We’ve all heard the old adage “quit while you’re ahead.” But putting that into practice when caught up in the thrill of online gambling is easier said than done. Developing the discipline to walk away from the virtual tables or slots while in the black takes cultivation. Here’s how to put together a smart gambling blueprint that allows you to play responsibly and maximize your wins at Ricky Casino Australia.

Know Your Motivations

Before plunking down cash on any real money games, get very clear on why you want to gamble online in the first place. Are you in it purely for entertainment and don’t care if you win or lose? Do you enjoy the challenge of using skill and strategy to try and earn a profit? Or do you see it as a way to make easy money?

Having defined goals and understanding your motivations allows you to set realistic expectations, manage bankrolls wisely, and determine ahead of time when you’ll stop playing. It also helps you avoid falling into the trap of chasing losses or developing an unhealthy addiction.

Set a Budget

No matter what your motivations are, set a strict gambling budget based on what you can afford to lose and stick to it. Remember, the house has the mathematical advantage in most online casino games. Assume the money you put up to gamble with is the cost of entertainment just like going to see a movie. Any winnings are a bonus.

Experts recommend capping your bankroll to no more than 1-2% of your annual salary. If you make $50,000 per year, your max budget would be $500-$1000. Divide that by the number of gambling sessions or outings you plan to have over a year.

Make it a hard rule to only take what you’ve budgeted per session with you and leave bank cards or any additional funds at home.

Set Win Goals

In addition to loss limits, setting predetermined win goals is key to long-term profits. It’s smart to get out when you’re having an especially lucky run versus giving back gains in hopes of an even bigger score.

Come up with a baseline profit per session you’d be happy with based on your budget. If you’ve allotted $100 for that day’s play, does earning $50 get you excited? How about winning back $150? Set tiered goals per session as well as weekly or monthly profit markers.

Have an Exit Strategy

When you hit those predetermined profit goals during a session, it’s time to walk away a winner. Withdraw your bankroll and original budget amount immediately. Having an exit strategy you stick to is vital to avoiding the pitfalls of that “just a few more bets” mentality.

Be prepared to lose half your profits chasing more or risk losing everything you’ve earned in a natural turn of bad luck. Smart gamblers know when to quit while they’re ahead.

Track Game Stats

Keeping detailed records of your gambling sessions provides you with critical data on what’s working and where you may need to improve strategy. Taking notes on key stats per game gives you insights on volatility, hit frequency, or hot and cold streaks.

Tracking over a long period of time also lets you set new success markers, adjust budgets up or down, and determine which games provide the highest returns on investment.

Sample Tracking Metrics Per Game Poker

• Big blind vs small blind ratio
• Red line vs blue line
• ROI per tournament
• Luck factor

Slots

• Hit frequency
• Max spins without hits
• Bonus round frequency
• Pattern recognition

Blackjack

• Running count
• True count
• Big player wins/losses
• Double down success

Knowledge truly gives you an advantage when striving to quit each session a little further ahead.

Gambling Responsibly

While gambling online should be entertaining, having a smart strategy allows you to play responsibly. That means setting strict loss limits you can afford and exercising discipline to stop playing when you hit predetermined profit goals - even when on winning streaks.

Intelligent players also understand the mathematical edge favors the house in most games. So it’s critical to master game strategy, track key stats, understand your motivations, and have a strict budget and exit plan for each gambling session.

Approaching online gambling as you would any investment powered by knowledge and self-control allows you enjoy the games responsibly while often quitting well ahead.