Casino Welcome Bonus – Making the Most of It

June 11, 2014 Michael Schultz

Whether you’re talking casino, poker, sportsbook, or bingo, a common feature of each and every one is the casino welcome bonus. Also known as a Deposit, or First Deposit bonus, these offers are created to entice players to become a registered member. The casino welcome bonus is sometimes followed up by other incentives including Reload bonuses, and Loyalty rewards to name a few. You’ll want to be sure to maximize the benefit offered by the casino welcome bonus in order to enhance your odds of winning. There are some different ways to achieve this; simply follow the steps below and you’ll learn the best tips and tricks to extract the most value from these special promotions.

Always Watch for Better Bonuses

One of the first things to understand is that no matter how big a casino welcome bonus you’re offered, you should always keep on the lookout for a better one. In addition to exclusive perks like free spins or free chips, some casinos have been known to give reload bonuses up to 200% extra or more with just a $25 deposit. This applies to both slots and table players, although the accompanying wagering requirement might vary depending on your game selection. Don’t be shy when it comes to seeking out the best deals. The bigger the bonus, the more money you can add to your total bankroll. Passing up an extra $100 on your bonus is the equivalent of a $100 in terms of impacting your ultimate bottom line.

Plan Your First Deposit to Make the Most of Your Casino Welcome Bonus

Sometimes you can manipulate your deposit patterns in such a way that will let you extract the most value possible out of your casino welcome bonus. For instance, consider a player that makes a deposit of $50 a week. He or she would likely be better served by making a $200 deposit in one shot instead as this would likely garner a larger percentage bonus without the necessity of spending any additional funds. Bigger bonuses mean a bigger bankroll, which in turn means less money spent each month long-term while enjoying the same amount of gameplay.

Plan Your Casino Deposits Around Bonuses

The odds are always in the casino’s favour but if you put your promotions to good use it will help you to level the playing field. Before committing to a casino check to see how often and what size promotions they offer throughout the month. This information is generally available on the website but if you have any difficulty finding it don’t hesitate to contact their customer service department; they are there to help. Also look for or ask about loyalty programs. These programs will reward you based on every bet you place.

Track Your Deposits, Bonuses, and Winnings

One last tip is a reminder to keep track of the total amount of your bankroll as well as the bonuses received in a spreadsheet that you can refer to in the future. By keeping all of your information close at hand you’ll be less likely to let any bonuses expire accidentally. With all of the things you need to remember in your daily life, there’s no reason to burden yourself by trying to keep a mental note of you bonuses. Simply by jotting this information down you’ll save a lot of money over time. It only takes a minute and you’ll be rewarded with extra time at the casino.

Online Casino Bankroll – Managing Your Betting Money

May 28, 2014 Michael Schultz

Wherever you decide to play, and whatever game you choose, applying a consistent money management strategy will make your game-play more effective. Managing your online casino bankroll sensibly will allow you to stretch your online casino bankroll, giving you the opportunity to participate in more games than you would if you were spending mindlessly. Below are some essential components of good money management for you to us to get the most action for your gaming dollars.

Step #1 – Establish an Online Casino Bankroll

Money that has been set aside for gambling purposes is often referred to as a bankroll. When determining how big an online casino bankroll should be, players often base it on how much money they can afford to lose in the event they find themselves on a losing streak. You never want to find yourself in a situation where you’ve overspent and suddenly find yourself unable to meet your financial obligations such as paying your mortgage or your health insurance premiums or even just your grocery bill. For this reason, you can’t look to someone else to decide exactly how much money you can comfortable set aside and your financial situation is unique to you, and you alone.

Step #2 – Set a Session Limit

Risking your entire online casino bankroll when you sit yourself down to play at an online casino is pure madness. A much more sensible strategy is to define a set amount of money for each gambling session. This will ensure that the majority of your bankroll will remain intact in a worst case scenario, like a particularly bad run of luck. A good rule of thumb is to refrain from spending more than 5-10% of your bankroll during any one session. That way, if Lady Luck is not on your side, you’ll still have a reserve of 90-95% of your bankroll left, which you can use when the bad luck has run its course.

Limits for future sessions should then be based on the balance of your online casino bankroll. For example, if you alot 5% of a $500 bankroll for playing, thereby giving you a session limit of 25, and you lose, you would then take another 5% of the $475 remaining balance in your online casino bankroll, giving you $23.75 to play with during your next round of play. By applying percentages to your session limits, any amount of money that you put into play will always remain as an indication of the current size of your total bankroll.

Step #3 – Make a Plan and Stick to it

Keep in mind that just because you are only putting a conservative percentage of your overall bankroll into play, this doesn’t mean that you should spend recklessly. There should always be a betting plan in place so that you can maximize any deposits you make. Read up on the vast number of betting strategy articles available online, including right here on Dr-Casino.com. You can then determine if you want to follow one of these proposed strategies or simply split the money you’ve allotted for a particular session into equal units of ten, twenty, or more. This will allow you to place the same number of bets at the slot machines, blackjack or roulette tables, etc.

Step #4 – Know When to Quit

Winning or losing when playing at an online casino over the long-term can often be determined by whether or not you know when to walk away from the tables. If you find yourself routinely playing until your session limit has been eradicated, then chances are that you will inevitably lose money over a long period of time regardless of how often you win in the short run. But, if you learn to quit as soon as you start to generate a decent amount of profit, you’ll have an opportunity to profit in the long run as well. For instance, you might opt to quit playing should you double your online casino bankroll. Or, you could decide that a 50% profit on top of your session limit is sufficient. Whatever the scenario, determine when you will stop playing in advance and no matter what, keep to it.

