One of the most famous casino patrons and poker players of all time Nick "The Greek" Dandolos once made a somewhat prescient remark when he observed "Remember this: The house doesn't beat the player. It just gives him the opportunity to beat himself."
If you have ever played at a real world or online casino then you'll perhaps understand the meaning of these words. Nobody forces you to play a casino game, you can quit at any time and take your money and decide to spend it on something else if you wish.
For many people this may be a good idea. There are a number of players who log into their chosen casino site almost by rote, mindlessly placing stake after stake in the belief that they will eventually hit the big one or at the very least, hit a win which will allow them to recoup their losses.
It is precisely this type of player that Nick Dandolos was referring to when he made his observation.
Unfortunately there is a proportion of casino players for whom the enjoyment of what they are doing seems to have evaporated. Instead of enjoying the games on offer at the casino, they see each session as a war of attrition; a fight between themselves and the casino to come out on top financially.
This is plainly absurd and indeed, could be entirely counter-productive. Here's why:
The casino will, in the long term, always win.
How many people have you heard stories of who became extremely wealthy at the expense of a casino? You may think that there are thousands of people out there who have become vastly wealthy through playing casino games but a quick scan of the facts will reveal a rather different story.
In truth, the number of people who have made a killing by getting the better of a casino and who have then quit whilst comfortably ahead, is very, very small.
A great example of this is the famous pool hustler, poker ace and baccarat legend Archie Karas. Prior to going on what has become known as "The Run", Karas drove to Las Vegas with his last $50 in his pockets.
Yet over the next few months, he gambled that money up to an estimated $40m fortune.
It is the story which is beloved by gamblers, but often the story ends there, seemingly with Karas having taken the Las Vegas casinos for millions.
What fewer people will tell you is that within the space of six months, Karas then managed to lose almost every penny of the $40m that he had won.
Like we said, in the long term the casino will always win.
So why gamble? Why place bets on games and attractions that are so obviously biased against you?
There's one simple answer to this; because it is exciting.
Fun and excitement - Underrated partners when playing at a casino
So are we advocating that you should visit a real world casino, or an online establishment, with a carefree attitude towards playing, with a "it doesn't matter if I win or lose" attitude?
Absolutely. Indeed there are many that would argue that while this may not be the most profitable way to gamble, it is certainly the healthiest.
A good way to think about any gambling session or night out at a casino is to treat it as you would an evening out in the town with friends.
Let's say on a typical night out on the town with friends you'll pay for a few drinks in a bar, a meal somewhere nice to eat, then perhaps some tickets for a movie, or to get into a nightclub. Let's say on average that a typical night out would see you spend 100.
So, if you are having a casino night, why not take that 100 and put it in a real or virtual pocket. Treat that money as already spent and play the games at the casino that put a smile on your face.
If you are fortunate enough to win any money, then you can put that into another pocket and just keep spending from the original amount you dedicated to your night of entertainment.
This way, at the end of the night you will have spent a maximum of 100, the same as you would have spent on a good night out. You will have played the types of games you enjoy the most and had a good time into the bargain.
But best of all, if you are lucky enough and win some cash, you'll still have that cash to do with as you wish as you won't have spent it.
Winning when you least expect it
There is another good reason to focus on the fun aspect when playing at a casino, rather than chasing profit and that is that often big wins will come when you least expect it.
There are numerous examples of this. John Orchard, who won a massive jackpot on the MegaMoolah.com slot back in 2012, won the money despite not being an avid slot player. Mr Orchard, who hails from Lincolnshire in the UK, actually preferred to play bingo on his chosen site.
However, on this day he had a little extra cash left over and decided to go and have a few spins of MegaMoolah.com as he enjoyed playing the game. He was not chasing any losses, or hoping for the jackpot (he only wagered 30p on his lucky spin) and was seeking solely to enjoy himself but in the end walked away from his game with a £5.88 million fortune.
Another MegaMoolah.com jackpot winner won a huge amount of money while playing via his mobile, using free spins donated to him by his casino as part of a birthday gift to the player.
Realistic expectations and playing on 'tilt'
Another reason to enjoy your casino experience is that having a realistic and positive mindset when you play will allow you to make better judgement calls when the time is needed.
A player who is on a losing streak, trying to recoup their losses can easily start to play on tilt, when their negative emotions start to get the better of their judgement and they start to make increasingly erratic decisions. Wagering more money than they should, or taking increasingly large gambles, which only exacerbates their losses and forces them into an even more negative mindset.
In contrast, playing calmly, coolly and even dispassionately can help you clear your mind and allow you to make focused, sensible decisions that will, over time, prove to be more profitable than playing on tilt. That's why the world's best poker players love it when an opponent 'loses it' at the table - because they know it is so much easier to take their chips.
So if you aren't enjoying playing at the casino, ask why are you playing it in the first place? Adjusting your expectations and rediscovering just how much fun these games can be could be the most positive step you take to being a stronger player in the future.
Next Post: What are multi-player community games and where can I play them?
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