6 Things No One Tells You About Your First Time Gambling

It’s impossible to know what to expect when gambling for the first time. Casinos, and the world of gambling at large, is made up of a variety of people playing several unpredictable games. In simpler terms, gambling is an imprecise, inconsistent pastime.

That lack of consistency is one of the most exciting parts of casinos, and a reason many people gamble in the first place. The experience will keep you on your toes and typically provide many twists and turns to its patrons.

Having acknowledged the inconsistent nature of gambling, you might question how a novice fits into the equation. Everyone has to get their start sometime, right?

To be brutally honest, breaking into gambling can be somewhat tumultuous. The sheer number of games, rules, arbitrary unwritten rules, and jargon specific to each game can be a lot to unpack.

Luckily, many games and aspects of gambling share particular characteristics, meaning knowledge quickly builds on itself. The learning process is truly not worth fretting about. But that fact might not provide much reassurance to future first-time gamblers.

Rest assured, beginners are often the recipients of all types of random pieces of advice and tips. But to make sure you’re not completely unprepared, here are six things nobody tells gamblers about their first time gambling.

1 ‒ Handling Your Money Is the Biggest Challenge

Talking about money and the financial implications of decisions is often a necessary evil in life. Those conversations must occur, but they are rarely fun.

For most gamblers, casinos primarily function to entertain. Unless you’re a professional gambler who can make a living by playing cards, that should always be the case.

Because casinos serve to entertain guests, it’s quite easy to approach gambling with a relatively carefree disposition. That’s a commonality amongst gamblers because thinking about real money gambling from a financially responsible perspective takes the fun out of it.

As you probably know, most casinos require potential gamblers to convert cash into chips. Those chips are then used as currency that can be spent on a majority of games.  That simple conversion of dollar bills into pieces of plastic already puts fiscally irresponsible gamblers at a disadvantage.

Someone might think twice about throwing down a $100 bill on a single bet. However, sliding chips across the table is less psychologically effective. The moment your money loses its value, your chances of betting erratically increase exponentially.

2 ‒ Your Chip Count Will Change Constantly

The fact that some gamblers struggle to manage their chips responsibly shouldn’t dissuade you from gambling. But before gambling for the first time you need to have a financial plan in place.

As I said, it takes some of the unadulterated fun out of the experience, but a plan is crucial to success. An effective and simple plan can be carried out in just a few steps.

• Consider how much money you want to spend gambling.
• Take that amount of money out of your weekly/monthly budget.
• Decide if your gambling budget’s absence will cause strain on your finances.
• If so, reassess your financial situation and size of your bankroll.

Once you have settled on an amount you’re comfortable with losing, your bankroll is set.

While that money needs to be converted to chips if you want to play, it’s still imperative that you treat it like cold, hard cash. Unfortunately, that is far easier said than done.

Most table games move at a rapid pace, which we’ll discuss at a later point, and can be challenging to manage. Due to these games’ fast-moving nature, it’s not uncommon to get left in the dust.

If you struggle to keep up with the pace, it’s likely that you’ll simultaneously lose track of your chip count. An easy way to maintain a level of awareness is by occasionally taking a hand or two off to assess the situation.

3 ‒ Lacking Experience Is Better Than Lacking Common Sense

People lacking any legitimate gambling experience are at a disadvantage the moment they walk into a casino. Technically, a significant majority of gamblers are in the same boat.

It’s a well-known fact that every casino game’s odds favor the house. That can be either somewhat comforting or incredibly disheartening, depending on your perspective.

In a sense, it’s reassuring to know that most gamblers are in a similar position. However, it doesn’t help that a lack of experience further worsens your odds. I find that individual gamblers allow themselves to succumb to their inexperience, often using it as a crutch.

If the odds are stacked against them, why bother fighting it?

If you approach gambling with that mindset, you’re destined to fail. Inexperience is only temporary, and with every passing wager, your skills will increase ever so slightly.

Mistakes made during the early phases of a gambling career are to be expected. It’s important not to be unfairly critical of your abilities but learn from them.

While these errors are excusable, there’s no way to defend a gambler who doesn’t exercise common sense. Gambling skills can be acquired, but basic decision-making abilities are inherent. Under no circumstance should you let yourself off the hook for outcomes of foolish choices. Handle gambling responsibly and carry yourself like a gambling veteran instead of the rookie you are.

4 ‒ An Absence of Complete Confidence Bodes Well

The concept of a gambler’s self-confidence is a common source of disagreements among gamblers.

In certain situations, like when playing real money poker, confidence is necessary for success. However, several table games aren’t affected by a gambler’s confidence level in any significant way.

It might seem counterintuitive, but it’s safe to say that confidence isn’t a prerequisite to a gambler’s success. In fact, when your money is on the line, undeserved hubris can be a dangerous thing. As I said previously, you’re going to get better each time you gamble. The improvements might be hard to notice, but at some point, you’ll begin to feel comfortable.

Once you’re comfortable, everything will start falling into place. Gamblers who strut into a casino with little experience but plenty of arrogance are rarely successful. Their learning process is often impaired by an inability to heed the wisdom of other players.

5 ‒ You’ll Always Feel Rushed at the Tables

After years of gambling, I still find myself occasionally wanting to pull a nonexistent emergency brake and collect myself. So, you can imagine how overwhelmed someone who’s brand new to gambling might feel.

That lack of control, combined with the high-speed, nonstop nature of casinos, can make your head spin. If you get to a point where you’re completely overwhelmed, there’s no fault in taking a few minutes away from the table.

6 ‒ The Drink Runner Will Return Sooner Than You Think

If you enjoy drinking and can see yourself falling in love with gambling, casinos are an obvious entertainment destination for you.

It’s no secret that gambling and alcohol go hand in hand. With that in mind, casinos are always open to supplying their customers with alcohol.

Some go so far as paying for gamblers drinks, as long as they are actively playing a game. That might seem generous, but upon closer inspection, it’s apparent that casinos do this to benefit their bottom line.

The more intoxicated gamblers are, the more likely they are to lose money. Supplying them with a steady stream of alcohol could easily dull their minds and limit their capabilities.

Gambling while drunk might seem fun, but few things are less enjoyable than blowing through your bankroll. Remember that the odds are already stacked against you. It’s improbable that drinking too much will magically transform you into a decent gambler.

Conclusion

If you’re thinking about getting into gambling, you need to know a few essential facts.

First of all, gambling is challenging yet rewarding. You’re going to struggle initially, but once you’ve worked through some early bumps in the road, progress will come rapidly.

While gambling is entertaining and fun, it should be handled responsibly. Unlike other types of entertainment, gambling can drain the resources of anyone who lacks self-control.

When breaking onto the gambling scene, mistakes are a common occurrence. Try your best to learn from them, and if you’re ever in doubt, defer to common sense.

Confidence in your gambling abilities should be developed over time. On the other hand, arrogance is quite common among younger gamblers who lack both skill and experience.

As a gambler, certain things will always be outside of your control. Once you’re comfortable with that concept, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the art of gambling.