First-time gamblers can quickly start participating in any number of gambling activities. But many of these gambling activities are bad for their bankroll.
It’s easy to start playing at a slot machine, but it’s also one of the fastest ways to go broke in a hurry. That’s why I put together the list in this article.
The six gambling activities listed in this article for first-time gamblers are all easy to play, and they can all be played with either a low house edge and/or with a small bet. Both of these things are important because they help you gamble longer and limit your losses.
1 – Baccarat Banker Wager
Baccarat is the easiest game for first-time gamblers. It doesn’t look like the simplest game because of the weird rules about how each hand has to be played, but the nice thing is that you don’t have to worry about that. All you have to do is place a bet, and the dealer takes care of everything else.
Every real money baccarat game has at least three wager options. A few games have more options, called side bets, but you can skip all of them. In fact, you can skip all of the bets except the banker. It offers the highest rate of return.
I recommend sticking with the smallest bet limits you can find, but beyond this, all you have to do is bet on banker.
The only other thing you need to be aware of is when you want to play at a mini baccarat table. These are also sometimes called midi baccarat. This isn’t a huge deal. But if you play at a big baccarat table, you will be asked if you want to deal from time to time. As a first-time gambler, it’s best to avoid this.
2 – French Roulette Even Money Wagers
French Roulette tables are rare in land-based casinos but you can find them in most online casinos. French tables use a rule when you place even money bets that give you your bet back after losses when you win your next bet. This makes the return much higher than other forms of roulette.
The other advantage of playing online French Roulette is that you can play for a low bet. I often play for $1 a spin online, so you limit your losses by limiting your total bet amount.
You can’t get the same rules on any of the other bets at the table. You have to stick with one of the six even money betting options. This means you can’t bet on individual numbers, or columns, or lines, or pairs, or any other bet.
The even money bet options include numbers 1 to 18, number 19 to 36, odd numbers, even numbers, black spaces, and red spaces. You win on average 18 out of every 37 spins on these bets, so you win almost 50% of the time. With the return of half your losing bets in the long run because of the rules, that makes this a great option for first-time gamblers.
3 – Craps Don’t Pass and Odds
Craps is another game that looks difficult at first, but it’s really simple once you learn that you can ignore most of the bets and action. Every craps game begins with something they call a come-out roll. The rules are a bit confusing at first, but you can quickly learn what wins and losses on each come-out roll.
I always make a don’t pass bet on the come-out roll because it has a slightly better return than a pass bet. But it doesn’t really matter which bet you make. The difference is so small in the long run that you probably won’t notice.
When certain things happen on the come-out roll, a point gets set. And when a point gets set, you can make a bet called the “odds bet.”
These are the only two craps bets you need to worry about because they’re the only two good bets in the game. Make a small come-out roll bet and an odds bet when you have the opportunity. This makes craps a good option for first time gamblers. And craps is one of the best games to play if you want to have fun.
4 – Betting on a Sporting Event
I like betting on sporting events because it’s easy to find someone or someplace to bet with, and I can watch the game after I place a bet to see if I win. This means that I can place one bet and not place another bet for hours.
This is valuable for first-time gamblers because it helps you limit how much money you’re risking. And you don’t have to bet a large amount of money to have a good time betting on a sporting event.
If you bet at a land-based sportsbook, you might have to place a minimum bet of $10 or $20, but online sportsbooks usually take bets as low as $1. And you can usually find someone to place a small bet with and skip the sportsbooks completely.
Who do you talk about sports with now? Your family, friends, and coworkers are a good place to start if you want to place a few bucks on a game to keep things interesting.
If you bet with a sportsbook, the good news is that you’re going to win roughly half the time no matter what team you pick. This makes betting on sporting events a low cost and fun way for first-time bettors to get in the action.
5 – Blackjack Using a Strategy Card
Blackjack is usually the best game for gamblers whether it’s their first time gambling or if they’ve been gambling for years. Blackjack is a good game because it has a high return, it’s easy to play, and you can easily find a strategy card to help you make good plays.
The rules of each individual blackjack game play a big part in your returns, but using strategy plays a big part too. If you don’t make the right plays, you lose more money than you need to lose.
It’s not always easy to see the best play. And this is why it’s important for first-time gamblers to use a strategy card when they play blackjack. And the casinos won’t give you a hassle for using a strategy card.
If anyone does say anything about it, just tell them you’re a first-time player. You can quickly find a blackjack strategy card in a casino gift shop or print one from many places online. You can even buy them on Amazon for a few dollars.
6 – Video Poker Using a Strategy Card
Video poker games are easy to play. All you have to know is the basic rules of Draw Poker. Using Jacks or Better as an example, which happens to be the most common and popular form of video poker, you get five cards and can keep as many of them as you want and trade the rest for new cards.
When you play video poker, the returns you get are based on two things. The first thing is the amount the machine pays out for each winning hand. The machines that pay out more for each hand offer better returns over time.
For example, a Jacks or Better machine that pays six for a flush is better than a machine that only pays five. This means that you should find machines with higher pay tables.
The second thing your returns are based on is how well you play your hands. This is called strategy, and you need to use good strategy every time you play. This is where using a strategy card comes into play.
While the cards don’t look similar, this is basically the same as when you play blackjack. You need to get a card that’s designed for the video poker game you’re playing.
Conclusion
The truth is that it doesn’t matter what you play as a first-time gambler if you’re not concerned with how much you’re going to lose or with how long you can gamble. But if you want to limit your losses and/or be able to gamble for a long time, you need to choose the right gambling activities.
Baccarat, craps, and French Roulette all offer good bets that have a low house edge. If you play these games online, you also can use small bet sizes.
Betting on sporting events offers small bet sizes and a long time before the bet wins or loses. Blackjack and video poker are also good options, as long as you use a strategy card.
