casino

You know you’re going to lose, right?

It doesn’t matter if you sit down to play slots, craps, roulette or even a “low house edge” game like blackjack; the odds are against you. You’re supposed to lose.

You don’t have to let that dampen your spirit, though. Knowing you’re supposed to lose makes gambling much easier, because when you lose your money you don’t feel so bad about it. You expected it.

It also allows you to focus on something different. For example, instead of feeling bad about losing your money, you can focus on trying to improve your chances of winning.

Because that IS possible. We’re going to show you how.

Below, you’ll find 20 tips for how you can overcome the casino’s edge. They are split into 3 categories: casino games, game strategy, and the casino.

Follow a tip or two, and you might save a little money. Try to follow them all and you might be surprised at all the extra monies you find in your pockets.

9 Casino Game Tips

As far as casino games go, here are the things you can do to win a little more (or lose a little less).

1. Find The Best Games

This is subjective; who’s to say which games are better than others?

What we mean is to choose games that have a lower house edge. Examples of games with a low house edge include blackjack, baccarat, poker, sports betting and video poker.

What if you don’t like those games?

That’s okay, too. Just find the best version of the game you like to play. For example, choose French roulette over American or European roulette.

2. Find The Best Machine

This is like the last tip, but for slots players.

The best slot machines to play are the simplest machines. The ones that don’t stand out with the flashing lights and huge signs.

Here’s how the WizardOfOdds.com explains it:

The simpler the game, the better the odds. The fancy games with big signs and video screens tend to not pay as well as the simple games. However, slot players always tell me the fancy games are more fun.

The big games are more fun. So, you’ll have to decide what you want more. Is it fun, or an advantage over the casino?

3. Find The Best Payouts

All casinos offer the same games. However, one thing that makes them different are the payouts the casinos offer if/when you win.

This can have a significant impact on the house edge.

An easy example is blackjack. Some casinos pay 3:2 for natural blackjacks, while other casinos pay 6:5 or worse. This alone can more than double the casino’s edge.

This applies to other games, too. Caribbean stud, 3-card poker, and casino hold’em are all games where you can expect the payouts to fluctuate from one casino to the next.

You can improve your chances of winning by finding the casinos that offer the best payouts.

4. Find A Two-Seater

Walk around a Las Vegas casino nowadays and you’ll find a handful of slot machines that have bench seating. You can usually seat two people at these machines, and sometimes even three.

How does this increase your chances of winning? Well, it’s not because two heads are better than one.

The reason why this works is because with two people on the same machine, you’re spending half the amount of money you would had you two been playing on two different machines.

(This assumes you don’t increase how much you’re spending because you’re sharing a machine.)

This may not change the house edge at all, but what it does do is decrease how much you’re spending. In our eyes, saving money is just as good as winning it.

5. Know When To Bet The Max, Or To Bet Less And Play More Lines

This applies to slot and video poker players.

For slot players, the WizardOfOdds.com has a great tip for knowing how much to bet:

The higher the denomination, the better the odds. For that reason, it is better to play one coin per line on a 5-cent game than five coins per line on a 1-cent game.

The same idea applies to video poker. You should bet the max at a lower denomination, instead of betting 1-4 at a higher denomination, because the top prize and potential jackpot for a lower denomination far outweigh the extra earnings on lesser hands at higher denominations.

6. Walk Away After You Win

Easier said than done, we know. Most people use their winnings as an opportunity to double or triple their bets.

There’s nothing wrong with doing that.

However, we do recommend you have a limit as to how much you’ll win before cashing out. Or, you establish an amount you’re willing to lose (from your winnings).

When you use this tip, you all but guarantee you’ll walk away with a profit for that session.

7. Take Breaks

Taking breaks is important, because between the games, free drinks, and lack of windows or clocks, it’s easier to get lost in the game and lose track of time. Meanwhile, you’re spending a bunch of money.

When you take a break, you can clear your head, count your bankroll, and decide if you even want to continue playing.

Every minute you spend not playing is a minute you’re not giving the casino your hard-earned money.

8. Don’t Chase Losses

Usually when people chase losses, they’re “tilting.” This is a poker term for playing emotionally instead of logically.

Follow this tip, and you’ll improve your chances, because you’ve already lost your money to begin with, and chasing losses often leads to you losing even more.

9. Take Your Time

This is a great tip for slots players.

One thing we see players do when they win is that they’ll hit the spin/play button so that their winnings hit their account instantly. This enables them to get back to playing as fast as possible.

However, if you just let the machine add the money to your balance at its own pace, you can sit there for a minute or two, and all the while you’re not spending any money.

This helps to stretch your bankroll and time spent playing.

You might also find that you get your fix much sooner and that you’re ready to cash out early.

This is one of the easiest ways to spend less money, which – in theory – should mean that you’re not spending it on a machine, and thus not losing it to the casino.

Which, in a roundabout way, improves your chances in the casino.

That’s it for game related tips. These tips alone can increase your chances in the casino.

We’re not done, though. Let’s look at how you can apply some strategy to these games to improve your chances even more.