Advice you would give to gambling Newbies? 😀💡🤔

Advice I would give to Gambling Newbies is.

Use Stop Limits. Both positive and negative. If you come in with say a $100, play with ONLY that $100. If you win a $500 spin, STILL play with ONLY that $100. Once the $100 is gone, RUN out of that Casino with the $500. One of my Casino Friends won $500 and lost it all back, 😱😳 AND lost his entire Bankroll. 😱😳 And was pissed off at himself losing the $500 win and his entire Bankroll. What he did was the WRONG thing to do.

Think of Comps as an added bonus, not the goal. I definitely found myself chasing Comps and lost money when before Comps were introduced to my local Casino I was playing to win, not for chasing Comps.

The House doesn't ALWAYS win, but it OFTEN wins. Casinos were NOT built on Winners, but if Casinos ALWAYS took money and never gave payouts, they'd be out of business soon. So they do give HUGE payouts while taking MOST of the money.

Slot Video Uploaders are for ENTERTAINMENT, not for REAL LIFE. Viewers have complained about losing their money after watching Popular Slot Video Uploaders play $100 a spin and win $10,000 and them playing $100 a spin and losing all their money. Slot Video Uploaders USUALLY ONLY upload their WINNING Videos and NOT their LOSING videos. Lady Luck, a VERY popular Slot Video Uploader herself admitted she LOSES more than she WINS.

The "So close," Progressives are ACTUALLY VERY FAR away. The Progressive that says it's only about $40 away is actually more like $100,000 coin in away. People have said they hit a $10,000 Progressive but actually LOST $20,000 in CASH chasing the $10,000 Progressive. Ouch. 😱😳

Always gamble with money that you DON'T NEED. NEVER gamble with money you NEED. A Woman told me she lost her RENT MONEY in slots that day. 😱😳 Ouch . 😱😳 Keep this simple advice in mind. "The money you are walking into the Casino with today, you might end up wishing you had tomorrow." 💡

Asking complete Strangers to play on your Player's Club Card in order to get Promotions, free play, gifts, Comps is a bad idea and could get you temporarily or permanently banned. I did this until I accidentally asked the same person twice to play on my Player's Club Card and he complained and reported me and I got a 24 hour ban. 😱😳 Ouch. 😱😳 So definitely asking complete Strangers to play on your Player's Club Card is a bad idea if the complete Stranger complains and reports you.

Darkoz actually earned free food by ONCE ACCIDENTALLY leaving his Player's Club Card in his machine and when he came back a complete Stranger was inadvertently playing on his Player's Club Card and earned him free food. Accidentally leaving your Player's Club Card and having people inadvertently earn you free food is a LOT different than outright asking complete Strangers to play on your Player's Club Card.

Another Poster said he PURPOSELY used to leave his Player's Club Card behind in the slot every time hoping that random people would play on his Player's Club Card and earn him free Comps, free play, giveaways, etc. Doing what he used to do is VERY RISKY and eventually the Casino WILL notice that the SAME person is ALWAYS leaving his Player's Club Card behind after playing. There is a HUGE difference between ONCE ACCIDENTALLY leaving a Player's Club Card behind and doing this every single time you play at a Casino.

Bonuses are just that, Bonuses and shouldn't be the be all end all goal. LOTS of People play BIG money trying to get the Bonus and end up PISSED when they either get nothing, break even, or win just a LITTLE profit. They claim that the game owes them a good Bonus. No, the game doesn't owe anything. Bonuses are just Bonuses once again.

Malfunctions happen. I personally got the Bonus Symbols on Village People Slot and even got congratulated by the Player playing next to me. 😀 The screen turned BLACK all of a sudden, 😱😳 and the Slot Technician rebooted it and I automatically assumed that my Bonus would start. 😀 When the game came back, by Bonus Symbols were GONE, 😱😳 and I told the Slot Technician I got the Bonus Symbols and my Bonus was supposed to stop. The Player next to me admitted she saw the Bonus Symbols come up. The Slot Technician did a History spins check and none of the History spins check showed my Bonus Symbols. I was baffled on how the spin that gave me the Bonus Symbols vanished. Malfunction. 💡

