Is Chasing Losses at Online Casinos a Mistake?

It is easy to be carried away in online casinos. Players are constantly barraged by promotions and new games. Operators keep you engaged even when you are not playing. You will receive bonuses via e-mail or text. Such generosity might overwhelm you at first. However, all of these steps are designed towards keeping you playing for as long as possible.

Long-time gamers are familiar with the idea of theoretical and actual RTP. Games are built in such a way that, long-term, the casino will always win. You can score a big win and come out on top. However, if you consider every player enjoying the same slot or table game? There will always be enough losers to balance out the winners. Part of the casino’s advantage comes from players chasing losses.

Why it Doesn’t Work

At first glance, the idea seems like it should be able to work. Sure, you may be down more rupees than you would like to be. However, you still have enough in your balance to make up for it. If you double up on your previous wager and win, you could still make that money back. The concept even exists as the Martingale roulette strategy, so it should obviously have some merit, right?

Except Martingale’s strategy is high-risk, and not worth it more often than not. The problem always comes back to the RTP value of any casino game you play. Your return to player will never be equal to 100%. It will always be less, meaning any wins you do make are based on luck. Skill only goes so far, and only for specific games. If you want to beat the casino, the only way to do that is through luck.

If luck is not on your side, your increasing wagers will not amount to much. You will just be burying yourself deeper, losing even more money than you might have otherwise. However, that is not always the case. Some gamers have managed to turn a losing streak around with a big win or even a progressive jackpot.

Sometimes, You Get Lucky

Play casino games for long enough, and you will undoubtedly hear fancy stories about impossible comebacks. You may even live to have it happen to you. That is the power of luck. It is ever changing, and entirely unreliable. Sometimes, you will have a fantastic day. Other times, you will be dragged through awful losing streaks. Most times? It will be somewhere in between.

We cannot control luck. No one can. However, as we mentioned before, luck is one part of the equation. The second thing that rules the world of Online Casino, Online Gambling & Variations is math. Math that clearly tells us that trying to chase losses offers very bad odds. Increasing your wagers and desperately betting in hopes of a big win to come and save you? It rarely works out.

If that is the case, players have to decide their path. Do you ignore all the evidence telling you that chasing losses is bad? Do you put your faith that a miracle will happen and save your ruined budget? You can do that, but down that path lie the first step to having a gambling problem. It is far better to cut your losses early. Call it a day, and come back tomorrow with a fresh outlook and hopefully better luck.