What You Need to Know Before You Start You’re finally in a twinkly, noisy casino. You’ve filled up at the buffet and you’re itching to roll the dice and see if lady luck is on your side. Well hold on there buckaroo. You may have big dreams of hitting the jackpot and retiring on your own private island, but that’s not going to happen here. Gambling is a good time and can offer a nice rush when things shake out in your favor, but it’s not how it looks in the movies.

The house always has an advantage: No matter what game you’re playing, the house (the casino you’re gambling in) has an edge. They do not need to rely on luck to win and make money, they just need players like you. The math is on their side, always. Know that going in, and never assume you have the upper hand with these games. Somebody’s big win dwarfs in comparison to the thousands of wins the house has claimed. Luck is the biggest factor in winning: Unlike the house, you do have to rely on luck to make any money—most of the time. There are ways you can slightly reduce the house’s advantage over you by playing smart, thus extending your play time, but luck is still the biggest determining factor of your success. Start with a fixed amount of money you’re ready to lose: Gambling is not a lucrative way to make money. It is strictly for entertainment. Before you walk onto the casino floor, decide how much money you can comfortably afford to play with (meaning: lose forever), then stick to it. Take out some cash, then leave your ATM card in your hotel room. Never take out more money to get back what you’ve lost. Create boundaries for yourself. If you can’t comfortably afford to lose it, don’t play. Sorry. Gambling isn’t designed to save people down on their luck. Hot streaks don’t last: If you’re winning and have more money than you started with, think about stopping. Eventually your hot streak will end and you’ll look at your chips wondering where all those winnings went.