Top Tips for a Great Casino Trip
Be aware
The attraction of winning money and big-spending gamblers walking around with large wads of cash is a natural draw for crooks and thieves. Though casinos have hefty security forces and numerous surveillance cameras, it pays to keep your guard up when at a casino. Be wary of pickpockets (the bump and grab or simply grab and run thieves are popular too) and it is also worth the few extra dollars to valet your car. And if you should happen to win big there is always the option of having a casino security escort walk you to the cage or storing your winnings in the hotel's safe deposits box.
Plan and Budget
Whenever you walk into a casino it is always great to have a plan, so you do not spend all your time angry and frustrated as you lose money from machine to machine. It is smart to budget not only your money, but also your time. Before you start your trip decide how much time you want to spend gambling and how much time you want to spend taking in the sights. When you are budgeting your money, decide at what point you want to stop spending (like if you lose 50% of your bankroll, take a break and come back to it later when your luck may change).
Slot Club Card
The most valuable card in the casino is the "Comp Card" and you will find it at the players club. Also known as a Slot Club Card, this card is how you earn points for all kinds of freebies from free meals to free show tickets or rooms. All you do is sign up for one at the casino’s players club and insert the card whenever you play the slots, it's as easy as that!
Make your own luck
There is nothing quite like an optimistic disposition to help make your gambling more fun and maybe even enhance your luck. But if luck is never on your side you can always make your own by having a winning strategy. Blackjack and Video Poker both of have a mathematical strategy that you can use to reduce the house edge. And strategy cards are a great accessory to carry along with you and refer to while you play to make sure you are playing correctly.
Keep a gambling log book
Keeping a gambling log book is important at tax time. If you have a win over $1,200 the IRS requires the casino to report it. You can deduct your losses against the win on your taxes, but this can only be done if you have accurate information to show the IRS.
A proper log should contain:
1) The type of game and serial number of the machine you played.
2) The date and location where you played.
3) Your wins and losses for each session or game.
4) Additional evidence of gambling activities.
Gaming Lessons
Many of the bigger casinos offer free lessons on how to play table games. Usually the lesson starts with an explanation of how the game is played detailing the rules and proper table procedures that you need to know. This is then followed by some actual play with non-value chips. Plus a few casinos will also give out coupons to use on the game for students taking the lesson!
