7 Common Mistakes Made By New Online Casino Players

Understandably, new online casino players often just want to get right to the betting. While that’s always an option, it almost always means that you learn things the hard way. From losing more money to getting roped into unreasonable T&Cs, here are the common pitfalls many new players experience – and how to avoid them.

Not Knowing The Best Strategy

With the internet at your disposal, you can find the best strategies for every type of online casino game. Here are some of the most common:

• Blackjack Strategy: Use a basic strategy chart to ensure you hit, stay, split, or double down at the right moments.
• Slots Strategy: It’s better to play every payline than it is to put all your money on one payline. The more paylines, the more chances of a payout, as each one can win independently.
• Roulette Strategy: Single-zero roulette (European and French) has better odds than double-zero roulette (American) no matter where on the felt you place your bets.

Playing with the best strategies means keeping more of your money. It’s that simple.

Refraining From Demo Practice Mode

One of the biggest advantages of playing at an online casino is the ability to play the game without risking any real money. Don’t avoid trying out a new game in demo practice mode before placing real-money bets.

Sites like Golden Nugget allow anyone to play the games for free, even before creating an account. But most online casinos let their members play in demo practice mode once an account is created.

That way, you can know whether or not it’s right for you without losing any money.

Ignoring Bonus Terms And Conditions

Don’t assume that an online casino has the player’s best interests in mind. You need to know exactly what the terms are before you opt-in. Here are some examples of terms and conditions to have on your radar:

• Playthrough Requirements: A playthrough requirement is how many times you have to bet the bonus and deposit amount before you can withdraw any associated winnings. If you deposit $100 and get a $100 bonus with a 10x playthrough, you’d need to be $2,000 before you get your winnings.
• Qualifying Games: The playthrough requirements also usually apply only to certain games. For example, slots usually apply to the playthrough 100% while table games may not qualify, or only contribute 10% to the playthrough.
• Time Limits: Once you receive an online casino bonus or betting credits, you usually need to use them within a couple of weeks to a few months. If you don’t, the credits are returned to the casino.

Online casinos need to ensure that players don’t simply deposit money, receive a bonus, and then withdraw. So a playthrough requirement is always required. 

But, sometimes, the terms and conditions can be too much to the point where skipping the bonus altogether is the best decision. Carefully read the terms and conditions so you know exactly what you need to do to withdraw winnings.

Using The Wrong Deposit Method

The best deposit methods at an online casino boast the following qualities:

• No fees
• Also available as a cashout method
• Close to 100% success rate

That’s why PayPal, Skrill, prepaid Play+ cards, and online bank transfer are usually the best options.

On the flip side, credit cards are often considered cash advance transactions, which come with fees. The issuing bank often rejects transactions at gambling sites. And it’s not available as a cashout method. Aside from the cash advance issue, debit card deposits have the same problems.

Falling For The “Gambler’s Fallacy”

The Gambler’s Fallacy is the idea that you have to win eventually. It’s essentially another word for “chasing losses,” but it can get a bit more nuanced than that.

For example, if you lose ten spins on a slot in a row, you may think the next one has to hit. If the roulette ball lands in a black pocket ten times in a row, you may think that red has to hit next. But the outcomes of all online casino games are based entirely on random luck. The result of the next spin, be it a slot or roulette wheel, is just as likely to repeat itself than it is to give you something different.

Once you reach your betting budget or time limit, stop while you’re still ahead – or not as down as you could be.

Not Joining A Great Online Casino

States with legal online casinos (Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and soon Maryland) have several options to choose from. If you already joined an online casino, that doesn’t mean it’s your only option. You’re free to join as many as you want. And because each one has a unique set of games, you can discover a new favorite just by checking out a different option.

If you haven’t joined an online casino yet, check out the reviews here at Bonus.com. We’ve compared each option to make it easy for you to find the one that best fits your style of play. 

If you’re looking for the best playthrough requirements, BetRivers Casino is the best choice. If you’re looking for the best features, like demo practice mode and filtering by type of game, consider Golden Nugget Casino or DraftKings Casino. It all depends on what appeals to you as a player.

Avoiding Responsible Gaming

Every casino game—at least slightly—favors the house. So if you play online casino games long enough, you’re mathematically guaranteed to lose all of your money. That’s why Responsible Gaming is such a crucial strategy. Before you play, you need to decide how much you can afford to lose. It’s also important to set a time limit, and you don’t want to bet while you’re depressed or bored, as that can lead to problem gambling.

Like with reading the terms and conditions or using the best strategies, familiarizing yourself with Responsible Gaming tactics means keeping more of your money – and winning more in the long run too.