Let's talk about Bankroll

[RiverSong]

When I first started gambling a few hundred a trip was my bankroll. These were day trips to Atlantic City. Over the years my "wants" have grown. I would now like $1000 a day, and that can go in hours...as I've graduated from pennies to dollars. Even at pennies max bet can be $6.00 or more. Over the years I'm spending more and more...I want to get back to being satisfied with ~$150 to ~$300 a day.

Video slots with bonuses entertain me, $1 or $5 reel slots excite me. I've tried low rolling, however, I usually end up betting higher as winning low amounts doesn't seem worth it. I am inspired by low rollers who post their .50c handpays....there is hope, thank you.

How about you, have your bankroll needs changed?

[Darrell from WI]

Cassie when I started in 1994 I played mostly nickels - 3 at a time so $100 was more than enough. Around 2000 when IGT invented the TITO it allowed for penny machines without dealing with the pennies. IMHO that changed everything & not all for the better. I slowly built up my bet size where I am now comfortable in betting $2 -$3 a spin when it feels right. I probably have about a $400 -$600 Bankroll for non-overnight trips. It all boils down to how much disposable income you have to play with. Also my income is more than double what it was in 1994. Looking back in time I feel like I enjoyed it more then compared to now. I've had 8 HPs in almost 21 years but it is too easy to lose focus & thus your BR.

[Skyler]

Im mostly happy still min betting most slots because id rather play for longer, it really is entertaining for me. However, I do find myself wanting to bet higher at VP lately. The only slots I usually max bet on are QHs and then I usually try to play the ones thatvare 1.50 max. I try to keep myself at 500 per day. Im not sure how you go back once you've been betting higher though. That would be hard. Maybe you could start lowering your bets by playing machines you know are capable of higher wins on low bets like WW. Not sure if you like those kinds of slots?

[goldengreeke]

I can still make a trip to my local Isle of Capri with a $200.00 bankroll and have a blast betting 40 cents a spin on Vegas Shindig and Buffalo and it usually lasts me 4-6 hours.

Vegas however, I am playing for comps. Those beautiful suites, large FP amounts, and F&B packages are quite attractive and I want to keep them coming so I bring around $1,000.00 a day and tend to bet max on all the penny machines.

Pretty stupid actually because if I paid for those suites and meals it would cost me MUCH less than $1,000.00 a day.

[Darrell from WI]

Cassie when I started in 1994 I played mostly nickels - 3 at a time so $100 was more than enough. Around 2000 when IGT invented the TITO it allowed for penny machines without dealing with the pennies. IMHO that changed everything & not all for the better. I slowly built up my bet size where I am now comfortable in betting $2 -$3 a spin when it feels right. I probably have about a $400 -$600 Bankroll for non-overnight trips. It all boils down to how much disposable income you have to play with. Also my income is more than double what it was in 1994. Looking back in time I feel like I enjoyed it more then compared to now. I've had 8 HPs in almost 21 years but it is too easy to lose focus & thus your BR.

I used to play this a lot a couple of years ago. This is NOT my hit but I saw a guy hit this last night & gives a guy encouragement that you can bet 60c and win $300. Such a pretty pic. http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/07/32f577d533aa3b2693d3b146dd9d981d.jpg


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[Moneybags]

I like to have 200X my average bet size. So, if I take $200, I'll start out betting around $1/spin. But I do take the time into account. For example, if I'm going at lunch, I'll probably start betting higher. Generally, I don't go to $5 machines unless I've got $500, and then I'll bet 1 credit, which is my usual bet on $5 machines.

[SoCalRob]

I was always a low roller about .40 to $1.50 on penny slots. It wasn't until I came into some money(for a really horrible reason) that my bets got higher. I now bet between $1.50 and $5.00 for the most part sticking at $2.00 to $3.50(or so). When I do bet small, like you I don't feel satisfied with the small wins, not only that but a big reason my bankroll amount changed was because I noticed how much more comps I was racking up and how fast up the tier ladder (CET) I was moving. I, like you would love to get to a smaller bankroll and medium sized bets. In the foreseeable future, I don't see that happening, but let me know what tricks or things you try to do to keep your goal. Maybe you could teach me a thing or two?

