The best time to leave a casino is … when? I have not done a study of casino players on this topic, but it is my belief that most of them have no idea when the best time to leave a casino is for them personally.
They may bring along a certain casino playing stake (or, worse yet, choose to hit the ATM for their playing cash) and have some general idea how much they are willing to lose before giving up the quest for riches and heading home.
It is a sad fact that most gamblers do not have any plan regarding when they will leave the casino. Most will play as long as they are able based on how they feel and how long their money lasts. Some of them will play even longer by hitting the ATM to replenish the initial (and then ultimately lost) bankroll.
When is the best time to leave the casino? This article explores the topic.
Contents
- Types of Casino Player
- Good Times Charlie
- Ima Got-rocks
- Careful Carl
- Summary
Types of Casino Player
It is very difficult to provide the best time to leave the casino that covers all types of players. Each type can have a different answer. This article will cover the following types of players.
- Good Times Charlie - Players who come to the casino strictly for entertainment. They have a somewhat limited gambling budget. They may know the rules of how to play the games they play, but they know nothing about things like basic strategy in blackjack or strategy for optimum play in video poker.
- Ima Got-rocks – Money is the least of this player’s concerns. The money they win or lose means nothing. It is a contest between them and the house. They may or may not know they best bets or games with the best return. They are in it for the action all the way.
- Careful Carl - Players who know the proper strategy for playing the games they like to play. They make low house edge bets such as the line bet – possibly with odds at craps. They know how to determine the video poker games with best return and know the proper way to play them. They bring gambling funds that are strictly reserved for playing and are not need for living expenses.
Good Times Charlie
Most players who fall into this category tend to leave the casino when they run out of money. Upon hitting a big win, most of this class of players will continue to play hoping for another big win. Most Good Times Charlies are focused on playing as long as they can. Far too often, even with big wins, “as long as they can” is until they run out of money.
There is technically nothing wrong with this approach – if they are playing with money they can afford to lose. That is, money that has been set aside and is reserved for casino play.
If this is the case, these Good Times Charlie players may go home depressed, but there is no long-term impact. The best time to leave for these Good Times Charlie players is whenever they like. They will be happier leaving if they are ahead, but they came for entertainment. Entertainment costs money and they are willing and able to pay the price.
Most Good Times Charlies have a different style, however. They may bring what they feel they can afford to lose, even though it may be needed for rent or groceries. These players hope to win to help with upcoming expenses. Worse yet, some of these players will run through everything they brought and then hit the ATM for additional funds. Rather than quitting when they are lucky enough to score a big win, they play until this is also lost.
Unfortunately, the best time for these players to leave the casino is – before they arrive. The casino has a house edge on everything. Players who don’t have the discipline to amass the funds to play plus stay within that budget should not tempt themselves.
Ima Got-rocks
Obviously, the best time for this type of player to leave the casino is whenever he or she wants. The money does not matter. They are playing for fun and/or excitement. Let them have it. They can certainly afford it.
Careful Carl
For Careful Carls the best time to leave the casino is a bit more complex. They are doing everything properly to give themselves the best chance of winning or playing for the maximum time possible.
Obviously, they will leave when they lose their bankroll. They will not hit the ATM. Leaving then will not hurt them. But, what about leaving when they are ahead? Many pundits promote this.
Sounds like a good idea, doesn’t it? The problem is, how do you define “ahead?” If they win the first hand of blackjack, they are ahead. Is this the best time to leave? They may never be ahead after this win. Leaving now would not make the trip worthwhile. One hand and quit? Really?
No, there needs to be a way to balance leaving when you are ahead and playing for a reasonable length of time.
Some authors promote trying to reach a certain win level of perhaps 10 units before calling it quits.
One method I like is locking up a percentage of each win. With each win, put 30 to 50% of it aside. This is not to be touched. This is profit to be taken with you with you when you leave. Continue playing with the remainder of your allocated bankroll until it is gone or are ready to leave for other reasons. Using this method, it is virtually impossible to leave the casino empty-handed.
For Careful Carls, this is the best time to leave the casino.
Summary
The best time to leave a casino depends on the type of player.
- Undisciplined players should leave before they come.
- Those with (nearly) unlimited resources can play all they want before leaving.
- Disciplined players should set aside a portion of each win to be taken with them when they leave.
