How to Gamble in a Las Vegas Casino

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

money

Step 1

Realize that the odds are always against you in the casino. Based on the laws of probability, you will lose all of your money if you play long enough. This doesn't mean you can't win, it just means that most likely you will lose. This may sound like negative thinking, but it is the most important thing to keep in mind while gambling.
Step 2

Understand how the casino is designed and operated. All casinos are designed to look like a maze, making it difficult to find your way to an exit. This is to keep you and your money in the casino. Remember, you are the hunted in this game, not the other way around.
Step 3

Now that you have a healthy amount of respect for the odds that you are facing, you're ready to start preparing. Go on the internet and research casino games like craps, blackjack and roulette. Learn the rules and odds. Different bets will have different odds. Blackjack has a specific technique for playing. Make sure you learn how to play blackjack before you start playing. Some hotels offer "classes" in beginner craps. This is a good place to learn the basics.
Step 4

Slot machines are self-explanatory. They are the casino' s biggest money makers and are extremely popular. All slot machines give you the option of making different bets. Some say you should always bet the max so you have a shot at the jackpot, but you should always determine for yourself how much money you gamble.
Step 5

Manage your money. Give yourself a daily budget, the maximum amount of money you can lose in one day. Do this daily so you don't blow all of your money on the first day. It happens all the time. Also, don't forget that you're playing with real money. The casino forces you to play with chips and encourages you to play with players cards, removing the money from your sight. They even refer to "credits" so you don't think of it as money. It can get to the point where you would never think of spending more than $50 on a pair of jeans at home, but you don't think twice about betting $50 on a single hand of blackjack. Remember the value of money!
Step 6

Now that you know how to play the games, you have a budget, and you have a wad of cash in your pocket, you are ready to play. You sit down to a slot machine, and the next thing you know, you're a winner! You bet 2 dollars, and the machine says you won $100, the music plays, the credits start rolling and the lights flash. It's like a mini-party just for you. Now that you have $100 in credit, you think that you can just keep playing until the really big jackpot hits. Wrong. That's what the casino wants you to think, so they program the machines to pay a little on a regular basis. Remember, the slot machines today are computers that can only do what they are programmed to perform.
Step 7

Keep your winnings. As simple as it sounds, the trick to gambling is to keep your winnings. For example, if a slot machine gives you a $100 win, allow yourself to play with 25% of the winnings. If you win more, then great. But if you hit a losing streak and your winnings drop to $75, it's time to cash out and walk away from the machine. See if you can find another machine that will give you a small win, and repeat. The same goes for the table games. I've won handsomely playing blackjack, but I've also lost more than 20 games in a row by being stubborn. Sometimes the table goes cold, and the only sensible thing to do is to walk away.
Step 8

Drink if you can. Most people will tell you to not drink while gambling because the casino wants to feed you free drinks so you lose control. If you can't handle your drink, then by all means stay away from the liquor. But if you like to drink and you can keep your wits about you, then this is a great opportunity to order your favorite drink for free, just give the cocktail waitress at least a dollar tip for every drink. Don't be shy about asking for expensive booze either, the worst they can say is no.
Step 9

Gamble with friends. If you're with a bunch of friends, see if you can all find an empty table and play together. Good friends, good drink and winning makes for a great time.
Step 10

Plan other activities besides gambling. During the day, you can play golf, go shopping, or go see the sights. At night, you can take in a show or go dancing. If you're a single guy, go check out gentlemen' s clubs. You get the idea.
Step 11

Eat good food. You're gambling with hundreds or maybe thousands of dollars. Treat yourself to good meals. Take your time and enjoy yourselves. Look for stand alone restaurants in town to give yourself some variety from the hotel food. Remember, gambling is expensive entertainment. A good meal for two might cost $200 and take two hours to eat. Try gambling for two hours and see if you can keep your losses, for two people, down to $200.
Step 12

You don't want to be the type that spends 16 hours a day gambling. Go out and have fun. Gambling and drinking for 4 to 6 hours a day is plenty. Don't think of it as making money, think of gambling as entertainment. If you lose, do not "chase your money". Play within your budget and you will be fine.