These days online gamlbing sites are becoming more and more popular. With the advent of Covid-19 more people have chosen to look for entertainment online as they have been unable to travel or go outside and meet people. With so many businesses closed down many places resembled ghost towns. Las Vegas casinos closed and thousands of people lost their jobs.
One thing that did increase though was the traffic to online casinos and other gambling sites. Along with other forms of online entertainment casinos and bingo sites drew in record numbers of new players.
Although these online sites can seem exciting and are very convenient it doesn’t mean you are going to win any money and indeed you may well lose a lot more than you expected to. There are some ways you can try and minimise any losses and hopefully increase your potential profits.
Set your budget
Assuming you are playing for real money then you need to work out how much you can afford to lose. Although this sounds negative you need to do this realistically before starting to deposit cash online. You may have heard the term bankroll and this is exactly what you need to decide on before you go any further.
Once you have set your weekly or daily limit it is up to you to stick to it. If you want a little extra nudge then look for a gambling site that lets you set your own deposit limits so you can’t make any rash decisions.
In a traditional casino or in a card game you might literally have a roll of banknotes but online it is just numbers on the screen deposited by your debit card or other payment method. It is very easy to lose sight of the fact that this is real cash and not just numbers on your smartphone or tablet so try to remember to gamble responsibly.
Select the right online gambling site
This will depend on what your requirements are initially. Are you looking to purely place sports bets? Maybe you are looking for a replacement to your weekly trips to the local bingo hall or perhaps you are really interested in learning and testing your mettle against the best poker players around the world.
Once you have decided on what type of gambling you may be doing then you can look closer at the sites available and the features there. If you value some social interaction with your bingo then look for websites or apps that have a chat feature. If you want to play card games but feel a bit more like you are at a real casino then look at live dealer casinos where you will interact with a real dealer. He or she will deal your cards and the camera will follow all the action. You can talk to the dealer and they to you without them actually seeing you. Be sure to check this quick comparison as well.
Now you will want to check out the reputation.
Check reviews and licensing
You have found the site you want to use so just do a little more research and check reviews on Google to make sure it seems reputable. Search the internet for the website name and also any registered company names. Most websites are genuine but a little extra research can help make you feel safe in the knowledge you aren’t throwing your money away.
Choose the right games
You may have already made up your mind what games you want to play but before you close your mind to other possibilities you should consider two things; house edge and RTP (return to player). These are the statistics or percentages that let you know just how likely it is you will win and how much advantage the house has over you.
There are some games where the house edge is very low, blackjack being possibly the best for the player and others where the edge can be much higher. Some games have an element of skill and others are purely based on luck. The house edge is the mathematically calculated percentage that the house can expect to receive in money over a period of time. RTP is the percentage that games like slots should return. So if a machine states that it’s RTP is 90% then if you continuously put in dollars until you reach $100 then you can expect to receive $90 back. However this doesn’t take into account short term wins and jackpots etc.
Choose a game that you enjoy playing because fun is the aim here before profits but also take into account how likely it is you will win. You may enjoy playing against the best poker players or spinning the reels on the book of dead but is it likely to yield results as much as playing blackjack?
Learn the rules & practice
It cannot be said enough but learning the rules is essential. You are gambling with real currency so take time to learn the rules in depth for your favourite game and also any established ways to play such as basic strategy. Once you have a handle on the rules then start to pay some free games. Don’t put any money in until you have confidence in your knowledge of your chosen game. Obviously if you are playing bingo or slots this is less important but for card games, craps and roulette you should invest some time to understand the game.
Use the free stuff!
Many of these sites will give you free bets and casino bonuses to use when you first sign up. Bingo games often give you free bingo cards and sports betting sites might give you a free bet when you make your first deposit. Make the most of these to maximise profits.
Never chase losses
You already know to stick to your bankroll. You should also stick to your playing strategy regardless of how the game is playing. If you are losing money hand over fist on the slots then stop. If you are on a losing streak on cards then lower your bets to conserve your bankroll until your luck changes. If you run out then accept it wasn’t your night. Never borrow money and remember when the fun stops it is time to stop.