Casinos are in the entertainment business and like other forms of entertainment we expect to pay a price for admission. Unlike a movie or Theme Park, the price of entertainment in the casino is not a fixed expense. You can spend a little or you can spend a lot. In some instance you have a shot at being paid for your entertainment when you win at the games. The reality is that most of the players lose when they visit the casino. This is the price they pay to play the games and the casinos are entitled to charge for supplying the gaming tables, dealers and machines. However you must realize that their primary business is separating you from your money and making you think you’re having fun while they do it.
The casino is a place of glitz and glamour. The excitement of the sights and sounds and the general atmosphere help to add to a fantasy world. Many people get caught up in the excitement. When this happens it is easy to get carried away and gamble more than you should. Even the best of us can be caught off guard and lose control when we fall into some of the casino traps that were designed to have us spend more. Here are some things to keep in mind when you visit the casino.
1) There are no clocks or windows in most casinos. They want you to forget about time and just focus on the games. Always wear a watch and set a time limit for you gambling activities. 2) They convert your cash into chips at the tables. You find yourself looking at the chips and seeing red and green tokens. You lose the sense that this is really money. This leads to over betting. Remember chips are money.
2) Most of the new slot machines use bill receptors that covert your bills into machine credits. Once your dollars become credits they seem to lose value. Many of the newer machines also use the ticket out system. Players have a tendency to play out a few credits rather than be bothered taking the slip to the cage. Put smaller denomination bills in the machine to start each session. If you lose it take a break.
3) Finally the pace of the casino is fast. The dealers try to deal at lightning speed. Take a second to make sure you are playing you hand correctly at the tables. If you are playing the machines, slow down the rate you are hitting the spin button.
4) They supply you with FREE drinks while you are playing. There is nothing like a few cocktails to loosen up your inhibitions. One gambling writer I know calls free drinks “Chip Remover.†Use moderation or wait until after you finish playing before you have any alcohol.
5) Don’t get greedy. One thing that turns winners into losers is the notion that once they win they are playing with the casino’s money. Once you win, it’s YOUR MONEY. Don’t give it back. When you get ahead take half of your winning and put it in a different pocket. It’s easy to leave the casino when all your money is gone. It takes discipline to walk away when you are ahead. Discipline and control is what separates winners from losers.
6) Set your entertainment price before you go to the casino. Don’t take more money to the casino than you can afford to lose.
Keep these tips in mind when you visit the casino and it will help you enjoy yourself without spending more than you had planned to. Keep in mind, if you don’t learn how to handle YOUR money, the casino will do it for you once it becomes THEIR money!
Until next time, remember:
"Luck comes and goes...Knowledge Stays Forever!"
