In online betting, the concept of “booking points” can be a bit tricky to understand. Essentially, betting companies will make money from an online gambler no matter what happens, so long as they make the right wagers. However, the betting companies do have your best interests at heart – they want to make sure that you always have a place to gamble, and that you keep coming back for more. Hence, why they’ll sometimes give you points for doing specific things, like placing certain bets, withdrawing money from your account, or playing certain games.
Types of Booking Points
Depending on the type of bettor you are, you’ll be rewarded with different types of booking points. The most common type of points are called “free bets” or “promotional discounts,” and they’re typically presented to new customers who sign up for a bookie account. You’ll also find a variety of other points, such as cashback rewards or free plays, which you can use to gamble with.
As a general rule of thumb, the more money you wager, the higher your winnings will be. If you put down $100 on a $10 game, you’ll win $90, but if you put down $1000 on a $10 game, you’ll win $10000. That’s the law of averages at work – the more you wager, the more you’ll win, regardless of what type of bet you make. It’s all about the math!
Using Booking Points
Once you’ve accrued some points, you can use them to make free bets or buy chips with. Free bets are the best – you don’t have to worry about losing money, as long as the casino accepts online wagers. For example, if you’re playing at a sportsbook and make a wager on the game, the sportsbook will give you some free bets according to their terms and conditions, as long as you meet the required minimum betting amount. Or, if you’ve gotten bored of just playing around on the computer and want to take your mind off your troubles, you can go to a physical casino and make some real money playing blackjack or roulette. Of course, the downside is that you could lose money if the casino turns out to be fraudulent.
The House Advantage
On the other hand, buying chips with points is great if you want to maximize your winnings. When you buy chips with points, you’re essentially betting on the house’s advantage. That is, you’re assuming that the casino is fair and honest and follows the rules. For example, if you’re playing at a land-based casino and make a wager of $10, the casino will typically give you 2% of what you wager back (you’ll never see that exact percentage, but it’s usually close). At a land-based casino, you have to trust that the casino is giving you their best price when they quote you, and that they’re not cheating you. It’s the same concept online – the casino wants your business and will do anything to keep it, so they can make money off your gambling activity. They have the advantage of keeping the money they make from your gambling activity, and you don’t get the advantage of breaking even or making money (as long as you play by the rules, you’ll keep getting your bookie points).
In general, you’ll find that the more you wager, the better your odds – but it also depends on the type of game you’re playing. For example, in blackjack, the dealer’s cards have a distinct advantage, so it’s usually best to stick with the basics (such as comparing hands with a single opponent, rather than playing against the dealer) to keep your edge. And in roulette, the house advantage can be up to 11.1%, so it’s usually best to stay away from the area surrounding 37. When it comes to online betting, house advantage can be anywhere from 1% to 10%. While this might not seem like a big difference, when you’re talking about winning hundreds or thousands of dollars, these small percentages can add up quick!
Gambling Psychology 101
One of the most important things for a gambling addict to keep in mind is that every time you gamble, you’re increasing your chances of losing. This is why even professionals get in trouble with gambling sometimes – they lose sight of how much they’re risking and end up with bigger losses than usual. Gamblers who try to keep score on how much they’ve lost become known as “numbers gamblers” because they tend to keep incredibly high scores – which can also make them go into debt. It’s like drinking alcoholics know how drinking can worsen their addiction, but they still keep drinking because they need the buzz.
The good news is that professionals who treat gambling addiction recover successfully as long as they keep sight of this fact – it’s not like they’re going to lose their license to practice medicine or psychology because they have a gambling problem. They just have to learn to gamble responsibly and know when to quit.
In the end, gambling is a form of entertainment, and just because you have a problem doesn’t mean that you have to stop enjoying yourself. Just follow these tips, and you’ll be on your way to a healthier relationship with gambling. If you find that you’re constantly obsessing about your gambling activity, or if you feel like it takes more effort to control yourself when you gamble, then it might be time to find healthier ways to relax.