Boredom – Online Gambling Risks

April 2, 2020 Posted in Casino Games, Casino Reviews by No Comments

Online Gambling – Boredom – Staying at Home

You are in a state of lockdown, in fact, you are bored. Never fear, you decide to alleviate the boredom by gambling online. No, this is probably NOT the right time to contemplate this. Let’s explore why.

Factors against online gambling while in lockdown
  • Convenience might seem a pro but seriously, you can’t escape your PC, it’s mere inches away.
  • Your income is now tied up. You might think it’s for 21 days, what if the lockdown is extended?
  • We all love the feeling of being a winner. Casino owners love this too. They are in control. Will they give you their money?
  • All the games are indeed fair but, with a calculator, you will see that the odds ALWAYS favour the casino.
  • Games that claim to pay out at 98% do indeed do so (on paper). However, a few bigger winners prop up thousands of losers.
  • Even playing perfect strategy on blackjack or video poker will lead to a long term loss. Your rate of loss will just be slower.
I am a gambler and I know my weaknesses

I started going to the Racetrack (Gosforth Park) when I was 16. I was a big schoolkid. I could pull it off. I was lucky enough to swim with a girl who’s Dad was a trainer. I got schooled well. Trainers know, there is NOTHING like a racing certainty. I recall my brother-in-law owning a horse which won at 100-1 (it paid R176 on the tote). They had no clue it would win. When it did win again it again paid nearly 100-1. It was a moody beast plus the jockey never listened anyway. Nobody ever made money on this horse (except the bookmakers, they loved it).

So, my schooling told me that I need to be cautious and to not see a bet as anything more than a wager with a chance of winning. More importantly, a wager also has a chance of losing. So, even though I have a thoroughly addictive personality, I have avoided losing my shirt all these years. At the age of 59, I have yet to have a "bad day". If I lose, it will be money I budgeted to lose. I view it as spending money. When I have won (and I have won, trust me), I have bought gifts, toys for kids, toys for myself, and mostly non essential items. Why? Because I never want gambling funds to be a necessary resource to buy essentials, pay bills, or settle debts.

So you’re locked up at home

I understand boredom. It’s quite normal to miss social interaction. Even if you do download a casino or play a flash casino, there are some rules to follow. Call them survival rules.

  • Only deposit "spare money". This would have the same weighting as money you would rent a video with. You are paying to be entertained, you are not paying to win!
  • Limit yourself to this money. If you have a win and then lose, don’t remember the win, remember the following loss. This is way more common than a win!
  • In line with the above, don’t chase losses. This is a prime cause for loss of control.
  • If you do run a loss and feel compelled to chase the money, take a moment to reflect on things. Use that moment to send a mail to the casino asking them to lock your account. Admit your problem, they need to come on board now.
  • Better yet, if you are prone to a loss of control (you need to look in the mirror and be HONEST), rather do not open an account and rather play the games in demo mode. It’s still loads of fun.
  • If you need help, remember to contact Responsible Gambling
The online gambling boredom factor and limited funds

Oh dear, what to do? I have now spent everything I had spare and now I am well and truly suffering from boredom. How to prevent this:

  • It’s time to learn to manage your bankroll
  • A bankroll is the balance you have set aside for online gambling
  • It’s a limited amount and you now have LOADS of free time
  • As a result of this you need to stretch your budget.
  • First step, decide on the game you like. Let’s suppose it’s a slot machine
  • The slot is supposed to pay out about 96% but, as mentioned earlier, that percentage is propped up by a few bigger winners.
  • Let’s assume a rate of say 85%. So, for every Rand you bet, you get 85 cents back. After betting R1 a hundred times, your balance is R85 (all theory, will be different in practice)
  • You then bet your R1 another eighty five times and end up with 85% of Eighty Five Rand. This goes on until your balance is zero.
  • Your variables are the size of your bet and the speed at which you spin the reels.
  • If you want to be entertained for ages, set your bet limit low and don’t sit, mindlessly hitting spin, spin, spin!
Summary

Gambling Addicts do of course hurt themselves BUT they more often than not hurt everyone around them as well. They do not deserve that! We, as fans of gambling online, want people to be responsible and to take precautions against ever losing control.

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