Top 5 Tips for Responsible Gambling

Having a good time without busting your budget!

So you are heading down to Vegas with a couple of buddies for a weekend on the town; or maybe it is a work function in Atlantic City, hell, maybe you want to get away from the wife for a few days. Whatever the reason, casinos offer a huge range of entertainment and activities to keep you occupied. From the craps tables to the roulette wheels, the giant buffets to the wild live shows it can be a little overwhelming, and let us be honest nobody likes losing. So how do you have a good time and head home with your head held high?

Know the odds

The thing is, the house always wins. They have literally stacked the odds in their favour. For each game the house has different advantages:

Baccarat: 1.17% on bank bets, 1.36% on player bets

Blackjack: 0.5%-5.9% for most games

Craps: 1.4% to almost 17%, depending on the bet

Keno: 20%-35%

Roulette (with double zeros): 5.26%-7.89%, depending on the bet

Slots: 2%-25% (average 4%-14%)

Video Poker: 0.2%-12% (average 4%-8%)

Wheel of Fortune: 11%-24%

Source: USA Today- http://www.usatoday.com/experience/las-vegas/best-of-vegas/vegas-gambling-guide-understanding-the-odds/7417029/

This means for certain games, let us say roulette, for every hundred dollars you spend, you are going to lose between five and eight bucks. Now when it is put like that, it doesn’t seem too bad, however over the course of a long night at the tables, if you keep playing till you lose everything, that figure could escalate into the thousands. The key point here is to have a limit before you start playing and stick to it.

Stay in control

Casinos do a lot to try and make you lose your senses. There are no clocks and no natural light, so it gets hard to tell how much time has passed since you sat down at a table. Also, depending on where you are, some casinos hand out free drinks like water. It sounds blindingly obvious but the truth is, you don’t play better when your buzzed. In fact it is more likely that you will spend more, and make more ambitious bets the more you drink.

So try to keep track of the time, dust off your old watch and keep an eye on it. Enjoy the complementaries, (after all who doesn’t like a free cocktail) but make sure your regularly drinking water in between your liquors and if your start to lose a few in a row while the drinks are flowing, it might be time to move on.

Watch out for your friends

It is a great idea to hit the tables with a friend or two. Firstly, gambling alone is not as fun as gambling with company. Secondly, it means you can look out for each other. Be aware of your buddies limits for the night, both financially and with the booze. Gaming is supposed to be fun, so as soon as you or your friends stop enjoying themselves, it is time to move along.

Get help if you need it

The vast majority of Americans can gamble responsibly without any problem. But there is around one percent of the population who can’t. The high that comes with the adrenalin and endorphins is a thrill that a small number of people can get addicted to. If you or someone you know, are having problems leaving the tables or are fixated on the idea that a big win is just around the corner, there are a range of ways for you to get help.

You can find a broad spectrum of treatment providers HERE

Have a good time!

Finally and most importantly, have fun! Enjoy the games, look after your friends and make the most of your time there! Make the casino work for you, take advantage of their offers and just remember how they pay the bills. It is not from giving away free dinners, it is from the advantages they have on the tables. If you remember that and keep to your limits, you are bound to walk away with a smile on your face and money in your pocket!