“3 Reasons Your Gambling Session Sucks” looks into how your attitude can improve your casino experience. It is inspired by a self-help book that you can apply to recreational gambling. “Why Your Life Sucks” by Alan H. Cohen enquires about life’s “wake-up calls” to enjoy life. You can apply Cohen’s in-your-face, no-hype guide to getting happy with your gambling life. It’s a funny, informative book and helps you re-evaluate your choices.
After reading it, (not that life sucks during the pandemic or anything), I felt that Alan H. Cohen’s outlook might help recreational gamblers. I asked myself, “how many people leave the casino grumpy as if losing at the casino is a huge surprise.” Subsequently, here are Three Reality Checks For Recreational Gamblers.
Before You Start
If your primary goal is to win in gambling, you must play the games with the minor house edge.
- Video Poker (* = rare to find)
- Full pay Deuces Wild – 100.76% payback * (almost extinct)
- 10/7 Double Bonus – 100.17%
- 10/6 Double Double Bonus – 100.07% * (only in higher denominations)
- Triple Double Bonus – 99.58%
- 9/6 Jacks or Better – 99.54%
- 8/5 Bonus Poker – 99.17%
- Blackjack – every rule below decreases house edge (* = rare to find)
- 3:2 Natural blackjack payouts – Lowers house edge by 1.40% compared to 6:5 payouts. (at higher denomination tables)
- The number of decks – House edge decreases by 0.59% from 8 decks to single-deck blackjack. (Single and double decks with 3:2 blackjack only at (at higher denomination tables)
- Double down – Lowers house edge by 0.25% when compared to only doubling down on 9 through 11.
- Dealer stands on soft 17 – Lowers house edge by 0.20% compared to the dealer hitting.
- Double down after splitting (DAS) – Lowers house edge by 0.17%
- Re splitting aces (RSA) – Lowers house edge by 0.08% *
- Late surrender – Lowers house edge by 0.07% *
For a complete list of games and house edge percentages, click here and go to the Wizard of Odds.
Related Post – Embrace the Math, Not the Myth – Accept the House Edge
When Your Gambling Session Sucks
Embrace the gambling industry’s realities. Your casino session is always going to be “hunky-dory.” Take a look at your casino trips differently with these three suggestions.
Three Reasons Your Gambling Session Suck
1) “Fortune isn’t something that happens to you; it’s something you help create.”
The first of 3 reasons your gambling session sucks depends on your thoughts and feelings before playing. Unfortunately, many recreational gamblers think each visit entitles them to a winning session. As a result, players leave the casino disappointed, unhappy, or even angry at the casino. But some elements will enhance your visits.
As a rule, know your games and the best strategy for them. Take advantage of free play and multiplier days. These advantages increase the “fun” value with potential longer & more profitable sessions. However, the most crucial advice to limit your session’s “suckiness” is not to overplay your bankroll to gain higher status. Keep to your bankroll.
Cousin Vito’s Podcast always ends with the quote above. It’s from Vito’s cousin and personal “friend,” Roman Statesman Seneca. Believe it!
2) Don’t Chase Your Losses, Be Prepared and Accept The House Edge
Don’t get involved in the dark side of gaming. The gambling industry is a business, and businesses must make money. As a result, they don’t feel entitled to win. The house edge is a reality to ensure the industry’s success. Don’t expect perks you don’t earn; don’t expect the casino to provide your winning because you’re a good customer. Instead, expect losses and accept the cyclic patterns of winning and losing that occur naturally and unpredictably.
Related Post – Gambler’s Fallacy and Randomness
Stop thinking conspiracy. The house advantage is built-in due to math and probability. Believing myths and superstitions to make yourself the poor victim only takes away from a positive experience.
Getting caught in Gambler’s Fallacy can lead to self-doubt and bad strategy. Don’t make the false assumption that if a specific event/effect occurs repeatedly, the opposite is bound to happen soon. Chasing losses because you are “due” to hit something is very dangerous. It’s not true.
3) The Viewpoint of Your Session Counts
“Yes, your thoughts betray you.” –
Darth Vadar, Return Of The Jedi
“Search your feelings; you know it to be true.” You control your thoughts and feelings even when your session sucks. You can choose to enjoy and learn from the experience or complain and look for pity from anyone who will listen. Complaining makes you the victim of the big bad casino again and makes you that “no-fun” guy.
If you want your family and friends to ask you to go again, be as positive as possible. Enjoy the wins. Laugh at the losses you can afford, go with the flow, and chalk it to “maybe next time.”
By the way, enjoy the excitement of breaking even – yes, even. By breaking even, you’ve beaten the house advantage. If you play for a few hours and break even, you’d have free entertainment, accumulated rewards points, and a complimentary beverage or more. And your bankroll is still intact for another gambling session. Thus, you win.
Embrace the Math, Not the Myth.
Now, back to the casino. But this time, don’t let your feelings betray you. Go with the flow.
Binbin