Over the last 20 years or so, the world of online casino play has gone from a little, almost untouched corner of the gambling market, to one of the biggest and fastest-growing industries in the world in its own right.Where previously, online casino play was seen as a niche, now, a decent percentage of people play at online casinos at least occasionally.If you are thinking of taking your first steps into the exciting and confusing world of online casino play, there’s a lot to be aware of.Of course, there’s a lot that you can pick up as you go along, but if you try to do everything that way, you will find yourself falling into a few traps that many before you have also stepped into.To avoid you making those common mistakes, we’re here with another of our handy guides, as we take you through the mistakes that are made the most at online casinos, and how you can make sure you stylishly side-step them.
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Things that seem too good to be true, often are
This refers to welcome bonuses more than anything else, but it can cover a lot, especially in terms of promotions.While there are some casinos who offer genuinely impressive welcome bonuses, the more exciting an offer appears, the more likely it is to contain a great deal of small print.Most welcome bonuses (and many promotions in general) come with wagering requirements attached, which can regularly be around 30x the bonus amount, this means that to access any winnings from your bonus money, you’d have to wager the equivalent of it 30 times which, unless you get on a very lucky streak, is unlikely to be something the average player can afford to do.On top of that, you often have maximum withdrawal limits, meaning that you could win a life-changing sum of money from your welcome bonus, and then not be able to access it because the maximum withdrawal limit is set at a substantially lower amount.It’s always important to check the small print attached to any promotion. It’s also worth looking out for those sites which offer wager free bonuses, such as PlayOJO.
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Don’t Get Cocky Early
While it may seem like casino games and online casinos in general are simple and easy to understand, it’s important to make sure you understand the rules and suggested playing styles of your chosen game type before wagering any money.You might think you know how Blackjack works, but if it takes five hands to get a feel for it, and you -pay for each of those hands, you’re losing out.Most casinos will offer free play options, so you can get a sense of how a game works, whether it works for you, and any strategies that benefit you.
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It’s Almost All Chance
As much as we mention strategy above, which does apply to the likes of Blackjack, most online casino games are 100% based on chance.It may feel like you’ve worked out a way to beat the house, but if those ways existed, someone else would’ve found them by now.
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The Gambler’s Fallacy
Following on from the previous point, the Gambler’s Fallacy is the belief that random events are affected by the random events that preceeded them.For example, if a coin flips onto heads nine times in a row, or a roulette wheel lands on black nine times in a row, you may assume that it is more likely for the coin to land on tails, or the wheel to stop on red, but it isn’t true.The probability of every coin flip or roulette spin (or any other random game) is self-contained, it is not altered based on what came before, and does not alter what comes after.The Gambler’s Fallacy is a natural human reaction, and something it’s vital to be aware of to stop you falling down rabbit holes.
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Tilting
Playing on Tilt is a term used for the emotional based play that happens in response to either a huge win or a huge loss.The former can lead to false confidence, resulting in big bets that can see those winnings disappear swiftly, whereas a big loss can lead players to bet more to try and recoup those losses.Whenever a big change in finances happens, whether that be a win or a loss, it’s important to take an elongated break from casino play until your emotions have settled, if you’ve won big, be sure to withdraw most of, if not all of your winnings while you do this.
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Set Yourself Limits
This refers to time as much as it does money. It’s important to remember that gambling, while fun for many, can lead to serious issues for you and those around you if your enjoyment of gambling crosses the line into a habit.As a result, it’s important to set yourself limits every time you play at any online casino.Set a time aside for your gambling hobbies, make sure that time doesn’t allow you to spend more money than you can afford, and ensure you take regular breaks to collect yourself, so you don’t fall into any of the traps above.While setting limits for the amount of money you deposit and wager is vital, it’s also sensible to have rules when it comes to withdrawal.For example, if you deposit £20, and you manage to turn that £20 into £40, withdraw £20, at this point, you’ve broke even, and you still have £20 to play with.Do this every time your total climbs above £40 and, if you’re lucky, you could end up making a tidy sum without having to deposit any more.In terms of limiting the amount you deposit, make sure you remember that all casinos offer the ability to set a limit that you can’t go over, and can’t cancel without 24 hours’ notice.
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Research Every Casino
This is undoubtedly one of, if not the most important aspect of online casino play. Regulators exist in every licensed jurisdiction, and those regulators give out licenses to every casino that adheres to their rules and laws.These casinos are then regulated, and fined if they break rules, in serious instances, they may also have their licenses revoked.If you are looking for a safe place to play, then there is nothing more important than finding a casino that is licensed by trusted regulators.You don’t have to just take the casino’s word for it either, as every regulator will have a list on their website of every licensed casino, so if you’re not sure, there’s a way to double check.Regulators will ensure you and your money are protected when you are playing at any licensed online casino.
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It’s Not All About the Games, Maybe
It’s important to find out what is important to you when it comes to playing at your favourite online casinos.For many, of course, it all comes down to games, and the number of them that are available, but that’s not true of everyone.For some, a smaller collection of games from their favourite developers are more important, and to others, games aren’t even the first priority.Instead, they choose to find online casinos that offer the best promotions, or a design and theme that they like, or perhaps a site that is simple to navigate and feels familiar.Whatever your preferences are, there are different casinos to sit you, whether you’re looking for a wide range of slots, or the best live dealer games, or even bingo, lottery play, or scratch cards, there are countless options to suite every taste.
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Take your Time
That brings us to our last tip, be patient. When you’re looking for a new casino to play your favourite games at, whether it’s the first you’ve visited, or the hundredth, make sure you put in all the research necessary to ensure you’ll have an enjoyable experience.
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When the Fun Stops, Stop
More than just a catchy slogan, this is immeasurably important. Gambling addiction affects many people and their friends and families around the world.If you are worried that you, or someone you know, is a victim of problem gambling, do not hesitate to contact someone. There are numerous helplines and organisations in every jurisdiction, dedicated to offering the necessary advice, help, and support for those in need.If you are worried at all, seek help, stop the issue before it damages you and the people you love.From the games on offer, to the small print attached to the promotions, to the licenses carried by a casino, it’s important to ensure you tick every box to make it easy to avoid all of the pitfalls listed in this guide.As long as you can swerve these simple issues, by taking your time and putting in the necessary research, your online casino experience should be fun and games all the way.