There are different types of Malfunctions however. One is much more messed up and is more of a winnable case, the other is not. One malfunction had a Woman play $2.25 and she got a screen saying she won about $42 Million. She asked the Casino for a check of the roughly $42 Million and the Casino denied the win because it was a LEGITIMATE MALFUNCTION and she was livid. She said they owed her what the screen said she won. Investigation showed that that machine she was playing at had only a Maximum of about $6,000, not MILLIONS. They offered her her spin money back and a free steak dinner. She was LIVID and continued to push that she wanted her roughly $42 Million. She sued and settled for an undisclosed amount. In her case, the roughly 42 Million was a LEGITIMATE MALFUNCTION.

There is completely different types of Malfunction that is a REALLY messed up malfunction, and that's the one where the screen shows three winning Jackpot Symbols on a single line for say 13 Million (Megabucks example)and the Casino claims that the SCREEN is malfunctioning and the ACTUAL reels inside show a non winning spin. This one is VERY winnable and MUCH more likely to get paid the FULL Jackpot. In a nutshell, the Slot merely saying,"42 Million win!" Is a legitimate malfunction. A three winning Jackpot Symbols on a line being called a malfunction is VERY winnable in Court.

Hitting slot machines in anger and causing damages to it can land you in BIG financial trouble. Don't let a short burst of anger cost you THOUSANDS in damages.

💡

Quote: Nathan

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Hitting slot machines in anger and causing damages to it can land you in BIG financial trouble. Don't let a short burst of anger cost you THOUSANDS in damages.


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Very interesting post, from a different perspective!

I broke a machine once, but not in anger. I was playing video poker and the door to the cabinet was ajar, giving me a "Closure M" error, and to close it and clear the error I slammed the door so hard the glass broke. Security caught up to me and made me pay for it. It cost less than quads pays on a $1 paytable, and they saw what I did and realized it was not done out of anger or malice so it was a friendly transaction; all I had to do was pay to replace the glass.

Here is some highly varied advice that has helped me maintain and grow my bankroll while having lots of fun trying new games since I started gambling in 2025

1) Always sign up for a Player's Card
2) Memorize the basic strategy for every game that you want to play. Do not trust the dealers to know basic strategy and many casinos will not allow you to hold a basic strategy card.
3a) If you can use free play on video poker, find the best pay table, find the basic strategy for that specific game and pay table, and wash the free play via the lowest denomination.
3b) Otherwise, try to find a non-volatile slot machine to wash the free play into (no progressives or jackpots)
4) Don't say "seven" at a Craps table, people are that superstitious
5) Do not trust the dealer to optimally arrange your hand in Face-Up Pai Gow Poker - knowing this has saved me from losing before
6) Don't hit a 3-card 16 vs a Dealer's 10 in Blackjack
7) Boycott "Big Six" / "Money Wheel"
8) Don't play slot machines or keno
9) Always try to play the game with the lowest house edge
10) Try a wide variety of games to see what you like the best :) But don't stay at the high house edge games too long
11) Do not play any side bets
12) Keep track of literally every cent that you win or lose in gambling (I have been doing this meticulously, currently up +$1508.07)
13) It's okay to bet Don't Pass/Come to gain 0.05% house edge no matter what anyone tells you
14) If you can master Pai Gow Tiles, you can master reality

When I started playing in the casino, I wished that there was a website that could let you play any game while teaching you the strategy, which is why I made my website. I wish something like this existed when I was starting out.

I understand that some people will disagree with my advice, especially the advice to not play side bets. We all have our own views on money and risk which clearly shaped some of my advice - though I'm open to feedback.

If your bills aren't paid, you can't afford to gamble.
If your credit cards weren't paid in full last month, you can't afford to gamble.
If you don't have at least $2000, you can't afford to gamble.
If the casino's hotel seems expensive to you, you can't afford to gamble.

If you don't understand the game, don't play for money.

You probably won't win it back.
Best of luck!

Quote: Dieter

If your bills aren't paid, you can't afford to gamble.
If your credit cards weren't paid in full last month, you can't afford to gamble.
If you don't have at least $2000, you can't afford to gamble.
If the casino's hotel seems expensive to you, you can't afford to gamble.

