It's almost the new year, which means it's time for a new calendar, a new outlook on life, and a new you. It also means that some of the online gambling tips you used to know and hold dear in 2019 and earlier may no longer hold true going forward.

We're here to give you some quick details on what you should know about the state of gambling in 2020. Naturally, we hope to provide some tips that players of all skill levels can use, from the self-made professional to the ever-hopeful newcomer.


5: Set Limits
One of the best tips we can give to anybody is to know your limits. It would be in your best interest, and the best interests of your bank account, to set a limit on how much you are comfortable losing. Undoubtedly, you aren't gambling with the intent to lose, but you should at least prepare for the worst while hoping for the best, right?

It's with that in mind that you should set very firm loss limits. This will prevent you from losing more money that you can safely lose.

Along the same line of thinking, it may be wise to set a time limit. Studies have found that a lack of sleep affects cognitive abilities almost as much as being drunk does. As the night goes on, you may find that you are taking more and more unnecessary risks. You may end up betting more than what you typically would. You may even convince yourself that it's "ok" to lose just a little bit more. Once you finally get that much needed rest, you may realize that you made some unfortunate and potentially life altering decisions in your fatigued state.

Set those limits and you'll be happier and, with a bit of luck, even a fair bit wealthier.


4: Bonuses
On paper, the idea of a "bonus" sounds great. Bonuses would provide visitors with a little freebie that they weren't expecting. However, not all bonuses are created equal. Many casinos that have been around for a while may not offer any bonuses at all. They are established and their visitors have long since proven their loyalty.

The challenge for new casinos is how to entice people to visit and one of the easiest ways to do this is through a number of different bonuses. There can be well over a thousand or so bonuses that casinos can make use of to try to pull in newcomers. These can include loyalty bonuses, referral bonuses, or even free spin bonuses.

Mike Tan, an expert at OnlineCasinoGems.com, provides additional details on why free spins are so enticing for new players.


3: Control Your Temper
Though you believe you are calm under pressure, there are still limits that will test that idea. If you start to find that your emotions are taking over, it may be time to take a break and relax. This can be true whether you are starting to feel angry, upset, and especially desperate while gambling.

These emotions can cloud your judgment, which can lead to a snowball effect. If you are angry because you are losing, you are likely to lose even more by making silly errors because of your temper. These increased losses will then feed back into your foul mood and the vicious cycle will just keep repeating and growing until either you, or your bank account, end up breaking.

Those with clouded minds and impaired judgement are more likely to place bigger bets, push themselves past their allotted limits, and risk more than they ever wanted to. This can even lead to you holding ill will towards a hobby that you once enjoyed.


2: The Gambler's Fallacy
The biggest mistake that a gambler can make is known by many names: It's called the Gambler's Fallacy in some circles while in others it may be better known as the Monte Carlo Fallacy or even the fallacy of the maturity of chances.

The Gambler's Fallacy is the belief that if something happens more frequently than normal in a given period, it will then happen less frequently in the future. In the Gambler's Fallacy, the opposite would also hold true.


The most common example of the Gambler's Fallacy can be seen in the flip of a coin. In just one flip of a coin, you would say that there is a 50% chance of it landing on heads and a 50% chance that it lands on tails. What if you flipped the coin 20 times and every time it landed on heads? If you fall victim to the Gambler's Fallacy, you would say that the coin has a higher chance now of landing on tails. You would think that the coin was due to finally land on tails. You would be wrong. In reality, it still only has a 50/50 chance of landing on heads or tails.

The 21^st flip is the same as the first flip, which is the same as the second flip, which is the same as the third, and so on. Each flip can be viewed as its own separate instance. The fact that each proceeding flip just happened to land on heads has absolutely no bearing on the next flip of the coin or any future flips. Each flip had, has, and will have exactly a 50% chance of landing on heads and a 50% chance of landing on tails.

In gambling, each bet is its own independent action. The actions that have happened in the past have zero bearing on what is happening in the here or now or in the future. If you were on a cold streak earlier, that does not mean you're "due" for some big winnings the next time you gamble. This is especially true for slot machines. You may feel as though a particular machine or game is "due" for a big payout since it hasn't hit in a while. Sadly, that just isn't the case. The pull you make now has just as much of a chance of hitting the jackpot as the previous pull, and the one before that, and the one before that, and so on.

Once you understand the idea behind this fallacy, you will probably have a much better time with your hobby. Avoid trying to make big bets based on this mistaken belief and you may even go home with a few extra dollars in your pocket in the end.


1: Find a Safe Place to Gamble
It probably goes without saying here, but if you don't feel comfortable at the place you're gambling, you aren't going to have a good time. This holds true with both in-person casinos and online casinos. There are a number of ways in which you can find a place that you feel comfortable spending both time and money at.

You can always check out online reviews to see what others are saying about some locations. You can even ask your friends or family if they have any suggestions. With so many locations claiming to be the best casino with the biggest payouts, it's perfectly fine to be a bit skeptical as you weigh your options. After all, this is your money that is potentially at stake here. You want to make sure that where you choose to spend it is a safe and respectable establishment. Just that little added peace of mind will go a long way to letting you have more fun with your favorite hobby.