So you’ve heard a thing or two about online casinos? Either it was from a friend or an ad, but what matters is that you’re finally ready to log in and explore the world of virtual gambling. Get ready, but before you click “spin”, there are still a few things you should know before diving in. After reading these 6 tips and tricks for an online casino newbie, you’ll be a pro in no time!

1. Finding the right casino

In the same way you wouldn’t trust sushi someone bought from a gas station, you shouldn’t trust all online casinos. This is your money at stake, so take some precaution and look up each casino’s certifications. It sounds annoying, but a lot of people sign up for online casinos without doing proper research beforehand and open themselves to the possibility of being scammed. So be smart, and use this little checklist of some important things your casino should have: Licensed and accredited (casinos that are regularly audited are trustworthy), high quality encryption technology, and 24/7 customer support. Does the casino you’re looking at have all of these? Then you know they put your gambling experience as a top priority, which means less worry and more game time on your end.

2. Practice versus playing for real money

One of the many benefits of online casinos is that you can choose to play with your real money, and experience the highs, lows, and adrenaline rushes brought on by the risk of the game. But you can also play it safe while you are still getting oriented, whether it is because you’re new to the game or simply not feeling as brave as you usually do. The benefits of practice mode are that you never have to worry about your bankroll, you can play as many times as you need in order to gain the skill required to master the game, and you can try things you never otherwise would have been willing to try with your hard-earned money.

The positives of playing for real money are that you get a sense of satisfaction that can only come with putting something on the line, and by using real money you’re pushing yourself to truly master the game quickly without losing money. The only way to become a true pro is to commit and make the most of a real money casino game!

3.Know your odds and probabilities

The casino life is all about luck and fortunes. But there is also strategy to casino games that require you to know the probabilities of certain outcomes.  In the game of roulette, for example, you have no control over where the ball lands. That one’s up to lady luck. But you do have control over how much risk you take on with your bet.  Since some betting options are more or less likely to win (choosing the color red versus picking a specific number for example), it’s important to know how to play the odds.

The best way to start playing the odds in your favor is by learning the ins and outs of your game. If it’s roulette, blackjack, or craps, know the probabilities of each come, and the best strategies to achieve each one. For newbies, check out Planet 7 casino’s “how to” and “beginners” sections. You’ll be playing like a pro in no time!

4. Know your casino’s promotions

The first and potentially most rewarding promotion an online casino has to offer is its sign-up bonus. This bonus is an incentive designed to pull you in and get you to sign up for a given casino. But a tip to keep in mind is don’t fall for the first dazzling bonus you see. Do your research (along the same lines as tip #1) and make sure that the casino is giving the best deal you can find. Planet 7 casino’s sign up bonus is 100%.

Once you’ve signed up and start to think of yourself as a regular, the next level of casino bonus codes comes by way of the online casino’s regular promotions. These can come in the form of emails, or ads found on the casino’s website. These promotions are made to keep you a happy customer, and encourage you to keep gambling through them. These often benefit both the casino and the player, as the rewards keep you coming to a particular casino and also allow you play the games you already wanted to play for a better deal. It’s a win-win situation, so keep your eye out for these regular promos and really take advantage of them!

Once you’re a bona fide regular for a given casino, you can start to take things to the next level. Most online casinos have loyalty programs, which provide greater rewards to those who play with a given casino over a period of time. Most commonly, these programs use a point system. For every dollar you spend, you will receive a set amount of points (this can vary for some casinos, depending on the odds of winning a particular game. The lower your likelihood of winning, the more points you earn per dollar).

Over time, these points accumulate until you can redeem them for a reward. Many casinos will also have a tiered loyalty program, with newbies at the bottom, frequent fliers in the middle, and VIP on the top. At Planet 7 casino, members of the VIP program receive benefits such as 1 point given for every $2 wagered, $50,000 casino balance insurance, and special gifts for players to name a few. Casinos always make sure to take care of their VIPs, so it only makes sense to try and climb those loyalty tiers!

Now that you know the basics of online casinos, it’s time to log in and start playing. But before that happens, here are a few tips to keep in mind before laying down all that money on a risky bet. These are things that, regardless of what casino you play at, land-based or online, you can utilize to ensure success and a positive experience while gambling.

5. Set your limits

Gambling is a chance-based activity, and there is only so much you can do to play the odds in your favor. One thing you are entirely in control of, at least, is how much of your bankroll you choose to spend.  Because while online gambling may seem like a low-stress environment, when you play for real money you are spending real money. If you set your limits before logging on, then you can prevent yourself from spending more than you are comfortable with, saving you your hard-earned salary and unnecessary stress. For help with that see our article on 7 fantastic budgeting apps to manage your gambling bankroll.

Another good limit to set is your emotional level and how to control it. If a certain game is causing your emotions to run high and anxiety to set in, do yourself a favor and close out for the day. Once you reach that point, very little good comes from continuing on.

6. Take it easy

You’re only human after all. You aren’t meant to gamble all day and maintain a high level of intensity for a prolonged period of time. Go home, or if you are home take a walk. Do a fun activity, hang out with some friends, and relax. Playing casino games serves the main purpose of having fun and enjoying oneself.

learn to gambleAnother tip is to keep the alcohol intake to a minimum. It’s hard to have fun and keep a cool head when you lose control over your ability to adhere to your previously set limits. Also, it’s never a good time being the drunkest guy or gal at a party, and in the same way no good can come from being the drunkest person playing a casino game. You lose your edge, and your ability to play the odds. Keeping this in mind, it should be easy to save the heavy drinking for your celebratory after-party, when you’ve made big winnings and can relax for the day.

Online casinos are a place of thrills and enjoyment. Keep these tips and tricks in mind and don’t forget the biggest reason you logged onto the online casino in the first place: the have a good time! The world is your oyster, and casino Planet 7 can be your pearl!

Frank West is a bit of an itinerant gambler. An avid traveler and freelance writer with a penchant for games of chance, Frank has hit the tables in casinos the world over and picked up a copious volume of knowledge along the way. Frank enjoys passing on what he’s learned in blog and magazine articles about gambling and teaching people how to beat the house. He also covets his privacy, authoring his articles only under the pen name Frank West.