Introduction to Bankroll Management

Becoming a successful, long-term player at online casinos is not as simple as winning on a nightly basis because no matter how good you are, you will never win every night (or day). Plus, apart from a lack of skill, the number one reason online casino players go broke is due to poor bankroll management. Talk to any professional player, and one of the pieces of advice you get is to practice proper money management.

Before you start making deposits online, it is critical that you understand what this principle means. To help you learn more, here is a definition of this principle and five strategies you can employ. For starters, it is not about the total amount of money you have in your accounts in various online casinos. Instead, it is the money you would be willing to wager in a casino game at any given time. For example, if you have €100 in an account, but you are willing to deposit €50 more at that particular time, then consider your bankroll as €150. However, it is important that you develop a strategy for controlling how much money you are wagering, which is where these five strategies come into play. Employing the strategies will actually help you play longer and minimise your losses.

Get a Good Welcome Bonus

Just about every online casino on the Internet offers new customers a sign-up or welcome bonus. These bonuses come in the form of free credits for gambling. While this may sound too good to be true, you are, essentially, getting free money! Playing at online casinos that offer welcome bonuses gives you a chance to add to your current bankroll, and play using the free money without risking your own. However, not all bonuses are made the same. Some are friendlier to players than others. In addition, each bonus has its own requirements that you need to fulfil before cashing out for real money. If online casinos are in the game to make money, why are they offering you free cash?

To put it simply, bonuses are a marketing tool. Since the online gaming industry is extremely competitive, bonuses are a way of encouraging new customers to sign up. This is a worthy customer incentive since casinos know they will get back their money and more over time. However, this does not mean that the bonuses are worthless; they add value to a player’s bankroll. As you plan to play online, register at a casino with welcome bonuses; after all, you get more credits to play with, increasing your chances of winning.

Don’t Chase Your Losses

Pretty much everyone wants to ensure he or she gets winnings every time they wager. A prolonged period of losing bets can cause significant anxiety and frustration that makes a player feel like he is losing his betting sensors. Sometimes, this can push a person to give up on betting altogether. The truth is that every player is ruled by emotions and is naturally prone to making bad decisions based on them. This is quite common for both casual players and professional ones, but chasing the losses can be detrimental for a player’s bankroll and should be avoided at all costs. To control this urge consider setting up a time and money limit that you should never go beyond at any time. Avoid being results-oriented and, instead, hunt for bets that offer you good value in the odds for your bankroll. Regular breaks will also help tame your emotions and avoid all lines of credit and ATM machines.

Gamble Only With Money You Can Afford To Lose

Playing at casinos is exhilarating, thanks to a huge array of games to enjoy. Whether playing at a physical or online casino, all players have the same dreams and hopes, taking home the big jackpot win that will virtually change their lives in an instant. However, what are the odds of coming out the winner without depleting your bankroll? No matter what your favourite casino game is, there is one golden rule you should follow to ensure that you never walk away frustrated and in a deep financial hole you cannot pull yourself out of. Gamble only with money you can afford to lose. Do not gamble with money intended for a car payment, food or monthly bills. Actually, do not even step inside a casino to avoid the temptation to gamble it away – which is easier done when dealing with physical casinos.

If playing exclusively online, consider buying a prepaid card where you can build a bankroll specifically for gambling. Nobody on earth has ever gambled and won every single time. Losing is a huge part of betting. Losing can make an individual angry and make them start behaving irrationally by placing sub-optimal irregular bets. This type of betting does more harm to your gaming strategy than good. Instead, conserve your bankroll and never spend it all in a single gaming session, because you will be denying yourself a chance to come back again and see if lady luck smiles on you next time. In addition, keep your money separate at all times – even the wins – and instead, pay yourself from your gaming account when you make significant wins.

Don’t Bet Too Big For Your Bankroll

The biggest factor influencing a player’s staying power at a game is bankroll management. A bad player with good money management skills will lose money, but will never leave the game broke. On the other hand, a professional can quickly lose money due to bad money management practices. To be successful at online casino games, you need proper management skills.

The basics of bankroll management are simple. You need to make big enough bets that allow you make a maximum profit whenever luck shines down on you, but you also want to make small bets that will minimize risk as well as keep yourself in the game should you hit a bad run. You can never be a winner if you keep getting out of a game because of a lack of cash. So, how much should you bet? If you are playing a 2- to 3-hour session on an online slot, your gaming money should be at least 250 times your average bet using denomination set to nickels or pennies. However, this does not mean that you should buy into the game with the full amount. Instead, have some available on the side to keep you playing for the three hours. If you are playing using quarters or dollars, your session’s bankroll should be around 200 times your average bet.

For example, on €5 slots and above, making 150 bets will keep you entertained for many hours. On slot machines, the number of bets needed per session, no matter the amount of cash you have, goes down as the denomination increases. This is because higher-denomination slots tend to have a higher overall payback compared to their lower-value denomination slots.

Accumulate Small Wins

You obviously want your screen to shout that you have landed on a major jackpot. After all, who would not love to hit a large, life-changing payout? However, instead of focusing all your efforts on the jackpot, concentrate on accumulating a pile of smaller wins. Small victories will shore up your bankroll so you can continue enjoying your favourite online games and your money will last longer, so you will be in a good position when you get the jackpot.

Most online casino players do not know when to quit. Sometimes, when they hit a major or minor jackpot, they will continue betting. In most cases, this ends badly and, loss after loss turns this short-term cash windfall into a huge bankroll drain. To prevent cash haemorrhages at online casinos, have a loss limit signal that reminds you to call it a night. Once the signal goes off, walk away from your device, watch television or go for a walk. In addition, separate your deposits from your winnings. For example, you should set a goal that if you play €100 and win €100, withdraw your deposit or just set it to one side. This will help ensure that you will not lose your initial deposit. It will also help take advantage of the small wins while safeguarding your bankroll as you only play with your winnings. If you win your deposit amount again, withdraw that again.

Summary

When it comes to playing online casino games like slots, the name of the game is longevity. The ability to make your money last determines your success rates. Blow your cash too fast and you will not get a chance to get that jackpot that inflates your bankroll. Many players online tend to focus on whether or not they are ahead, forgetting to pay attention to their money. Taking your mind off money matters, even for a short while, can easily see you chase down elusive jackpots as your cash disappears. However, you can do better, using the bankroll management tips above. While nobody can guarantee that you will make a profit at online slots and table games, sound money management will help improve your cash flow, putting you in a better position to manage your good fortune when it comes in.