Page 10 - Southern California Gaming Guide • January 2020

by Gail Anders
Happy New Year! Judging from years past, I predict we all will have ups and downs in everything throughout the year, much like many of our casino experiences. And with some luck, by the end of 2020, hopefully, we will be winners in all aspects of our lives.
We are beginning the New Year with a new decade and a year with unique calendar events.
irrationally when they lose and try to chase their losses to get their money back. Poker players call this “going on tilt.” Players who set limits and then have the discipline to stick to them are less likely
2020 Leap Year and Halloween Blue Moon
If your casino trips are governed by your sense of good luck, then 2020 may be a good year for you. 2020 is a Leap Year and in a Leap Year, a Leap Day, February 29th, is added to the calendar. The extra day makes the year 366 days long, not 365 days. Leap days are added to the calendar to help synchronize it with Earth’s orbit around the sun and the actual passing of the seasons. Earth’s orbit around the sun takes approximately 365.25 days. It’s that .25 that creates the need for a Leap Year every four years. Plus,Halloweenin2020hasaBlue
Moon, so-called when it is the second full moon appearing in a single month. I’ve personally won two big jackpots, each “once in a Blue Moon”!
Lucky Plan
Luck aside with the confluence of natural phenomena, but when it comestogoingtothecasino,couple your intuition with common sense. Have a plan. Decide when you want to go to the casino including how many times
a month. You don’t have to have your whole year planned out with a rigid schedule. Spontaneity and spur-of-the-moment activities add to the fun,butmakesureyou set some limits so your casino fun time will notcauseyoutogo over your budget.
casino bankroll ready. The beginning of the New Year is an excellent time to make a realistic casino budget that you can play by for the year ahead. If you like to visit the casino on a whim, then have some money budgeted. Many professional casino players advise that anyone who visits a casino on a regular basis maintain a separate bank account to use for gambling. Money in that account can be earmarked only for casino play.
“Plan your casino
budget. Have your
casino bankroll
ready. The
beginning of the
to lose control. It’s easy to leave the casino when all your money is gone. It takes discipline to walk away when you hit your loss limit. Discipline and control is what separates winners from losers at the casino.
Plan a Total Casino Experience
So many Southern California casinos have fantastic award- winning entertainment, great dining and buffets, and an assortment of different games. Plan to see an exciting headlining entertainer, or have lunch or a special dinner with friends. Enter and play in casino promotions. Every month casinos run amazing promotions
New Year is an Thatway,you’llalwayshavemoney excellenttimeto
on hand when you want to make a casino trip, and you’ll also have controls in place so you don’t go
over budget.
Set Loss Limits
make a realistic casino budget that you can play by for the year ahead.”
Gambling guru, Bill
wrote frequently about having
a “loss limit” for playing each day at the casino. Gambling is entertainment and like
Burton,
Plan budget.
your casino Have your
any entertainment, you need to have an idea what it will cost,
and whether you can afford it. Determine your overall loss limit before you even leave for the casino. Be sure you don’t lose your bankroll all on one game. Setting a loss limit on each machine you play can help extend your play.
Setting loss limits can also help you stay in control when you are losing. Some players start behaving
giving away cash, cars, free play or other prizes. Learn and play a new casino game. Branch out and play video poker, or learn a table game. Those games have a lower house edge when you learn to
play them correctly.
And, if you don’t already do this, connect with
your favorite casino by email, download the casino’s mobile app, if they have one, and take advantage of the all the digital perks casinos offer.
This year, plan the full entertainment value from your casino visit. And knowing that you have other activities planned can also help from overspending.
A little planning at the beginning of the year can keep you on track throughout the year ahead to have fun and thoroughly enjoy your casino new year. Happy New Year and Happy Gaming!
Gail Anders writes for online magazines and blogs and lives in Laguna Beach and New York.
PAGE 10
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAMING GUIDE
JANUARY 2020