While I have never been one to set resolutions, mostly because I think adding anything else “to do” in the beginning of January is an awful idea, this year, I welcomed the chance for some goal oriented self reflection – casino edition.
Of course, there are some immediate ideas that come to mind, perhaps actually checking out more of what a property has to offer beyond the slot floor or dabbling in some new table games. Overall, I want to curtail my tendency to overindulge in large bets, and rediscover the thrill of low rolling.
Read on below to see more of the gambling and casino specific goals I have in mind.
Bet Smaller: In a day and age where everything and everyone is seemingly competing to be the biggest and best, especially when it comes to wager sizes, I want to turn the dial the other way.
Instead of testing my luck (and budget) on higher denominations or pounding the max bet button, I want to try and retrain my brain to be more than content with some smaller scale stakes. By lowering the stakes, in theory, I can play for longer without torching my budget.
Budget Refinement: Speaking of budgets, I want to lower that too – if only just a little. If you’re anything like me, your gambling budget has crept up there a little as has your bet sizes. Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to slash my budget completely, but rather, scale it back to a more reasonable amount. Over time, I want to see how much I really need to bring if I act more responsibly with bet sizes and act when it’s time to walk away.
Stick to a Budget: Part of knowing when to walk away is when your budget has run dry. I will be the first to admit that sometimes, maybe even most of the time, that is easier said than done.
While 90% of the time I am gracious about accepting defeat, there are those times I do get a little, let’s say, tilted, and start chasing my losses. I know and you know that chasing loses is bad, one of the worst situations you could put yourself in on the floor, but it happens to the best of us. My kryptonite comes in the form of accumulators – I know better, but there is just something about them that speaks to me… almost like that is the purpose of their design.
For my upcoming casino trips, I want to really make an effort to stick to my budget, either daily or per machine, and not allow myself to load in another $20 in hopes of winning it all back.
Pro tip: Most banking institutions allow you to set a daily debit card withdrawal limit. I set this up when I lived in Vegas just to make sure I didn’t get carried away. There is no shame in setting up safeguards!
Wins: Instead of focusing on the dollar amount won, I want to start doing some quick casino math and home in on the win relative to the bet size. By not looking at the total dollar amount as a sign of success, I can focus on how impressive it truly is by dividing the win by the bet. I am typically happy with anything that is 20 times my bet size, and I am impressed once it hits the 50x mark.
Explore The Floor: I am a creature of routine and someone that is drawn to the familiar. Because of this, I constantly find myself playing the same family of titles or games that I fell in love with nearly a decade ago. Instead of gravitating towards the same games each time, I want to challenge myself to take at least five new games for a spin each time I hit the floor. The bets can be miniscule, the point is to explore what is out there and, just maybe, find a new favorite along the way.
More Than The Floor: Similarly, I want to make it a point to explore everything that a property has to offer.
Case and Point: Pretty much everyone and their mother knows that I adore The Plaza Hotel & Casino, but there are a number of things that I have still yet to do on property including use the pool, play pickleball, or check out the lounge literally right off the floor. I’ve also never won a drawing if someone wants to make that happen (cough, cough). I need to make a concerted effort to pry myself away from the gaming cabinets and take in more of what properties have to offer.
At the end of the day, it looks like the overarching theme for my goals is to slow down, take less risks, and enjoy more of the ride. Good luck to you in 2026 and may all your gambling dreams come true.
Have some gambling goals of your own to add to the list? Add them in the comments below.
