Don't Be a Sucker - Choose Your Bets

Tip Category: Casino Games

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Online casino players can choose to play safe, or to take chances with their hard-earned money, however, there are some bets that are always advisable to avoid. These bets have become known, quite appropriately, as sucker bets.

Sucker bets are so named, because those who bet on them are simply suckers. They have allowed the casino to sucker them into a bet that carries bad odds, with high house edges. Online casinos do need to turn a profit, but as far as the player is concerned, there is a price that is acceptable to pay for their entertainment and their chance of winning, but there is also a price that is simply too high for casinos to ask.

Generally, any bet that the casino offers during play, such as side bets, that are not available at the start of the game, are sucker bets. While side bets are gimmicky, and may well look attractive in the moment they are offered, they have been mathematically proven to raise the house edge above the true odds, and thereby lower the chances of the player winning. Remember that you have already placed your bet, and do not need the something extra that a flashy sales pitch will offer you.

One of the most well-known online casino sucker bets is the insurance bet on a blackjack hand. While blackjack gives players some of the best odds available in a casino, the blackjack insurance bet should simply be avoided.

Another sucker bet that is best avoided are the craps center bets. Craps has a number of other betting options, which offer a lower house percentage, and therefore a higher chance of winning. There is no reason for an experienced, or knowledgeable, craps player to ever place a center bet.

The baccarat tie bet increases the house edge to over 14 percent, and should also be avoided.

When playing roulette, there are some bets that are more worthwhile placing than others, but the most important point to remember is that you should not play roulette on a double zero wheel. When playing on the single zero wheel, the house edge is drastically reduced from that of the double zero wheel. Playing roulette on a double zero wheel can turn all your betting options into sucker bets.

One of the best ways that you can protect yourself from sucker bets is by learning enough about the game that you are playing. When you understand the nature of the game, and how the betting works, as well as a basic knowledge of the odds and the house edge, you should be well equipped to avoid sucker bets.

Tip: A good way to spot a sucker bet is when the odds or the payout are particularly high. The higher the odds, the less likely you are to win the bet, and the more likely you are to say goodbye to your money.