[oldslotguy]

Cassie, know what you mean here. First starting slots we were each taking a $30 BR and playing nickels, and were really careful we didn't lose it all.;). Then we got to quarters, but just 1 per play, then 3 quarter max with a $1 bet here/there, then $3 max, and It all just went nuts from there:loco:.

I was taking a couple thousand a year or so ago and played nearly all $5 and up. When I lost my entire BR one day early this year, and had to do a WOS +, I told myself .. that is enough of THAT, + paying the state tax on every HP, w/no loss es deductible. Back down now to $200 each + FP.

Yeah, the wins are a lot smaller, but so are those dang losses.

[SlotMommy]

Oh yes my BR has changed drastically back from the days of when I first started gambling about 15 years ago.

I actually miss those days of getting excited over my smaller wins and not being so greedy as I am now. I miss the days of the smaller bets and WAY smaller losses. Because as we all know too well, when you bring those larger BR's, when you have those losing trips (which are way more frequent than the winning trips for me, lol)...you lose A LOT.

Sometimes I wish I never got sucked into playing max bet or higher denomination machines. But now that I have, and have gotten many tastes of getting big wins on those big bets, it's so hard to go back to the days of my small BR and getting excited over my smaller wins.

It's an expensive hobby for sure...but damn do I love it! Lol.


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[hlaburg]

My bankroll has increased over the years as I do like to play the $5 machines. They are exciting to play especially when winning. I do enjoy playing video keno and penny slots too as I usually move around in a casino. I'm usually in Vegas for 3 nights and play a certain amount I'm willing to lose. I have had trips where I come home a loser and trips where I have my bankroll intact and some.

I justify my losses with the great comps I get as the casinos definitely know how to lure players :)

[oldslotguy]

My bankroll has increased over the years as I do like to play the $5 machines. They are exciting to play especially when winning. I do enjoy playing video keno and penny slots too as I usually move around in a casino. I'm usually in Vegas for 3 nights and play a certain amount I'm willing to lose. I have had trips where I come home a loser and trips where I have my bankroll intact and some.

I justify my losses with the great comps I get as the casinos definitely know how to lure players :)

When you reach a point where you could have eaisly paid out of pocket instead of losses, those "free" conps don't amount to diddily.

[Nhcris]

I have been systematically raising my bankroll over the years as well. Before I retired, I only got to a casino now & then, like on a cruise or a rare trip to AC. In those days i thought nothing of playing 5 line dollar slots and when I went through $60 or so, I called it a day.

After I retired I finally got to Vegas & I think my bankroll for the first trip was around $250 for the entire trip. But as a Vegas first timer (DH was there for a conference) there was so much to see & do that I would throw a $20 in when I had a few minutes and that was about it. Slots had changed & I didn't understand all the penny video machines, so I spent a lot of time seeking out old quarter & dollar reels.

Somewhere along the line I got the brilliant idea of doing some online research, stumbled on a slot forum, and the rest is history. Gone are the days that I can go to Vegas with a couple hundred bucks. I can't even go to my locals without a decent bankroll anymore. Funny thing is, I won fairly frequently in the early days, and because my bankroll was so small I would stop and take my winnings. Now unless it is a huge win, I have become conditioned to playing it all back. DUH!

[RiverSong]

I plan on going to one of my local casinos in June. So far I have $150 saved, by then I should have $240 more and this will be for a 2 night stay. ( plus $90 freeplay ) I'm going to gamble like its 1999! :lol:

[SoCalRob]

I plan on going to one of my local casinos in June. So far I have $150 saved, by then I should have $240 more and this will be for a 2 night stay. ( plus $90 freeplay ) I'm going to gamble like its 1999! :lol:

Great fortune is wished. I expect a TR on it too RiverSong!! :)

[hlaburg]

When you reach a point where you could have eaisly paid out of pocket instead of losses, those "free" conps don't amount to diddily.

I have thought that many times especially on losing trips but if I'm going to play the slots I might as well take the comps...

[Nhcris]

When you reach a point where you could have eaisly paid out of pocket instead of losses, those "free" conps don't amount to diddily.

