Online gambling can be a ton of fun, but it’s not always sunshine and rainbows. If you want to stay in the game longer and enjoy it more than your friends who punt their extra cash every weekend on losing bets, here’s a quick guide that should help. It all starts with understanding what exactly a bankroll is and how you can stretch it further.
Understanding What Bankroll Means
Your bankroll is essentially how much money you have to play with. This amount varies from person to person, and there’s no set amount as a standard. Bankrolls are personal. Some players have $20 that they play with, while others have thousands.
The point is, your bankroll is a direct reflection of your own budget and winnings. You can—and should—use bonuses to increase your bankroll. Sites like bonuses.com showcase a variety of sites with promos that can give you extra cash to wager.
If you haven’t already, create a budget using any one of the handy resources online. Look at how much you can comfortably spend after all your necessary and unnecessary expenses. That’s your bankroll for the month.
Divide it into Sessions
Some players have a hard time not blowing through their bankroll in a single session. Everyone has been there. It’s a Friday night, you’re on a hot streak, suddenly it’s not so hot and you’re clamoring to win back to even—and then you’re out.
You can avoid this by breaking your bankroll down even further. Play 10 times a month and have a bankroll of $500? Great, you can play with $50 each session. This will keep you playing longer and help stretch out the fun.
Got a big win? Awesome, set aside a portion of the winnings and keep playing with the rest. Now you get to enjoy your wins while still knowing that there’s funds left in the bank to keep playing and then some.
Set Clear Limits for Yourself
Limits are a necessity when it comes to online gambling. Set them early, and stick with them. If you’ve taken the advice of dividing your bankroll into sessions, good. Keep with it, and never break it. Don’t think that a win is around the corner or that you’ll skip your next session. Take a break, relax and come back another day.
Make Smaller Bets
You might want to limit your bet sizes, too. Big bets are fun, but it’s a quick way to burn through your bankroll. Set a maximum bet size in your head, preferably something that is no more than 10% of your bankroll for the month, possibly even 10% of your bankroll for the session if you divided it up as mentioned earlier.
Choose Games Based on Your Budget
Slot machines are great for players with a smaller budget, as they often have low bet sizes. Blackjack, however, can be a quick way to spend your money if the minimum bet size is $5 and your bankroll for the night is $20.
Look for games that have minimum bet sizes that match your bankroll. If your bankroll is big, this might not be something to consider, as there really is no game that has too large of a minimum bet for high rollers.
Keep a Journal of Your Bets
Okay, yes, this is not the most exciting thing in the world, but keeping a digital or physical log of your bets is a great idea, especially if you bet on sports. A log can help you keep track of your bets, which games you seem to have better luck at, and days when you probably shouldn’t have played at all.
Periodically review your log and try to spot a pattern. Sports bettors can refine their strategies while casino players can see which games rarely pay out for them. It also adds a layer of accountability, keeping you in control. It’s a lot harder to go over your limit if you know you’re going to have to write it down and analyze it later.
You may also want to have an AI like Google’s rising Gemini chatbot analyze your log. It can help you spot patterns you may not have realized on your own, but always double-check their responses.
Avoid Chasing Losses and Emotional Play
This ties into setting clear limits for yourself. You should never chase losses. A win is never due in gambling. The odds are (almost) always the same regardless of previous outcomes. If you’ve been waiting for a 17 on roulette and it hasn’t popped up in the last 1,000 spins, it still has a 1 in 38 chance of popping up if you’re playing at a double-zero table.
Likewise, leave your emotions at the virtual casino door. Letting your emotions guide your decisions is a surefire way to lose. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t be happy and have fun, but anger at a losing streak can result in you making worse decisions, furthering the cycle. Keep a clear head, bet with your brain, and let lady luck sort out the rest.