How to Win at Casinos with Little Money

Entertainment Value: A Good Time, For a Long Time

I’ve listed this first because honestly, I believe this route has the greatest odds of success. Casinos were never meant to be anything more than a mode of entertainment. A few players will win, but many more will lose. It is the losing players who pay for the winners and then some, ensuring the casino makes its profit at the end of the day.

If you understand this going into the casino, you’ll have a much easier time accepting the losses your probably going to incur. However, if you can walk away feeling like you’ve gotten your money’s worth in entertainment value, you’re not really a loser at all. You’ve simply paid for a service, just like going out to the cinema or to a fancy restaurant.

There are a number of measures you can take to amplify the thrill and enhance your success rate. Remember, the goal is to spend a little money, but play for a long time. Therefore, time and bankroll management are key. Choosing the right games and incorporating the right strategies, will also help to accomplish the goal.

Time & Bankroll Management

The key to making this work is to keep a tight reign on your budget. Know what you can afford to spend and only bring that much with you. Stick to low limit bets, and pace yourself. Take time to walk around the casino. Really take in the sites and the scenery. As you’re doing so, make a mental note of the games you’re most interested in playing, and where they’re located.

Once you begin playing, take your time. If you choose a slot machine, don’t mash away at the button. Let the reels stop on their own. Watch the animations play out when you win. Games like these, the faster you play, the faster you lose. At table games like blackjack, join a full table rather than an empty one. The games will last longer.

Strategy Begets Longevity

Normally, I would suggest playing casino games that come with an inherently low house edge, such as blackjack or video poker. However, these games do require a very strict strategy in order to get optimal results. If you’re gambling to have a good time, putting too much thought into your game play can have an erosion effect on the entertainment value. So instead, my advice would be to play the games you enjoy most, and to play them wisely.

Whatever game you choose, employ a basic strategy for it; not necessarily a perfect strategy, but a modestly mindful one. Gut instincts are generally the worst way to play. A basic strategy will decrease the house edge, increase the theoretical return to player (RTP), thereby accentuating the longevity of your bankroll.

For blackjack, employ a basic strategy chart. For roulette, avoid American roulette (double zero) like the plague. Only play European or French roulette, taking full advantage of the La Partage rule when available. Video poker strategies, baccarat and craps strategies, even slot machine strategies exist.

• How to Play and Win Casino Games

Mass Profit: How to Win at Casinos with Little Money

When it comes to traditional casino gambling, there are very few games that can possibly offer a positive expected value (+EV). Only with perfect play and card counting can you hope to squeeze a slight advantage out of blackjack. Even if you do, it could take dozens of hours playing just to double your bankroll. That’s not exactly what I’d call a mass profit, especially when your bankroll was relatively small to begin with.

In order to get good enough odds to pull off a huge win, you’re going to need to look beyond classic casino games with pre-determined RTPs. Your best bet is going to be the poker tables or the sportsbook.

Live Poker Room

If your local casino has one, hit the poker tables. If you’re good enough, you can route the lower limits, pocketing the chips of everyone else around the felt. Consistency of success takes a lot of patience and discipline, not to mention strategy and psychological warfare, but if you’ve got the mental fortitude, you can go very far in a casino’s live poker room.

Do not walk in unprepared. Most of the people at these tables have been playing for some time. If you don’t have enough experience, try playing online poker for a while. There are some great free poker apps, like Zynga’s Texas Hold’em, as well as some great real money poker options for low-stakes players.

• How to Win Real Money Poker Games

Sportsbook Handicapping

If you enjoy sporting events, try handicapping on for size. Sometimes the underdog wins, and when they do, the payouts can be glorious. If you can compare all the athletes and stats, home team advantage, injury reports – maybe someone has the flu, but still intends to play – plus outlying data like weather forecast and field conditions (all dependent on the sport, of course), you can find some great opportunities to bet the underdog.

The best thing about these types of wagers is that you don’t have to invest much to get a tidy payoff. The odds may not be in your favor, but if you are truly good at handicapping certain types of sports, it’s a method well worth investigating.

Faux VIP: Get the Royal Treatment on a Butler’s Budget

Another way to gamble big on a small budget is to give the impression that you’re a high rolling VIP, even when you’re not. This particular method can be tricky to pull off, but when it works, boy is it fun! Unfortunately, it’s not as effective as it used to be, since casinos use club cards to track pretty much everything you do in the casino. But in this case, success is often dependent entirely on how well you represent yourself.

Look the Part

The first thing you’re going to need is some fine threads. The old adage, dress for success, most definitely applies here. If you don’t have a fancy suit and tie, or dress and jewelry, see if you can borrow something from well-to-do friends or family members. If your budget allows, you could even consider renting something for the evening.

Cold weather seasons are the best time to impress a casino. Checking an expensive coat can get you in their good graces moments after walking through the doors. When you check your coat, leave a generous tip. When I say generous, I mean $20 minimum; $50 is better.

A nice set of wheels can get you far, too. Again, borrowing a fancy car or even renting one for the night can get you noticed before you ever walk in. If it’s warm out, this takes place of the valuable coat check-in. Tip the valet well, and you’re ahead of the game before you enter the doors.

Act the Part

To pull this all together, you may even want to consider incorporating a foreign accent. If you’re not good with accents, don’t bother, but convincing the casino you’re a world traveler can get you a lot of positive attention. A foreigner may only be in town one night, so the casino’s management might try to keep them in the building as long as possible.

Once you’re in, do not head straight for the gaming floor. If you were successful in garnering the attention of management, an employee will approach you shortly. Casually move around the property, as if you’re eyeing up the games, but in search of refreshment. Once approached, let them know you intend to gamble, but that your throat is simply too parched. If successful, this will get you a free drink at the bar – anything of your choosing.

From there, it’s up to you to keep the act going and harvest as many comps as you can. You may even get away with a few freebies without ever gambling a single dollar. If that’s not how to win at casinos with little money to spend, I don’t know what is.