One question the Best Online CasinoTop team often gets is, “How to start gambling online?” But answering this question is always a bit of a tall order. Online gambling is ambiguous. We can’t tell the casino games you want to play or what's your place of residence. It is, therefore, almost impossible for us to give specific advice to such a loaded and open-ended question.
But you guys want to know how to start gambling online, not excuses! Luckily, the Best Online CasinoTop loves its newbies. So, we shared the following top 10 tips on how to start gambling online.
1. Go Through Your Online Betting Laws
Stat by finding out if gambling is lawful in your country or state, and whether you are of the legal gambling age. You can get this information from the relevant online gambling regulatory authority. For example, if you are in UK, check with the UK Gambling Commission. If in Malta, check the with Maltese gambling authority.
2. Choose The Right Online Casino
The Best Online CasinoTop has identified a few critical things you should consider when choosing the perfect online gambling platform for beginners. These are:
- Know the type of casino you would want to play at (mobile casino, download casino, or instant play casino). Ideally, select a website that overs a great pc website, mobile casino and apps for both iOS and android devices for gaming on the go.
- Go through the casino reviews and ratings and get information about the history of the casino. Choose a casino that has won lots of positive reviews and praises from punters. Website that has won gongs from EGR B2B Awards, Global Gaming Awards, Gaming Intelligence Awards, International Gaming Awards are great choices.
- Software Providers – The best casinos for new punters foray together games from numerous top developers. Look for games from developers such as Microgaming, NetEnt, Evolution Gaming, Playtech, IGT, Isoftbet, ElK studios, Ash Gaming, NextGen, Quickspin, Novomatic, Extreme Gaming and more.
- Casino Games – The Best Online CasinoTop knows you are new to online gambling. For this reason, Best Online CasinoTop suggests selecting a gambling platform with vast variety of casino games. Look for slots, table games, scratch card games, bingo games, video poker, live casino games, instant win games and more.
- Consider the banking options. The Best Online CasinoTop truly loves websites that offer a plethora of deposit and withdrawal options. Confirm the website supports instant and free deposits through eWallets such as PayPal and Skrill, debit and credit cards, wire and bank transfers, and pay by phone options such as Boku.
- Withdrawal and deposit limits. The best gambling platforms offer low minimum deposit and withdrawal limits (£10 is the industry average) and high maximum deposit and withdrawal limits.
- Go through the terms and conditions and make sure you are okay with all the provisions. Some import aspects to check here include withdrawal policy, wagering requirement on bonus funds, bonus validity and so on.
- Interact with the casino’s support team and see how they respond to your questions. The best gambling websites for new players offers help 24/7 through phone, live chat, WhatsApp, and an extensive FAQ section. They are active on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Google+
- Check the website’s rank – some of the top-ranked sites are certified, having greater value. They maintain a regularly updated blog section that share insights on how to start gambling online, have fun and make money responsibly.
Make sure that you get the facts about the casino you want to register with before you deposit your hard-earned money.
3. Stay Safe When Betting Online
This is one of the most important aspects of online gaming as you should only bet at safe and secure web casinos. The important things to look out for include:
- License and reputation of the casino – It is a lawful requirement that all gambling websites be registered and hold licenses to operate in specific areas. For instance, UK casinos should hold licenses from the UK Gambling Commission. The Best Online CasinoTop says, “Never wager in unlicensed online casinos.”
- Blacklisted casinos – Avoid casinos that has been blacklisted for unsafe payments, slow payments, not paying out winnings, etc.
- Independently audited – Make sure that the internet gambling platform you are considering is audited and certified by independent bodies such as eCogra. Such certification guarantees that the outcome of bets at the specific casino are purely random and fair.
- Online security – This is assured by SSL encryption that makes sure that all your transactions and financial information are safe when being shared/transmitted online. Also, the best casinos add an extra layer of data protection by having robust data storage and handling policy.
4. Try Free Games At First
Whichever online casino you choose you will most likely be given the opportunity to play for free before playing for real cash. The Best Online CasinoTop says, “Grab this opportunity with both hands.” It will help you get a feel of the website and its various games without risking real money.
You might need to register an account to access the free/demo games (don’t fret; the best casinos won’t need your debit card unless you want to play with real money).
Also, casinos are able to separate your real money wagers from your free plays at the end of the day. You will only be charged if you choose to deposit funds into your account. Some online gambling websites even offer punters free no deposit bonus which they can use to play for real money.
5. Choose The Best Bonus
You shouldn’t just go for a seemingly great online website; you want a casino that delivers when it comes to value for your money too. Therefore, go for an online casino that offers top quality games and lots of gamified welcome offer, jackpots, and on-going promotions.
All trustworthy casinos will provide a generous sign-up offer called the welcome bonus or package. Note that these bonuses come with terms and conditions that you should understand before you opt in. According to the Best Online CasinoTop, you need to know the following terms:
- Deposit Match Welcome Bonus – This bonus comes in form of a 25%, 50%, or 100% match up of the amount you have deposited when your first join the casino. It can be spread across your first two, three or four deposits.