If you don't understand the game, don't play for money.

You probably won't win it back.
Best of luck!
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On another gambling website a Poster said something like,"That sinking feeling when you realized that you lost your money gambling in Casinos and remember that you didn't pay your rent, your utilities, your groceries, your cellphone bill, and your car note. 😱😳

My advice would be simple: Don't.
The most successful gamblers I know lead less-than-wonderful lives. It doesn't seem conducive to raising a family, as just about every one of them is either working on their third marriage or is a proud member of the anti-woman movement
There are much better and easier ways to make money, and much better hobbies to entertain you.
I'd challenge them to make all the bets they want, on paper, and after six months see where they'd be.
Lastly- don't gamble a dime until your IRA is maxed out for the year.

Quote: billryan

My advice would be simple: Don't.
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I'd agree if the person was literally someone with no experience at all with gambling, not even playing poker with friends. If you can surmise this person is determined to do it anyway, then most of the above hints are fine.

Expect a bad outcome if there is no math background, and expect complete disaster if this person wins a big jackpot first time out.

Quote: Dieter

If your bills aren't paid, you can't afford to gamble.
If your credit cards weren't paid in full last month, you can't afford to gamble.
If you don't have at least $2000, you can't afford to gamble.
If the casino's hotel seems expensive to you, you can't afford to gamble.

If you don't understand the game, don't play for money.

You probably won't win it back.
Best of luck!
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Agree with point 1.
Mega agree with point 2.
Not sure what number I’d pick for point 3, but $2000 is WAY too low.
Disagree with point 4. Rack rate on local casino seems expensive to me, but that has nothing to do with whether I gamble there or not.
Agree with point 5.

When I started seriously gambling in the late 90s, casinos offered much better games, and by taking advantage of player clubs, fun books, and promotions, a regular gambler could recover most of his losses in meals, rooms, and shows. I could stay three nights in AC for $40 in taxes. Now the nightly resort fee is that much. The casinos changed the formulas. Twenty-five years ago, I was watching for people who might be able to supplement their income with smart gambling.
While I am sure some people still do well, the casinos have gamed the system so it isn't worth it for most people.

Quote: billryan

When I started seriously gambling in the late 90s, casinos offered much better games, and by taking advantage of player clubs, fun books, and promotions, a regular gambler could recover most of his losses in meals, rooms, and shows. I could stay three nights in AC for $40 in taxes. Now the nightly resort fee is that much. The casinos changed the formulas. Twenty-five years ago, I was watching for people who might be able to supplement their income with smart gambling.
While I am sure some people still do well, the casinos have gamed the system so it isn't worth it for most people.
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A Poster said something like,"20 years ago, a $20 at a Casino would net me and my husband two full dinners at a fancy restaurant, two adult movie theater tickets, two large popcorns, and two large cokes and we would still leave with $20. 😀 But TODAY, a $20 is gone in SECONDS. 😱😳 Absolutely dreadful when we used to get big money on our $20 20 years ago. 😱😳

Quote: SOOPOO

Quote: Dieter

If your bills aren't paid, you can't afford to gamble.
If your credit cards weren't paid in full last month, you can't afford to gamble.
If you don't have at least $2000, you can't afford to gamble.
If the casino's hotel seems expensive to you, you can't afford to gamble.

If you don't understand the game, don't play for money.

You probably won't win it back.
Best of luck!
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Agree with point 1.
Mega agree with point 2.
Not sure what number I’d pick for point 3, but $2000 is WAY too low.
Disagree with point 4. Rack rate on local casino seems expensive to me, but that has nothing to do with whether I gamble there or not.
Agree with point 5.
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I have some reasoning on point 3. Matching the W2G threshold is convenient, and I really don't think that someone who has managed to scrape up $100 should be going to a casino.
At that level, losing most or all is the expectation.... but gambling is not a desperate act, trying to make rent.

Point 4 is one of the casino equivalents of the cowboy cutout in front of the horsie ride that says "Whoa Buckaroo, you must be this tall to ride." I've seen a lot of people blithely ignore the signs that a property is actively trying to price them out, and then promptly go broke before they had any fun.

Do you have any sage advice?