Most online casino games are almost entirely based on chance. Nevertheless, that hasn’t stopped players from trying to devise strategies that they hope will help them win more often. These strategies include ones as simple as checking the Return to Player (RTP) rates for slot games. This is the theoretical rate of return on a game, so choosing those slots with the highest RTP rates should provide a better chance of landing some wins and walking away with a profit. More complicated strategies are usually applied to the way bets are placed. This is especially true for table games like roulette, where playing guides often advise players to try out the Martingale, Fibonacci or d’Alembert betting strategies. However, none of these can guarantee that you’ll become a long-term winner.
So, even though there is no strategy that will guarantee you will walk away a winner, there are things you can do to limit your losses. For a start, you should only wager what you can afford to lose. Next, you should set yourself a budget, stick to it and don’t be tempted to chase your losses. Another useful strategy is to set aside a portion of any win — usually whatever was won over and above the original stake. That way, even if you lose all of your original bankroll, you should still have some winnings to take from the table. Having good money management skills like these will reduce the risk of developing gambling problems.
How bonuses can increase your chances of winning
One of the main attractions of playing at an online casino is the casino bonuses they offer. These bonuses are one way that players can increase their odds of landing a win. This is because these bonuses — be they free spin or bonus cash — will let you play more rounds on your chosen games. More rounds mean more chances of landing a win. However, it’s important to remember that this is not a winning strategy, just better odds of maybe scoring a win.
RTP and Volatility
As we’ve mentioned, the potential payout of a casino game is referred to as the Return to Player rate or RTP. What this means is that if a game has an RTP of 98%, then theoretically for every CAN$100 wagered on that game, a player could expect to receive CAN$98 back in winnings. However, the RTP is calculated by the gaming software developers over thousands of turns. For the short-term player, the RTP is largely irrelevant.
Another important characteristic of a casino game is its volatility or variance. This gives you an indication of your chances of landing a win. Low volatility games give you a much higher chance of scoring a win. However, these will often be just small amounts, but they will help to keep your bankroll ticking over. A high volatility game, on the other hand, has a much lower win frequency, but when a win does land, it’s much more likely to be a big one.