How to Know if the Gambling Advice You Receive Is Worthwhile

Contrary to what many people like to say, gambling is not a sin.  That is, if you measure sin by what the Bible says there is no Biblical prohibition against gambling.  Of course, people who become reckless or addicted to gambling may fall prey to other temptations that are deemed sinful, but at least you know that throwing the dice is not a sin.  In fact, ancient augurs used to cast lots and throw bones to read fortunes or learn the will of their gods.  Early Christians were also fond of casting lots when they had to make troublesome decisions.

Gambling is the act of risking the loss of something of value in exchange for the chance to gain something else of value, all based upon a (hypothetically) unpredictable outcome.  The drawing of lots gave rise to the modern lotteries but the lotteries are designed to pay as few big prizes as possible.  It's hard to pin down just how much money a modern lottery returns to players but I have seen estimates ranging from 70% to 90% of the money goes back to the playing public.  That means you are not supporting your local school system as much as you thought you were.

When you are browsing all the advice articles on the Web, you need to hone your BS detection skills because a lot of the articles that I have found really do not measure up well.  The writers don't seem to understand the topics they are covering as well as they should.  And if that is the case then do you really want to take their advice?

Here are some basic facts that everyone should keep in mind.

Casino games are designed to allow the casinos to keep a percentage of the money played.  What this means is that the casinos have a "house edge".  They will simply make a profit by allowing people to come play their games.  They don't have to rig the games because the games are already rigged.

When you gamble you are not really taking money away from the house if you win, you are taking money away from the other players.  It is just that the games are designed to pay out slightly less than they take in.  The casinos pocket the difference.

Any gambling writer who doesn't understand where the money comes from should not be writing on the subject.

There is no system that works against the casino.  There are a million betting systems and they are all built upon fallacies and bad assumptions.  These games are designed to give the casinos money and it is that plain and simple.

The best you can do is to play conservatively.  That means don't take the risky bets and don't make big wagers.  Your money lasts longer when you make low wagers.  The math is simple.  How much do 100 games of chance cost you, whether you are playing slots or cards?  If you bet $1 per game that is much, much less expensive than if you bet $10 per game.

You should be playing on the assumption you will lose every time because, honestly, that really can happen even if it only happens rarely.

Now that we have those points out of the way, here are some good articles for you to read.  These are, in my opinion, well-informed articles that share good information.

How Do Online Slot Machines Work? explains in detail how slot machine games are designed and how those pesky random number generators work.

The Best Strategy for Playing Slot Machine Games comes with caveats and warnings, and it's really a very conservative strategy.  I have far worse articles than this one.

When Do Progressive Slot Jackpots Hit?  Here is a hint: It's completely random, as it is supposed to be.  You cannot predict when a jackpot strikes or when you should play for one.

A Beginner's Guide to How to Play Blackjack is a good article because it doesn't make promises.  It just explains the game's rules and some basic strategy without setting high expectations.  This is very sound and reasonable advice.

How Does the Casino Have the Advantage in Blackjack? is another good article that explains how the house edge works.  It really comes down to the rules of the game.  The casino is counting on you to play aggressively in the hope of winning big.

Why Is Keno Considered the Worst Casino Game? is another wonderful expose of the fallacies of gambling.  Keno is disastrous for anyone who is gambling and looking for a big payoff.  You could say that the greater the promise of potential good fortune the less likely you'll achieve your desired outcome.

Let me say in summation that the secret to gambling is to keep it in perspective.  You should be doing this for entertainment.  If you make only modest wagers your money will last a good long time.  That also increases the chances you'll win a big prize and maybe come out ahead.  But there is no perfect gambling strategy.  In the end you have to remain disciplined and keep your wits about you.