3 Common Beginner’s Luck Traps on the Road to Losing
We’ve all seen the sitcoms and movies that show characters sitting at a slot machine when the siren goes off and a jackpot is hit. It looks easy – and in some ways, maybe it’s too easy to play slots and other popular casino games. There’s a feeling of euphoria and sense of accomplishment when a small bet turns into something big.
How you act after a win makes a difference in what you walk away with, or without, in your pocket. Take a look at these three traps that many first-time gamblers fall into and learn how to avoid them:
Not Paying Attention to the Game
Whether it’s a slot machine or a game of blackjack, winning early if you’ve never played can lead to a lack of focus and taking your attention away from the game. That’s a path you don’t want to travel because it generally leads to a higher chance of losses. Once your attention is off of what you’re doing, which is strategizing to win, then you’re simply playing the game with the hope of scoring another big win by chance. By the time you’ve realized that the slot machine, or table, has gone cold, your money is gone. Remain focused so that you can feel a turn in your luck. Walk away before you lose all you’ve won.
Not Developing a Strategy
It’s important to have a strategy when gambling but it’s kind of hard to develop one when you’re not sure of how to properly play the game, right? Not necessarily. After a big win, the best strategy is to play slowly or to leave the table or machine and count your winnings. Continuing to feed money into a machine or game in search of the winning feeling is a recipe for disaster.
That’s why it’s smart to go into the casino with at least layman’s understanding of the game you’re interested in playing. So if you do win and get the urge to blindly continue to play, you at least have a basic understanding of the rules of the game.
Playing Big
A quick win opens a window to destruction. To either win back the lost winnings or to chase the next big win, many players will sink more money into the game than necessary. This is textbook beginner’s luck case study material – it happens a lot. If you fall victim to this mindset, you’ll quickly burn through your remaining funds and lose the winnings that you had. But as mentioned earlier, it’s important to research prior to going to a casino if it’s your first time. Find out what your odds are for winning at your game of choice and in a particular casino.
These three steps may seem simple but are important so that you won’t leave the casino with bunny rabbits for pockets. Falling into the trap of beginner’s luck bad decisions will spell trouble for what you end up with in hand at the end of the casino trip. Remain focused and keep in mind that gambling is based on luck, but strategy plays a role too.
