Casino gambling isn’t as tricky as most people believe. It’s all a numbers game, and with small exceptions based on things like table rules, the math remains largely the same across the industry.
There are, however, ways to diminish the casino’s edge. Unlocking these casino secrets will have you winning more often.
What Time Is It?
The casinos aren’t interested in having its guests know what time it is, much less what time of day it may be.
If you don’t believe me, try finding a clock on your next casino trip. You won’t because casino designers are exceptional in not missing any detail.
Players that know the time are far more likely to break for dinner or rush off to lounge poolside with their friends. Neither of these activities makes money for the casino, like having butts in chairs on the casino floor.
Worst of all, some players will see the time that’s passed and decide to call it quits for the day. How is the casino supposed to make money if you aren’t gambling until you’ve lost your bankroll?
Savvy casino gamblers know that they are putting themselves in a much better position to win by keeping tabs on the time.
Players begin to make mistakes when they’re tired or hungry. By setting the alarm on their smartphone, players are reminded to take breaks for meals and getting some fresh air.
This time away from the casino games is imperative for making rational decisions about your gaming habits.
Setting strict time limits on your gambling session and adhering to them will do wonders for your overall success.
Don’t let the casino trick you into over-extending yourself physically or financially. Keep an eye on the time, and you’ll win more often.
Understand the Difference Between Short-Term and Long-Term
Casino gamblers constantly hear about the house edge. Veteran gamblers would never sit down to a game without understanding the return to player or house edge.
It’s important to bear in mind that these are calculated over an extremely long period. I’m talking tens of thousands of results.
These long-term results ensure that the casino will always end in the end. No matter what, period.
If you strutted into the casino with an infinite amount of money, you would not be able to buy your way out of an eventual loss.
However, this doesn’t mean anything in the short-term. Probabilities are just that; they don’t guarantee that a certain result won’t happen several times in succession.
They only mean that it’s unlikely for it to take place. Lady Luck gives no regard to the house edge whatsoever.
I’ve seen players sit down to a roulette table and place a single significant wager on 1 number and immediately win the bet and walk away significantly richer than when they sat down.
I’ve watched players win dozens of hands of blackjack in a row and go from a modest chip stack to having their own player concierge.
Almost anything can happen in a short enough run. Unfortunately, it will eventually come to an end.
Thusly, it’s important not to allow greed to get the better of you. Don’t let it ride until the fall comes; stay with consistent bet size, and you’ll walk away from the table a winner more often.
The best way to avoid watching your winnings dwindle to nothing is by setting a realistic win limit before you sit down. If you hit that number, color up and walk away.
You can always come back tomorrow and try your luck again.
Know the House Edge Before You Sit Down
The house edge will determine how well a player does in the long-term. It also dictates how much time a player can spend gambling on the casino floor.
I see too many casino gamblers that seem to believe the object of real money casino gambling is to sit down and play until you lose all of your money.
I even thought this way at one point. Casino gambling is a form of entertainment; but it’s challenging to win in the end.
However, you have a significant say in what that’s going to cost you. In fact, I can name several games where players can sit down, and by playing with a little bit of strategy, they will lose under $25 per hour.
If you’re only losing $25 per hour, it’s much easier to get back even or get ahead by winning a few hands.
It would help if you never sat down at a casino table before knowing what the house edge is on a game you’re playing. You can readily find this information by conducting a basic internet search.
Focus on games with a low house edge. Blackjack, baccarat, and craps are wonderful places to start.
Slot machines, on the other hand, have among the highest house advantage in the casino.
Basic Blackjack Strategy Is a Game Changer
If you’re familiar with my work at all, this one will come as no surprise.
When played correctly on every hand, there’s no better way to cut the house edge than by employing basic blackjack strategy.
Basic strategy is the result of data from millions of computer-simulated blackjack hands. This simple play method gives you the absolute best way to play any hand against the dealers up card.
When played correctly and 100% of the time, it can reduce the house edge to below 1%. Making blackjack one of the most player-friendly games in the casino.
You can pick up a basic strategy chart in most casino gift shops, but you can print them out before you go just as easily.
When playing basic strategy, the important thing is to use the chart on every hand and maintain a consistent bet size.
There are other blackjack strategies like card counting and hole carding, but card counting may land you banned from the casino for life.
Hole carding is where a sloppy dealer shows their hole card when dealing. This can be extremely profitable for the player, but most casino dealers are trained professionals that avoid this fatal flaw.
Give Video Poker a Shot
If your ultimate goal is walking away from the casino with some of their money in your pocket, you need to start reading everything you can about video poker.
Video Poker is often the best game in the casino for players. Similar to blackjack, you’ll find a basic strategy chart for the game.
There’s a key difference with video poker in that it comes in several variations. These variations do move the return to the player one way or another.
It’s important to keep in mind what variant you’ll be playing when you get to the casino. This will dictate what strategy chart you’ll need to take with you.
Knowing which game you’ll be playing in the casino is also a great opportunity to play the game before going to the casino. Playing the game before you go to the casino can be a tremendous way to learn before you play live.
There are certain games that when the best strategy is used on every hand, the advantage also tips in the player’s advantage. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better game for making you a winner than video poker.
Play the Games at Home
As I mentioned above, playing the games at home before you go to the casino is a fantastic way to become familiar without losing money, picking the game up on the fly.
There’s not a single casino game that you can’t play for free online. The fact that you can play from home gives some significant advantages when you’re in the casino.
First, you get to learn the rules of the game and if using a strategy, see how that strategy affects your results for the positive.
Secondly, you become comfortable with how the game flows. It’s much easier to get into the groove on the casino floor if you understand how the game moves.
Even if you don’t think you have a minute to spare practicing for your upcoming casino trip, download the game on your phone, and you’ll see that you’ve got plenty of time to learn on the go.
If all else fails, and you walk onto the casino floor a complete novice. You can check the casino’s website for classes. Many casinos offer courses on how to play the most popular games.
Best of all, these classes are completely free to all potential players. It can also be a great place to meet fellow players, and you can join up to hit the casino floor as a group.
Conclusion
The casino’s edge will never disappear. Even if there were a surefire system for beating the casino on a game every time, the casino would quickly close the game until it figured out a workaround or scrap it completely.
Still, you don’t have to leave a loser either. Unlocking these casino secrets will have you winning more often.
Michael Stevens
Michael Stevens has been researching and writing topics involving the gambling industry for well over a decade now and is considered an expert on all things casino and sports betting. Michael has been writing for GamblingSites.org since early 2016. …