of the reasons that online casinos have taken off so quickly is because you can gamble virtually anywhere! Although many players might feel more comfortable sitting down at a computer or laptop, most digital platforms have a mobile-friendly side that should be explored.

If you’re one of those people who will more than likely be playing on the go, having a gaming experience that translates well to your phone is crucial.

First, check if they offer a mobile gambling app in the Android or Apple store. If so, you should be able to review the ratings and reviews and see what other users are saying about their experience. If there isn’t an app, don’t worry. Many platforms have put adequate resources into building a fully-functional mobile website.

Many of the places you’ll be looking at will have a well-built mobile component, but not all of them. This means that it’s not really a good idea to assume that the desktop version of a casino will translate perfectly without doing your research first.

In the end, it comes down to preference. Check each site out for yourself and see which one feels best to you.

5 – Don’t Choose Too Many Sites

The reason I’m including this one on the list is because I, and others I know, have had the issue of signing up for too many different sites at once. What’s the downside? Quite simply, forgetting where you’ve deposited money.

While I would recommend trying out many different sites until you find one that you truly feel comfortable with (or simply seem to be luckier playing with), don’t do it all at once. When you sign up for a new site, try playing until you either run out of your deposit money or decide to cash out.

If you have money spread out over half a dozen different sites, it’s just too easy to forget where it’s at. Not to mention, it’s probably not a great idea to spread your bankroll out on a number of different sites. Money management is crucial to success, and having everything in one (or two) places makes it much easier.

My advice would be to limit the number of casinos you actively have money on to three at the most. You should be able to keep track at this number. But even so, it’s not a bad idea to stay on only one site at a time for the sake of simplicity.

If you do fall into the trap of spreading your money around, at least take good care to keep track of where it’s all going.

Conclusion

Online real money gambling isn’t just a viable alternative to real casinos. In many ways, it actually gives players a better chance to be successful.

Because of the number of choices available to players, it’s important to do your research before, not after, you start putting down money and playing. No matter what you’re into, there’s a casino out there that aligns perfectly with your goals and game preferences.