Be Prepared to Lose When You Gamble

Losing your money during a session of casino gambling can be maddening, especially when you didn't even get a run for your hard earned bucks. Thoughts about what you could have done with that money start entering your mind. You leave the casino disgusted, disappointed, and probably mad for dropping a good chunk of your change.

We've all been through it. But to be perfectly realistic about the entire situation, that's the price you pay for gambling. The old saying goes "you bets your money and you takes your chances". There is nothing guaranteed when you take a chance with your money, be it casino gambling, the horses, or even the stock market, mutual funds, or commodities.

There's a price to be paid every time you put your money at risk in quest of financial gain. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes you break even. If you're willing to put the money up, you have to be willing to accept the consequences. That's the nature of gambling, no matter what form it may take.

When you get right down to it, the only sure thing is to put your money in a piggy bank. It's not going to depreciate in value (unless inflation sets in), and it's not going to be lost unless someone steals it. On the other hand, it never has an opportunity to appreciate in value, be that in a savings account, the stock market, or to some degree, the casino.

Gambling in a casino is just that, gambling. You have to be prepared to lose. The most important thing is that you have to be prepared to lose and not allow that loss to affect your financial stability. In other words, you can't go to a casino with "scared money." You can't go gambling with money that should be put towards groceries or bills and hope to double or triple it.

Money you bring to a casino should be money you have allocated toward entertainment. Your entertainment dollars can take many forms: Dining out, the theater, the movies, a concert, sporting events, or however you chose to have fun with your expendable income. The value you place on that money should be returned to you in the enjoyment that you derived from it.

If losing money during a session of casino gambling makes you mad, that's normal. Nobody likes to lose. But if losing money gambling hurts you financially or gives you feelings of guilt, then maybe you shouldn't be gambling in the first place. If you chose to gamble it should be for purposes of entertainment. If you break even, great. If you win, even better. If you lose, that's the chance you took.

The one great thing about casino gambling is that you have a chance of a positive financial return in exchange for having a great time. You can derive tremendous fun and entertainment from a baseball game or a night at the theater, but the money you spent is gone for good. The exchange has been made. A casino gives you the opportunity to have a good time and get your money back or more.

My advice is simple. To avoid disappointment and feelings of anger, only bet what you can afford to lose for an evening out. Don't lose 'till it hurts. On the contrary, win 'till it feels good. But if winning doesn't happen, consider that's the price you paid for taking your chances. You're not gambling to make a living. You're gambling to have a little fun.