FOUR WAYS TO PROFIT And Win Fewer Bets!

Itook a lot of shots playing basketball in college because it never occurred to me that I might miss. But I did, more than half. If I had hit over 50%, I’d have retired from the NBA and written about basketball, not casino gaming. But it’s all good. I’m lucky.

Casinos have been good to me, even though probability and statistics tell us we’ll lose more than half the bets we make. That’s how the casino pays the rent. But what about us? How do we pay the rent if we can’t win half our bets? That’s one of the most significant questions in gaming lore, like “Where can I get more money to gamble?”

Example One Killing It At Poker

If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right. So, to win at poker, you’ll need to practice, watch some videos of the pros playing (WSOP, WPT), and maybe even read a book or two. It’s a timeconsuming commitment, but when you’ve grasped Texas Hold ‘Em, you’ll find that you can profit while winning a single pot, even if you’ve previously lost multiple bets.

You don’t have to win every pot because you’ll get paid more than even money most of the time from multiple players. And when you start killing it, you’ll find ways to gain extra bets and get bigger calls from players you have dominated.

In games like Big-O and Omaha High-Low Split, you can scoop just a few pots in a long session and still show a profit.

Example Two Blackjack Card Counting

Yes, there’s a learning curve to profiting at Blackjack by learning Basic Strategy and then a card-counting system, but the philosophy is simple: bet more when you have the edge and less when the house has the edge. That means you can profit while winning fewer bets than the casino!

And, if you don’t fully commit and use a card-counting strategy, at least you’ll learn Basic Strategy and drive the house edge down to about half a percent. From there, you can probably raise your bets slightly during a winning streak and cut down to the minimum when the cards run wrong and still clear a profit while losing more hands than the dealer.

Example Three Play Sports Bets Dogs

You’ll win more wagers betting on the favorites in Arizona casino sports books. But you’re unlikely to book an overall profit because you’ll have to lay 1.5 or 2 to 1 on those wagers, mostly because people bet on their favorite teams and drive the odds out of whack.

To win consistently without devoting hours to scouting teams, your best option is to consider home-dog NFL teams. Taking the points is usually best. If you bet the money line (your dog must win!), you won’t win as many bets, but at least the payoff will be nice. If the payoff isn’t solid – pass.

Example Four Quit Early

Alright, this example is a bit dubious. In other games, the casino has the edge and eventually catches up, and we walk away busted if we chase our dreams all night long.

If you get ahead in the first hour, you’ve probably won more hands than you’ve lost. It’s never wrong to quit a winner! $

Writer Al Moe has worked in the casino industry for many years. He has lived and worked in Las Vegas, Reno, and Lake Tahoe. He also attended the University of Nevada, Reno. He is an avid writer and blogger. His book, “Vegas and the Mob," is available online at Amazon.com. He is also the proud father of four beautiful girls.