- No Deposit welcome offer – No deposit or cash required welcome bonus means you only need to sign up and you will receive this bonus.
- Free Spins – Simply sign up, make your first deposit and you will be provided with free spins on selected slots. You could end up winning a generous amount of money that will make your first experience of the casino positive.
6. Things To Know Before You Decide
You are finally in a Las Vegas-themed, noisy online casino. You have loaded your account and itching to start gaming and see if luck is on your side. The Best Online CasinoTop says, “Hold your horses”. Best Online CasinoTop understands you have a dream of scooping the jackpot and taking a vacation to a private island, but that’s not how things work here. Online gambling is a place to have fun and it can make your blood pump faster if lady luck is on your side, but this is not a movie. Learn first.
- The casino has an edge (House Advantage) – No matter which casino game you are playing, the house or casino will always have an edge or advantage. In simpler words, in the long run, punters (cumulatively and on average) make loses. The casino doesn’t need to depend on luck to make some few pounds; it just needs a punter like you. The dice are cast and statistics show that the math is always on the casino’s side. The house edge is a mathematical advantage in the RNG of each casino game that makes sure the casino cannot make loses in the long-run. Always keep that in your mind and never think that you have an edge over the casino. Your big win is a drop in the ocean compared to the millions of wins the casino has made.
- Luck is the key factor in gambling – Since you don’t have an edge, you need to depend on luck to snatch some money from the casino – at least 99% of the time. The 1% comes with playing smart in order to minimize the house edge, thus prolonging your gaming time, but luck will still come into play when determining if you will succeed.
- So, bet with money you are ready to let go if it comes to it– Online betting is not a way to reliably generate your income. It is purely for entertainment purpose with a chance to make small or life-changing winnings. Know how much you are willing to lose before you choose a game and start rolling the dice or spinning the reel. Deposit a fixed amount of money and never deposit more when trying to recover what you have already lost. If you cannot afford to lose it, do not play – gambling is not for the feeble in the heart.
- Hot streaks! Not for long – If you are winning right, left, and centre and you have more money than you started with, it is advisable to stop. Eventually, your lady luck will run away and you might end up losing everything wondering where all your winning went.
7. Choose The Right Casino Games
Depending on the kind of experience you are looking for, some casino games are simply better than others. Do you want to game at a machine with crazy sound effects and flashy effects? Or do you want a game that will really make you rich?
If your intention is to collect some cash, you should try casino games that won’t leave you penniless or naked too fast and the one that requires some level of skill when playing. The type of games that provide great odds and the casino advantage is less includes:
- Baccarat
- Craps
- Video poker
- Blackjack
If your intention is to have fun and learn about the game within minutes, you can try these games:
- Keno
- Roulette
- Slots
You can take a cold drink right at the comfort of your home while you play slots. Roulette is also an easy game that requires you to just place your wager on the section that you think the white ball will rest on, such as even numbers, odd numbers, black, red, or certain numbers (37:1 odds). Finally, keno was made to be played while watching TV, playing other games, or drinking something. You simply pick your lucky numbers on a grid, bet your desired amount, and wait for the result.
8. Learn The Rules And Basic Strategies
Most people are nervous when they start playing online, especially when trying table games such as blackjack. If this is your situation, start with easy games like roulette and get a first-hand feel of how to place a bet. Then, gradually move on to harder online casino games as your experience and confidence grows.
Take your time and learn the rules before you start to bet big or play high stake casino games. For instance, you can find gaming tutorial online for games such as craps or blackjack.
A quick Google or Bing search will land you to hundreds of “how-to tutorials” and advanced strategies to boost your odds when playing various casino games. If you do not have time to do a little research, it is okay. Simply look for low-stake tables with a little bet of about £5 and learn on the job.
9. Know When To Take A Break
Online gambling can be quite addictive, so you should take precaution and know when it is time to take a break. For instance, these games are really fun to play but there is a reason why they were designed this way. Don’t get excited and forget that your money is at stake here.
Also, do not chase what you have lost. Thinking that you can turn the tables and suddenly recoup all your lost bets is the “punter’s fallacy”. Resist the temptation to think that the next round will make you hit the jackpot and you will get all your money back. That’s not the way online gaming works… when you start to hear a voice telling you “you are about to hit the jackpot”, it is time to stop.
10. Don't Get Greedy
The biggest mistake of online betting is not stopping when you are on a roll. A big win will give you morale and hope to continue placing your bet with the thought of even winning bigger. This greed can result in losing the money you have already scooped from the casino and even use what you hand not planned for.
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How to Play Smart
- Think with your head, not with your heart.
- Invest into things you're familiar with.
- Look at the big picture.
- Cut your losses.
Find the best odds. Read our online casino tips and tricks and play smart.
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Our Mission
We are here to guide you through the jungle of online casinos and the ever increasing variety of online casino games.
With the information provided, you should be able to narrow down your choice and find the best fit for you. Be it recreational playing or gambling as a professional endeavor, we are here to offer advice every step of the way and help you make an informed decision.