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Does your gambling bankroll disappear so fast
that you think the casinos are cheating you? Have you ever
gone on a day bus trip to a casino and had to wait in the lobby
the last three hours because you lost all your money in the
first three? Have you ever thought that you didn't have enough
fun in a casino considering the amount of money you lost in a
short period of time? Have you ever wished you could take a
longer vacation to Las Vegas but you aren't sure your gambling
bankroll would last? Have you ever taken a cash advance on your
credit card when you ran out of money in a casino?
This is not a treatise on the technical
aspects of gambling, requiring math knowledge and special
skills. It is true that by studying the games and learning about
mathematical odds you can play smarter in a casino; but you don't
want to go to "gambler's school." You just want some simple
advice on how to make your gambling bankroll last longer in a
casino. Let's see what we can do, by just using common sense.
- Accept the fact that the main thing
casinos are offering is entertainment. Instead of feeling guilty
when you lose, a healthy attitude might be to consider your
whole gambling bankroll your "cost" for this entertainment
choice. If the casino doesn't take your whole "entrance fee,"
you can feel really lucky. And if you lose it all, what other
entertainment options give you a shot at bringing home more
money than you took with you?
- Choose your gambling bankroll from the
part of your household budget marked "entertainment." This is
money you sometimes use to eat out at a nice restaurant or go to
a movie or spend on a skiing trip. This is not money you set
aside for groceries, the mortgage, insurance or the kids'
school clothes. Unless you are an extremely disciplined person,
you should have this whole bankroll with you, in cash if it is a
small amount, in traveler's checks if it a large sum. You
should not have your checkbook or your ATM card or your credit
card with you. Therefore, you can limit this entertainment "cost"
to what you can afford. Nothing will take the fun out of
gambling faster than losing money that has already been
earmarked for necessities.
- Choose your denomination carefully. If you
have been playing dollar machines in the past and your bankroll
usually didn't last long enough, then the sensible thing to do
is play quarters. On average you will lose between $50-60 an
hour playing dollar slots. The same time on quarters would have
an average loss of about $20-$30. You don't have to be an
Einstein to figure out that your money would usually last longer
if you stick to quarters. If you have been betting green chips
($25) at the tables, switch down to reds ($5). Going down in
denomination is probably the easiest technique to stretch your
money. If you think you won't enjoy going down like this,
remember what your goal is ‹ having fun. Isn't the person
playing nickel or quarter machines enjoying the same exciting
charged glamorous atmosphere of the casino as the dollar player?
Doesn't a cocktail waitress come by both the low and the
high-limit tables and accept the same order for an exotic drink
that she will deliver to any player free of charge?
- Give yourself frequent breaks. Nothing
makes you more sluggish than sitting at a slot machine or
blackjack table for hours at a time. Go outside for a fresh-air
break. Hit the snack bar for a quick bite. Go to your room for a
short nap. Browse in the gift shop. Go to the sports book and
check the odds on your favorite team. Stop in the racebook and
put a couple of dollars down and watch one horse race. You can
change machines or tables frequently to provide variety and give
you a chance to rest your eyes and stretch tired muscles.
- Find ways to play slower. There are few
rewards in a casino for speed. Play at full crap tables where
there are fewer dice rolls per hour. Choose to wager in the
slow-moving keno lounge. On the machines, stop hitting the
buttons and pull the handle for a while or feed the machines
with coins instead of using the bill acceptors. Cash out your
credits after a good hit so you can enjoy the sound of falling
coins. I observed a couple that had a unique and enviable way to
slow down their machine play. They took turns playing one video
poker machine while the other watched, and every time they hit
four-of-a-kind they stopped and hugged and kissed.
Do you think you are a pretty sensible person?
You work hard at your job; you pay your bills on time; you shop
sales; you budget your money carefully. Then don't drop your
common sense at the entrance to a casino. Take it in with you
and use the very same careful thought. You will find that you
can play longer and therefore stretch out your fun.
- Jean Scott, dubbed the Queen of Comps by Dan Rather, is the
author of The Frugal Gambler and More Frugal Gambling. She
frequently appears on the Travel Channel telling players how to
stretch their gaming dollars. Visit Jean online at: www.frugalgambler.biz.
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