No money management strategy on earth can guarantee that you will be successful at an online casino. However, the guiding principles set out above are much more likely to put you on the path to riches than if you were to play without exercising any technique whatsoever. Follow these suggestions for a month or so and you’ll discover what a difference a little money management can make.

Online Casino Winnings – How to Collect Them

April 23, 2014 Sarah Ryan

A major concern shared by players at online casinos is whether or not they will receive their online casino winnings. This is a legitimate concern. After all, with very few exceptions, online casinos are unregulated. It is not uncommon for them to disappear, leaving disgruntled players out of pocket. That being said, there are many operators who are in it for the long haul and who understand the importance of not only paying players, but paying them promptly. By exercising a little precaution, players are able to significantly reduce the risk of encountering any difficulties when collecting their hard-won cash.

Step One: Do your research

Anyone who believes that ignorance is bliss should think twice before playing at an online casino. Knowledge is power and learning what to expect from playing at an online casino is almost as important as knowing how to play the games themselves. Your first stop should be the casino’s website. More often than not, it will be packed full of useful information, inluding information about caching in online casino winnings. Before you register, check to see what level of customer support they provide. Ideally, service will be available via email, toll-free telephone, and live chat. Test them out. Send an email and track their response time. You should never have to wait more than 24 hours for a response and if you do, move on. Look for instructions on how the cash-in process works, how long you might have to wait to receive your online casino winnings. Also verify what deposit and online casino winnings withdrawal methods they support and whether or not there are any fees that will be applied when you withdraw the online casino winnings. And lastly, confirm if funds are taken from your account immediately or if there is a hold, and if there is a hold, how for how long will the funds be held.

Another valuable source for information are gambling forums. These forums will allow you to benefit from the research and experience gathered by seasoned gamblers. If a casino is playing games or behaving in any unusual or suspicious activity, they are likely to discover it first and are known to be vocal when it comes to a lack of satisfaction. If you don’t see any posts related to your casino of choice, create a post of your own and solicit feedback. However, make an effort to read through previous posts firsts as forum members are known to be somewhat impatient with other users who fail to do their own research before seeking advice.

Step Two: Keep a record of your deposits and online casino winnings

Once your homework is complete and you’ve settled on a casino with a solid reputation based on good customer service, and little to no fees for cash-ins, you can proceed to making a first deposit. It’s always a good idea to develop consistent habits right from the start, so document your first deposit and if you made your deposit using a credit card, make sure you verify your purchase. Be on the lookout for double charges, especially in the event that one of your deposits is declined. Take note of the date that you made your purchase, the time, the casino you are playing at, the total amount of the deposit, and the credit card you used to make the transaction. In the event that you spot an error, contact the credit card company or e-wallet provider and the casino right away. Include all of the information you have documented relating to the transaction and submit it via email so that you have a written record of the dispute. Do not include your full credit card number in the email. For example, simply state “credit card ending in “****0909″ as you don’t want to run the risk that your email could be intercepted and used by an unrelated third party hacker. Save a digital copy of the email and print an extra copy just to be safe. Oftentimes these cases can be resolved quickly and without further incident, but at the time it can be rather alarming and being prepared is your best defense.

Step Three: Understand the online casino winnings cash-in process

When it comes time for you to cash-in your online casino winnings, make sure that you follow the casino’s withdrawal procedures to the letter. Keep a clear record of every step of the transaction: dates, times, amounts, and keep a copy of any and all email communications between you and the casino as it pertains to your online casino winnings withdrawal request. This is critical, because the casino staff are human and can make simple clerical errors, and because technology isn’t infallible. Once you’ve made numerous transactions at a casino the chances that something might go wrong are limited, but if it’s your first withdrawal, mistakes can, and sometimes will occur. Depending on the amount of the cash-in, the casino may request that you fill out and sign a form. This form would likely document all of the purchases that were made before the online casino winnings withdrawal request was made. Once completed, you would then need to return the form via fax, accompanied by a copy of both sides of the credit card used to make the transactions, as well as a copy of some form of photo ID, such as a passport or driver’s license. This is pretty standard and the casino will not release any funds until this requirement has been met. Keep a copy of these forms for your personal records and make a note of the date and time you transmitted your information via fax. When procedures are carefully followed you should have no trouble collecting your cash.

Step Four: In case of emergency

Sometimes, due to no fault of their own, a player can encounter difficulty collecting their online casino winnings. If such a situation should arise, the first step in resolving the issue is to deal with the casino and the credit card or e-cash provider directly. When doing so, it is recommended that you keep your cool. Being diplomatic but firm can work, but not always. As before, document every step and all communication. If all else fails, you can try enlisting the help of a Players’ advocate to collect your online casino winnings. Organizations such as the Online Players’ Association will assist their members who are experiencing difficulties and players can also submit complaints to online casino watchdog sites, which serve as mediators in cases where there is a dispute between players and the casino.

Like anything else in life, there’s no guarantee that your online gambling experience will be trouble-free, but, if you’re proactive, informed, and well-prepared, you should always be able to collect your online casino winnings and it can be an extremely entertaining and rewarding pastime!