The easiest ways to lose your shirt in a casino

24 August 2012

By Henry Tamburin

“Don’t teach them how to win; show them why they lose!”

I once received this discerning advice from a friend of mine 10 minutes before I was to give a “How to Win” seminar to a convention group numbering 200. “Why”, I asked, “Would I want to do something like that? These people want to know how to win, not why they lose.”

His response hit me like a brick. He said, “They might not believe you when you tell them how to win, but they will surely remember the reasons why they lose.”

Therefore, for all you casino players reading this article that seem to consistently lose on your casino trips, here are some "guaranteed ways" to continue that losing streak.

PLAY CASINO GAMES WITH THE HIGHEST HOUSE EDGES

This one is a no-brainer. The higher the casino’s edge, the more you will lose. Most players understand this basic concept but don’t have a clue which casino games have the highest casino edge. Therefore, if you’ve been playing one of the games listed below, you now have a pretty good idea why you are losing your shirt.

Worst Casino Games:
Keno
Big Six Wheel
Slots
Sic Bo
Caribbean Stud Poker
Roulette
Let It Ride
Blackjack (without basic strategy)
Video Poker (without basic strategy)

PLAY FAST GAMES

Here’s another way to lose your shirt even faster. Don’t just play any high-percentage casino game where you have the worst of it, but play one that has many decisions per hour (i.e. a fast-playing game). Casino War is one of the fastest games you’ll find in any casino. A dealer can complete a hand in seconds. Likewise, mini-baccarat is also a f-a-s-t game with many decisions per hour.

If you play the slots and play them fast (like hitting the credit button non-stop, sound familiar?) or worse play two (or more) machines at the same time, the number of handle pulls per hour can reach supersonic speeds. So will your bankroll as it is sucked into the bowels of the slot machine.

If blackjack is your game and you play by hunches, then you can lose your bankroll a lot quicker if you play heads up with the dealer (more hands per hour) rather than playing at a crowded table (less hands per hour). Better yet, play on a table that has a continuous shuffling machine (CSM’s) where there is no break from the action. Remember the more hands per hour when the casino has the upper hand, the faster you’ll lose your shirt.

USE A GAMBLING SYSTEM

Here’s a tried and true way to bust your bankroll. Try one of these destructive betting systems. They are usually disguised in "How to Get Rich" mail order systems and they all boil down to the same thing – using some kind of progressive betting system to overcome the casino’s edge.


BELIEVE IN THE LAW OF AVERAGES

This has probably busted more bankrolls then anything else. It is the misconception by players that a RANDOM event is likely to occur right now because it has not occurred in a while. After losing several bets in a row, the player will eventually increase his bets because according to the Law of Averages things have to even out and the player is "due to win." Unfortunately, the dice, wheel or slot machine has no memory, and could care less whether or not the previous results were losses OR wins. Believing in the Law of Averages is another sure, easy way to bust your bankroll.