Gambling Edge Techniques
Whether you are gambling to win or you just want to have fun, maximizing your chances of a successful round is generally a good idea. Even playing because you enjoy the game itself can become pricey when casino games are involved. Gambling with edge is the key to giving yourself an advantage as you play. Note that this does not mean cheating! The truth is that cheating is unnecessary if you want to improve your chances of taking home a big win. Let’s look at how you can gamble with an edge to take your gameplay to another level.
WHAT IS AN ‘EDGE’?
Gambling with an edge refers to gambling with an advantage. Note that this does not mean an ‘unfair’ advantage gained by breaking the rules of the game. An edge gives you a leg up on the competition – be they people or machine – by helping you master the games. Once you understand how the reel, wheel, or cards work, you have a better chance of winning. This process is known as ‘advantage gambling’.
A NOTE ABOUT THE HOUSE EDGE
Before we continue, let’s address the house edge. Although the topic won’t be covered extensively in this article, it’s still an important one to understand. The concept is simple – when you play casino games, you are almost always at a disadvantage. The house, also known as the operator, has an inherent advantage in just about everything. When you are trying to win more than you lose, recognizing this disadvantage goes a long way towards mitigating its impact.
GAMBLING EDGE IN POKER
First up is poker. The way to an edge here might initially seem daunting, but it can be achievable with time and effort. To push an advantage in poker, you must hone your skills and play at a level where you are more knowledgeable than other players. Ideally, it would help if you play expert-level poker in order to maximize your wins.
If you only play against players who are just as skilled as you are, you are more likely to lose. Playing against players with less skill, on the other hand, gives you the advantage you need to win rather than fold. Dedicate time to learning the game of poker inside and out, and you will quickly find yourself with a fair advantage over the other players.
GAMBLING EDGE AND BLACKJACK
When it comes to the importance of gambling with an edge, blackjack is a prime example – a game that can produce a win before you add in skill at all. If you’re wondering which casino game has the lowest house edge, the answer is blackjack.
The house edge in blackjack is generally about 2.5%. When you factor in a basic strategy and allow that knowledge to drive your play, you can reduce that to between 0.5% and 1%.
One of the most effective ways to get an edge in blackjack is through card counting. This strategy allows you to not only play your hands perfectly but to time your bets to maximize profit, too. In order to gain an advantage, you certainly won’t have to memorize all the played cards. While it might help, it isn’t the only solution if you’re looking for a reliable edge.
First, you must understand that a two-card hand worth 21 pays off at 3 to 2. The goal, then, is to recognize your chances of hitting that sweet spot based on what is left in the deck at any given time and betting only when chance is on your side. Assign high cards and low cards a running tally, such as +1 and -1, respectively, and only bet when the cards left in the deck favor a winning two-card hand. Note that counting cards as you play is not cheating, although some casinos may see it as so. However, attempting to use any other device in the process most certainly is.
SPORTS HANDICAPPING
Expertly betting on sports is one of the best ways to make a lot of money from gambling. The aim is to pick winners at least 53% of the time. If you pick winners 51% of the time, you will lose in the long run because most sportsbooks require you to wager $110 to win $100.
If you place 100 of these bets and win 51% of them, you will still lose money – even though, technically, you have been right more often than you’ve been wrong.
Handicappers are those who determine what the appropriate point spread is for a game that will result in a 50/50 chance of winning. You have to become a better handicapper than those working for the bookmaker. It takes time and experience, but it’s worth the time to learn.
BONUS HUNTING
One great way to make gambling worth your time is to find the online casinos with the best welcome offers and register an account. The money you receive as part of the bonus is essentially free money to use as you gamble. Making use of that money to bet can a great way to boost your possible winnings.
One important element to note with this technique is the wagering requirements you must meet before claiming the money you win. First, calculate the wagering requirements minus the expected loss due to the gambling house edge. Then, look to take advantage of offers where you stand to make money rather than where you stand to lose. One of the best ways to do this is to find casinos with the lowest wagering requirement, such as 10x rather than 15x.
DICE SETTING IN CRAPS
Craps is a game with one of the lowest house edges. When you take that already-low number and pair it with the odds bet, you can reduce it even further. For example, an odds bet of 3x the pass line bet drops the house edge from 1.41% to 0.62%, which is incredibly low.
The goal is to roll the point before a seven is rolled. To do this, all you need to do is throw the dice with a lower probability of hitting a seven than you would typically have. This is how you get the edge in gambling with craps. It’s difficult to do and requires both skill and luck to make it work. Still, dice setting is technically a viable option if you’re willing to put in the time to set it up.
If you’re looking to land a mathematical edge in gambling, you’re not alone. Follow the tips in this guide to stand a chance of maximizing your chances of winning!