You may not believe it just yet, but a roulette player’s psychological habits are a crucial part of the game. The truth is, vulnerabilities such as a bad temper, greed, or arrogance can actually lose you the game, regardless of your skill and knowledge.
Being aware of your emotional and physical actions can be the difference between winning and losing. While knowing the rules of roulette, the statistics, and systems, your behavior is what will push you safely over the edge.
Even the pros fall victim to these habits, so you need to be aware of them regardless of the level you’re playing at. Here are seven psychological obstacles you should avoid in order to win big at roulette.
Every player, whether they like it or not, must accept the fact that there is a 50/50 chance of landing on black or red, and in the same way, constant wins are not guaranteed to anyone. Because of this, some players who continue to spin over long periods of time can find themselves becoming more nervous for the money at stake and therefore very frustrated.
It is possible that this ‘tilt’ in emotions could distract punters and make them change their initial strategy.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious when playing, it’s definitely time to take a step back and remind yourself to gamble responsibly.
One of the major causes of problem gambling across the board, not just in roulette, is greed. The truth is, when money is involved, people get and small taste and start to push for more. Not only is this extremely unhealthy and could be the beginning of an addiction, but it could also leave you with nothing left.
It may just be one of the reasons why Mississippi, America’s poorest state, reported 4 billion in gambling revenue recently. People want more.
Playing big could end up in you losing big, so try to avoid staking all your funds at once. Setting up a maximum stake is a good idea, then stick by it no matter where your ‘luck’ is taking you. Practicing patience is key – don’t get carried away by the wins, and don’t feel too defeated at the losses!
Players sometimes are more aware that they need to be that playing roulette isn’t like playing a slot machine – everyone sees your wins and your losses. This is actually one of the reasons why women prefer slot machines.
The players who stick with roulette, however, may found them thrown off strategy by their own losses, the big wins of others, and a growing crowd surrounding the table.
The word of advice here is to try not to be blinded by jealousy – it simply isn’t worth changing your strategy and ruining your game. It’s also important not to let your pride take over when you win – this can easily come across as arrogance and land you in a difficult position. Try to stay calm, wherever the game decides to take you.
Try as you might to avoid it, but most people have a lucky number, and amateur players will more often than not try to use this to their advantage. Other ‘lucky’ superstitions include player’s wedding anniversary, the birthdays of their children, or even pieces of clothing.
What’s important to remember here is that a lot of these are designed specifically toward undermining the fact that roulette is a simple game of chance.
Players should remember not to rely too much on these numbers or items, as they could detract from thinking clearly and sticking to a strategy.
Lucian Marinescu, partner at OnlineCasinoGems, agreed. He said: “The problem with a lot of roulette players is they see more than just the black and red – they see luck and logic. If these players stripped these back and remembered that roulette is a game of chance, they would enjoy it a whole lot more.”
Some roulette players will try to tell you that if the red has been spun more times than the black, then betting on red is the best idea. Others will try to come up with ‘logic’ on the next spin based on the previous.
While these can be reassuring to hear, they’re complete misconceptions of roulette. If no one can offer to reason on their ‘logic’ that makes perfect sense and seems legitimate, then its best not to play by it.
In the same way, there are no sleeping or awakened numbers in roulette – this is a complete myth! Once again – don’t let yourself be distracted from the game happening right in front of you by myths. You should also make yourself aware of the best gambling terms in 2019.
Roulette moves fast, and the quicker the time between a player’s bet and the outcome, the more likely they are to continue playing. Regardless of how much money this makes for the casino, it can also lessen the rational thinking of players.
Getting lost in a chemical rush can not only muddle your strategy but can also leave you lost for hours and hours stuck in a game losing way more money than you first intended.
A good way to get around this is to set a timer if you can (although most casinos don’t allow mobiles or watches/clocks for this exact reason) or try to keep count of the amount you’ve wagered or the number of spins you’ve taken part in.
Business Insider has listed all the tricks casinos use to keep you spending your money so you can be more aware of them in the future.
As humans, we’re attached to rituals in our day to day lives that we may not even be aware of. Gambling is yet another ritual that some cling to – the shuffling of cards, the fluent movement of the dealer, the ball spinning – it can all become very familiar.
Even Scientific American agrees that rituals work well for all.
Once a player is attached to a ritual like this, it can be very hard to break away from it. Although some rituals are healthy and good for the mind, casino rituals can leave players lost in a time warp and thinking less and less about every spin.
As the clock ticks and players get fatigued and more used to the ritual, it’s easy for them to get complacent. To avoid this, make sure to take regular breaks, switch between games, and when you start to feel fatigued, leave.
