The great thing about the internet is it gives you instant access to more information and advice than you could ever hope to absorb on any given subject. The problem is filtering the useful from the less useful from the downright wrong.
Nowhere is this more evident than in the world of casino gaming. More players in the US are exploring the world of online slots, blackjack and roulette than ever before, and the volume of “expert tips” increases with every passing day.
There’s plenty of good advice out there, but there is also a frightening amount of dangerous nonsense that could easily end in disaster. Here, we’ve collected some of the best – or worst – pieces of casino advice that are perfect examples of what not to do next time you gamble online.
Play more to win more
Whoever dreamed this one up never studied statistics at school. Every casino game has a house edge. In American roulette, it is 5.3 percent. Play one game of roulette, and you will win or lose.
Play a million games and the wins and losses will average out to the house edge and you will be very close to 5.3 percent down. The same applies to slots or baccarat or any other game.
The best chance of winning is by beating the law of averages, and that means placing fewer wagers but placing them smartly.
Double down on losses and you’ll win in the end
This is a simplistic definition of the martingale system, a strategy that some casino players swear by. On the face of it, it works for even money games, such as betting red at roulette.
The theory is red has to come up eventually, and if you keep doubling, then when it does, you cover all losses from black and win your original stake.
The problem comes when you have a long run of blacks and can no longer double because you hit the table limit. It happens more often than you think – there is a one-in-60 chance of six consecutive spins going against you.
Skill-based games are more profitable
This contention can be true, but there is a big proviso – you have to be skilled. If you are an expert at strategy, you can reduce the house edge in blackjack or video poker to almost zero.
But that sentence starts with a very big IF. Most casual players have not spent hours mastering these strategies, and it is just as accurate to say that if you are not an expert, you will make more bad calls and increase the house edge.
Under those circumstances, you are better off playing a purely luck-based game like roulette or slots.
Accumulate bonuses for free money
Practically every casino offers welcome bonuses to new members. Something for nothing is always welcome, but most free spins and no deposit bonuses have wagering requirements that make them difficult to cash out.
They are still beneficial and give you a chance to try games out without spending your own cash, but they are not free money trees.
Never blindly sign up with an online casino just to get the bonus without checking a resource like https://www.gambleonline.co/casino/, where they list the best casino platforms for US players. That way you can be sure it is legitimate and above board.