I also take comps into considerations to soothe my losses. I sometimes think "Heck, I should have just paid for the room and meals" but what would I do with my time? And what about the thrill of the possibilities? But that being said, I do need to reevaluate my strategy (yet again) and cut back on the big losses.

[Skyler]

Cassie, I would love a play by play of how you're feeling and what you're thinking as you low roll like it's 1999! Would definitely be interesting to me for sure!

[zeus]

I am a very thrifty person. So we budget $400 per person per day for Vegas. It used to be $300 per day. But we are not high rollers at all and can play off of that moving our bets up and down throughout the day. We figure it is that much per day at an all-inclusive resort and since we are not really fans of the sun, Vegas it is. We get to stay, play and eat off of our gambling BR, so it is all good. We are in the process of paying off our house 16 years early and padding the retirement accounts, so we try to be somewhat modest with our gambling budgets.

[Evoni]

When you reach a point where you could have eaisly paid out of pocket instead of losses, those "free" conps don't amount to diddily.

I think that depends on the individual and where they are playing and how often. I don't play at locals but in Vegas I have gotten comps that definitely made up for a good portion of my gambling losses and sometimes all the losses, especially when they have special events like their gift shows and I can score a lot of Best Buy and Macy's gift certificates. Then there are those rare trips where everything is comped and we go home with more money then we arrived with. Of course there are also plenty of losing trips where the comps didn't make up for the losses but at least it was better then paying for both the gambling and then also paying for a room, resort fee and food too. For the most part I don't gamble extra just to get the comps, I'm usually gambling the same amount I would have played on the trip even if I was paying for my room, food and shows. I do agree with you that if one finds they are gambling over the amount they would have gambled on the trip if paying for their own room and food and feel the comps are driving them to gamble more then they should, it's time to reevaluate the value of their "comps".

[oldslotguy]

I think that depends on the individual and where they are playing and how often. I don't play at locals but in Vegas I have gotten comps that definitely made up for a good portion of my gambling losses and sometimes all the losses, especially when they have special events like their gift shows and I can score a lot of Best Buy and Macy's gift certificates. Then there are those rare trips where everything is comped and we go home with more money then we arrived with. Of course there are also plenty of losing trips where the comps didn't make up for the losses but at least it was better then paying for both the gambling and then also paying for a room, resort fee and food too. For the most part I don't gamble extra just to get the comps, I'm usually gambling the same amount I would have played on the trip even if I was paying for my room, food and shows. I do agree with you that if one finds they are gambling over the amount they would have gambled on the trip if paying for their own room and food and feel the comps are driving them to gamble more then they should, it's try to reevaluate the value of their "comps".

Very true Evoni. I should be keeping track of ALL my comps. As of now it's $125 @week FP, and 2-3 times a month double that, $50 @ week 'free' food, 2 rooms @ month. Also get comp $s, points for more 'free' play. Over 3 nights for our anniversary, we had 3 rooms,$1145 FP, $350 food. Really quite generous, + came out ahead.

[Evoni]

Very true Evoni. I should be keeping track of ALL my comps. As of now it's $125 @week FP, and 2-3 times a month double that, $50 @ week 'free' food, 2 rooms @ month. Also get comp $s, points for more 'free' play. Over 3 nights for our anniversary, we had 3 rooms,$1145 FP, $350 food. Really quite generous, + came out ahead.

Wow, that was a great deal for your anniversary, congrats on both the anniversary and coming out ahead at the casino. :)

[Big Mac]

I usually try to build up $1k per day of play for a bankroll.

Last trip I had $1500 for the 3 nights and ended up coming home with $1700 after all expenses, tips, cabs, etc.. So nice when that happens.

B

[oldslotguy]

I usually try to build up $1k per day of play for a bankroll.

Last trip I had $1500 for the 3 nights and ended up coming home with $1700 after all expenses, tips, cabs, etc.. So nice when that happens.

B

Oh, if it only would happen more often:boxing:

[Oxygenator]

For me, one day bankroll equals 2 days pay (before taxes). Good balance I think, without getting over my head potentially.