Looking back on either your career or life to date, how many times would you have wished you were a tiny bit braver, more confident in your abilities, or less cautious in the chances you took? If your mind is already coming up with different tiny scenarios, chances are you need to indulge in more risky bets this year.
Settling for less and speaking up for yourself more means enjoying life to the maximum, and this guide is perfect for beginner casino players looking to be more courageous –all while keeping their wits about them. Whether you relate to this need for adventure in your life, or whether you’re just trying to spice up the New Year, you can bypass the inherent risk-averse and put your insecurities on the line.
With over 70 million people in the United States having placed some form of wager during 2017, there is huge revenue just waiting to fall into your hands, and people just can’t seem to get enough. Here are some ways in which you can take more risky yet smart chances in 2018:
#1 Play blackjack
Blackjack is surely a game you need to try if you haven’t already. Because the object is to beat the dealer and get as close to 21 without exceeding it, there are a variety of different “basic strategies” that you can employ –making the whole situation a calculated risk rather than a worthless investment.
In fact, you should look at blackjack as the game offering 50-50 odds of winning. Of course, if you’re jumping in without any prior skills or having read up on the rules, the house will have a slight edge of around 2%, otherwise calculated as approximately $20 for every $1,000 wager you make. While that isn’t as bad as with other casino games, a little knowledge goes a long way in blackjack, thus be sure to read up on rules and different strategies.
#2 Gamble with the Wheel of Fortune
The Wheel of Fortune is a classic game where you can place your bet on either $1, $5, $10, $20 or on a joker. Although it should be noted that the house has a more significant advantage than in blackjack (a staggering 11% compared to 2% for the unskilled), you can use the safest bet –that the wheel will land on the $1 mark. The chances of winning are only around 44%, but there are many cases in which people get to double their money.
A technique to avoid is placing the bet on the joker, as the house gains an advantage of 24%. Thus, ensure that you make smart stakes that will be worth the risk you take.
# 3 Don’t Over-Estimate the Probability of Something Going Wrong
Researchers that are analysing our patterns of behaviour and thought often say that when we assess risks, we believe that potential losses are more substantial than potential gains, as we spend a significant portion of our time thinking and obsessing over what may go wrong.
It’s nearly impossible not to become engrossed in the idea of what we may be losing or sacrificing something rather than what we might win. However, this train of thought can lead to second-guessing our decisions and us magnifying the risks we perceive –misjudging situations, and over-focusing on the likelihood of these things occurring.
Reality might be entirely different, and as long as you prepare for both scenarios and make smart bets that won’t jeopardise your future or your assets (i.e., house, car, credit scores), the odds might be more in your favour than you might believe.
#4 Try Craps Odds Bet (0% House Edge)
This is going to be a rare and almost incomparable example of a bet in which the house will have no advantage whatsoever. Yes, you might be thinking that the stake is too good to be true, but in reality, it is possibly the most sensible way in which you can increase your chances of winning –all while being more open to taking risks.
Because this is such an attractive bet casinos don’t promote it, and dealers don’t typically tend to mention these bets as an option. The only catch is that you can place odds bets only if you already have set a pass line bet. In other words, if you make a pass line bet and the numbers 10, nine, eight, six, five, or four are rolled as a result, you will be allowed to place more chips on the green felt located behind the original line of the bet.
To not make it a consecutive potential loss for them, casinos limit the size of the odds bets, and these will vary from casino to casino –thus make sure you brush up on the rules before jumping head in. As a general rule of thumb, there should be a sign listing these limits on the table. For example, if the sign says “3-4-5X,” you are then allowed to bet up to three times the amount of your pass line should the point be four or 10, or four times if it’s either five or nine, or five times if it’s six or eight.
This isn’t always straightforward, and if you don’t understand something, you can ask the dealer for clarification. It’s not uncommon for dealers to sometimes provide these limits on a hand-by-hand basis, especially for players who like to tip and create a good relationship with the dealer.
Conclusion
There is probably no need to remind you that you should never gamble more than you can afford, and that budgeting is key to taking riskier yet smarter decision during this year.
While you can afford to lose some money, the key is always to be prepared and have a contingency plan, still brushing up on any fundamental new rules and strategies –and God knows there are plenty of those around the Internet. But in the end, it all boils down to this Latin proverb: “Fortune favours the bold.”
