Casinos offer a variety of games to entice everyone from those dreaming of a jackpot to people simply enjoying a night out.
Whether you’re a beginner or a veteran, it is important to know helpful tricks to make your time at a casino more profitable and fun.
Some players will win awards, but the vast majority of people will not. Over the long run, the casino always wins because of how the games are structured.
However, each game you play has different little strategic maneuvers that you can use to improve your game.
Tips for Slot Players
Slot machines are the easiest and most popular form of casino gambling.
The process is simple: Push a button; win or lose; repeat.
Online Casinos in New Jersey make more money from slots than from any other game and account for 70 percent or more of the money casinos make from gambling.
How does it work?
The house advantage on slots can vary by casino, but typically it’s about 10 percent.
It is pure luck, as opposed to skill games such as blackjack and poker. With slots, the outcome is determined by a computer program called a random number generator (RNG).
The number combination generated at the instant you hit the spin button determines what symbols will be displayed and whether you win or lose.
Regardless of what you might hear elsewhere, there is no strategy for winning at a slot machine, however, there are some useful tips to keep in mind.
Strategies for Slots
Here are some slot strategies maneuvers that players should abide by in order to have a better chance of winning money.
1) Stick a fixed maximum payout
The reason for this being that there is a better chance of winning with a fixed maximum payout machine compared to the progressive jackpots.
Because of the number of people all playing for that huge jackpot amount, your odds of winning on a progressive game are lower. That goes not only for the jackpot amount but also for the odds of winning smaller amounts as well.
2) Avoid video reels
These machines pay back far less than the normal machines. It can be anything up to a 5% less return, which might seem like nothing but is in fact a great amount for slots.
3) Choose games with smallest jackpots
The smaller the jackpot, the easier it is to win, increasing your chances of walking away a winner.
Tips for Table Games
One of the first things to remember when going to a casino is that you are going to lose some games.
Regardless of how good you are or how much experience you have the odds are stacked in the favour of the casino.
Firstly, best advice to remember is decide beforehand how much money you can afford to spend in the casino and take no more than that amount in cash.
When you have played through the cash in your pocket, leave. This way you will not put yourself in any financial risk just for a nights entertainment.
Secondly, read and remember the strategic tips below in order to try and improve your game, your winnings and your experience.
Thirdly, before you start playing, it’s important to understand that the casino has an advantage over players in every game, known as the house edge. This concept applies to all casino games in various forms. Some games, like blackjack with basic strategy, have a lower house edge than others, like slots. Despite the house edge, casinos don’t win every bet, and short-term wins are possible for players.
Blackjack
In blackjack, your goal is to beat the dealer by getting closest to 21 without going over. You’ll get two cards, and the dealer gets two (one shown). You can “hit” for another card or “stand” to keep your hand. Here are some beginner tips:
- Find games that pay 3-to-2 on blackjacks, because this payout is better for players.
- Learn basic hitting/standing strategy
- Never take insurance: It increases the house edge.
- For a hand of 13-16, stand if the dealer shows 2-6, hit if they show 7 or higher.
- With an Ace and a 2-6, hit or double down.
Roullete
In roulette, you place bets on where the ball will land on the wheel. There are two main types of bets: inside bets (on specific numbers) and outside bets (on larger groups of numbers). For beginners, outside bets are a great choice because they offer a higher chance of winning. Some examples of outside bets are Columns, Dozens, Red/Black, Odd/Even, and High/Low (numbers 1-18 or 19-36). The returns are marginal here but they will help you in winning the game.
Furthermore, the house always enjoys a 5 percent edge at roulette. You have a better chance of winning in the short term but if you were to play roulette forever, the house would take away all your chips. So if you’re winning, stop.
Baccarat
In baccarat, you bet on the hand (player or banker) that you think will have a total value closest to 9.
- Cards 2-9 are worth their face value 10s and face cards are worth 0, and Aces are worth 1. Only the last digit of the total counts (e.g., a hand with a 7 and 8 totals 15, which counts as 5).
- You can place a player bet, banker bet, or tie bet. The Banker bet has the lowest house edge at around 1.06%, compared to the Player bet at around 1.24% and the Tie bet at over 14% (never make the tie bet)
- The drawing rules in baccarat are automatic, so you don’t need to decide when to draw additional cards. Understanding these rules will help you follow the game flow better.
Video poker
Video poker is like playing poker against a machine. Your goal is to get the best five-card hand possible. Most video poker games let you choose how many coins to bet. There’s a pay table that shows how much you win based on the hand you get. Jacks or Better is a popular and easy starting point – you just need a pair of Jacks or higher to win. After you’re dealt cards, you can choose to discard some and draw new ones to try for a better hand. Learning basic strategy for Jacks or Better will help you make those decisions!
What are basic casino rules?
- Before playing a game, understand the rules, bets, and how to win.
- Don’t be afraid to clarify any doubts with the dealer.
- Wait for a break in the action before joining a table game. Ask the dealer if it’s okay to sit down.
- Each table has a minimum bet amount you need to wager.
- Decide how much you’re comfortable losing beforehand and stick to it.
- Only touch your chips. Do not touch chips once the game has started unless the dealer instructs you to do so.
- It’s customary to tip dealers and waitresses occasionally.
- Don’t stall the game.
- Be polite to dealers and staff.
Basic Strategies for Table Games
In order to get one up on the casinos read the following strategic points. Learn also what is card counting and whether is it legal.
1) Eye the Time
You will notice when you step foot in a real casino that there are no clocks or windows on the house floor. Casinos want you to lose track of time so you play for as long as possible.
Some casinos prohibit dealers from wearing watches for that reason too. Therefore, a good strategy is to wait until you are up some money, check the time and leave.
2) Do not play Keno
If you are looking to make some money a good idea is to stay away from Keno as your chances are terrible. At some casinos, the house has a 35 percent edge.
No gambler has ever matched all 20 numbers on a 20-spot ticket so therefore it is extremely difficult to make a return.
3) Keep your eyes on the prize
Some casinos have recently sexed up their tables games with bikini-clad dealers.
These types of casinos are known as ‘Party Pits‘ as on the surface they look like Vegas inspired casinos with free alcohol and beautiful women but in most occasions they double the house edge. Therefore, always go for a simple and classic casino.
4) Don’t Drink
Alcohol dulls the senses and impairs judgment; that is why casinos keep offering you free drinks. Stay away from the alcohol and just concentrate on having fun winning.
5) When playing Texas Hold’em & Omaha
When playing these types of table games it is important not to reveal anything with your reaction – you need to channel your best poker face. By not giving yourself away due to your expression you have a better chance of bluffing.
