Page 6 - July 2009 • Southern California Gaming Guide

Bill Burton: About Gambling
YDetermine Your Emotional Bankroll
our gambling bankroll is the money that you set aside for playing when you visit the casino. Players who visit the casino only for entertainment usually have a bankroll consisting of the money they have on hand to take to the casino with them. A player planning on
spending a few days at the casino during vacation may save up a little each week to form a bankroll that will last for a few days. ese are temporary bankrolls.
Serious players maintain their gambling bankroll in a separate fund or bank account that is used for nothing except playing their games of choice. Any winnings go back into the fund and losses are taken out it. ey never use any other funds for gambling purposes or use their gambling funds for any other expenses. One player I know refers to his gambling bankroll as his 401g.
give them a steady and safe return. In the casino, these players will be at the ve-dollar tables enjoying the games or playing dollar slots.
Determine Your Player Profile
You probably fall somewhere in the middle of these two types of players. Once you know the size of your actual bankroll, you then have to determine how much risk your emotional bankroll can handle. If you are conservative by nature, you may nd that you could have a very large bankroll, but still not be comfortable sitting at the higher limit tables.
e best way to determine your ideal emotional level is to try moving up in levels of play slowly. Five dollar table game players may want to try a ten dollar table and eventually a twenty ve dollar one. Quarter slot players may move to dollar slots. If you get to a point where the risk factor is bothering you, then go back down to the previous level. is is a very personal decision.
Only you can determine your own emotional bankroll. When you do, stick to it. Just as you have to properly manage your money, you need to manage your emotions as well. It will make your playing experience an enjoyable one.
Have Fun!
Until next time, remember: “Luck comes and goes.. Knowledge Stays Forever.”
Bill Burton is the Casino Gambling Guide and columnist for the Internet portal About.com, located at http://casinogambling.about.com. He is the author of 1000 Best Casino Gambling Secrets and Get the Edge at Low Limit Texas Hold’em available online at www.billburton.com. He is also an instructor for Golden Touch Craps, http://www.thecrapsclub.com.
The size of your bankroll is one of the determining factors for the games you will play. If your bankroll consists of $50 you would be foolish to sit down at a $25 blackjack table since you would only be able to play two hands. If you are a slot player with $20, you would be best
The Extreme Player
Some players like to live on the edge. ey are thrill seekers and get enjoyment only when their bets are extremely high. For these players, money is only a way of keeping score. e real excitement is in the action.
The other determining
factor in choosing the
denomination of the
games you play is what
I call your “Emotional
Bankroll.” Your Emotional
Bankroll is not based
strictly on the amount of
money you have. You can
have a very large bankroll
but still not be comfortable
playing at the higher
limits. Your emotional
bankroll equates to your
risk tolerance. How much
stress can you handle when playing a casino game?
The size of your bet should be one that gives you a little thrill, but not enough to make you start sweating each outcome.
sweating each outcome.”
For sports, they may enjoy rock climbing or sky diving, and if they are investors in the stock market, you can be pretty sure they are investing in the speculative stocks—well, maybe not now. In the casino you will nd them playing craps or Blackjack at the high roller tables or playing high- denomination slots
The Conservative Player
Other players are more conservative. ey enjoy casino games, but are also concerned about the price of their entertainment. ey want to play, but do not feel that they want to risk a large portion of their bankroll on
any one outcome or playing session. For sports, they may enjoy golf or bowling or some other competitive sport that doesn’t entail risking their life. If they are investors, they may choose mutual funds or blue chips stocks to
advised to avoid the dollar slot machines and stick with quarters or nickels. Your monetary bankroll is not big enough for these limits.
“You can have a very large bankrollbutstillnotbe comfortable playing at the higher limits. Your emotional bankroll equates to your risk tolerance. How much stress can you handle when playing a casino game? The size of your bet should be one that gives you a little thrill, but not enough to make you start
Page 6
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAMING GUIDE
July 2009
About Gambling with Bill Burton