How To Win At The Casino With $20 Budget – 10 interesting ideas & concepts
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Not very long ago I was at the F1 race in Las Vegas. While being there for the race I of course also enjoyed some shooting and gambling. I wasn’t very lucky and lost quite a bit of money during my first days in the casino. Because of this I had only $20 gambling budget left for my last day. So I asked myself the question: ‘’How to win at the casino with $20 budget?’’.
I instantly started thinking of clever way how to win at the casino using my $20 gambling budget. During breakfast I also had a discussion with my travel companions about how I should spend my last $20 to see if I can leave Vegas with a profit. Or a least, a profit for the final day.
While brainstorming me and my co-workers thought of multiple ways how to win at the casino with $20. I will share the ideas we discovered with the most potential below from most interesting to least interesting. Use these ideas to turn your $20 into a profit during your next casino visit.
Important things you should consider before going to the casino
- Gambling always knows many dangers. Gambling often leads to financial losses and emotional damage. Keep your gambling under control and always set limits.
- In the end the chances of losing are always bigger than the chances of winning. The casino always has a house edge which ensures they will always win in the long run.
- You can maximize your chances of winning with $20 at the casino by playing games with low bets and high return-to-player rates.
- By using promotional offers you can bump up your playing abilities. You can receive free cash on sign up or while buying in at most (online) casinos.
Best ways to win at the casino with $20 – 10 interesting ideas & concepts
There are multiple ways how you can increase your odds of winning at the casino with $20. Below I will share interesting ideas and concepts how you can improve your chances of leaving the casino with a profit. Use these and optimize your gambling strategy and who knows you might bag a nice profit in the casino next time!
1. Stick to legitimate casinos only
It doesn’t matter if you are looking to gamble in the real world or online, you should always stick to reputable casinos only. Both physical casino and online casinos can be shady, and that’s why you should always check user reviews.
While I was in Las Vegas it wasn’t hard to find a reputable casino. Las Vegas, and especially The Strip, is basically filled with it. I was staying at the New York New York Hotel & Casino, which has an excellent and trustworthy casino. Additionally I visited the following secure casinos while staying in Las Vegas:
- Aria Resort & Casino – excellent choice for playing slots
- Golden Nugget – best choice for table games in the ‘’Old Town’’ (Fremont street)
- The Cosmopolitan – best casino for bars and restaurants
- Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa – best place if you want to stay far of The Strip
- The STRAT Hotel, Casino & Tower – number 1 casino to gamble with a nice view
- The Venetian Resort – Stunning casino with an actual Venetian recreation inside
If you a planning to use your $20 to gamble at an online casino then there is also a wide variety of trustworthy casinos available. In the US you can now bet online at all major brands including BetMGM, Caesars, Tropicana, DraftKings, and Fanduel.
Online gambling is now limited to Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. If you are physically not in any of these states you can only take your $20 to play at a local casino.
When you are going to a local casino I would always recommend doing some research first. This is very important to decide whether a casino is really credible and worth your while. Personally I would for example never go to Big Money Casinos in New York, simply because of how the place looks. This doesn’t look trustworthy and secure at all!
2. Play small
Get more out of your $20 budget by playing with small bets. You can of course blow your $20 with a single bet on Blackjack, but it might be better to use it in small portions.
In general, I would recommend placing bets that make sense with your bankroll. Of course, if you won some money and are feeling lucky, then you can increase your bets. But simply start small. Get a feeling of the game and the table. And only increase your bets when you feel the time is right.
Bigger bets will give you a chance to win bigger, but they will also give you a big hit when you lose. Stay sensible and keep remembering that you only have a $20 budget.
If the casino doesn’t offer table games with small limit you might need to consider playing slots or even penny slots. These games allows you to gamble with smaller bets.
3. Use promotional offers to increase your bankroll
In brick-and-mortar casinos it isn’t very easy to get a bonus, but as good as all online casinos offer interesting promotions. You can use these promotions to get an extra bonus while sign-in up or making a first deposit in the casino.
A popular type of online casino bonus is a no deposit bonus. This type of bonus will award you with some free spins or free bonus cash on sign-up. To get such a bonus, you won’t have to spend anything of your $20, but you can still make a profit. When you win with a no deposit bonus code, and finish the wagering requirement, you can withdraw real money instantly.
Another type of bonus which online casinos normally offer is a welcome bonus. A welcome bonus allows you to get a bonus while making your first deposit in the casino. Many casinos will offer you a 100% bonus during your first deposit in the casino. If you for example make a $20 deposit, you will get a $20 bonus. This allows you to play with a $40 total balance. With this doubled balance you will have a better chance of winning with your $20 at the casino as long as you play clever.
If you are looking for an online casino that offers an no deposit bonus as well as an welcome bonus then I can recommend BetMGM Casino. Using our BetMGM Casino promo code BBCUSA you can opt-in for a $25 free no deposit bonus and a 100% deposit bonus up $1,000. At BetMGM you can trigger the welcome bonus with only a $10 deposit so you can even claim it when you only have a $20 budget to play at the casino.
BetMGM online casino is now available in Michigan, New Jersey, Ontario, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Sign up your account now for $25 on the house and a 100% deposit match up $1,000.
Claim $25 No Deposit + $1,000 Bonus
- Massive selection of games including slots & table games and live dealer games
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When you decide to play with a casino promotion then you should always mind the bonus terms and conditions. Every bonus comes with a certain set of rules, which will limit you in various ways. Be aware of what you can, and what you can’t do, because otherwise you might be disappointed later on.
4. Focus on casino games with a high RTP (return to player) rate
If you want to win at the casino with $20 you should focus on playing casino games with a high RTP. The RTP, return to player, gives you an indication of how big the house edge on a game is.
While playing European roulette the house edge is 2,7%. This means the RTP of the game is 100 – 2,7 = 97,3%.
If you decide to play American roulette instead of European the game has an extra zero. This extra zero will increase the house edge and lower the RTP. Because of the extra zero the RTP will drop from 97,3% to 94,74%. This means you will have a lower chance to win at the casino with $20.
Typically the following games will have an RTP of:
- Baccarat – 98% on banker bets
- Blackjack – Ranging from 98% up to 99%
- Craps – 99% or higher using the right strategy
- Land based slots – 80% up to 90%
- Online slots – 92% up to 99%
- Roulette – 94,7% up to 97,3%
- Video poker – Between 97% and 99,5%
If you want to get the most out of your $20 then you should consider playing games like Baccarat, Blackjack, Craps, and Video poker since they offer the highest RTP.
5. Switch things up
Sometimes a table or slot will simply turn cold. During these moments you will win very little and spend a big share of your $20 budget. Try to avoid this by switching to a different game when you feel a game is turning cold.
By switching up games you might be able to hit another lucky streak on a different game. Although switching games won’t affect the RTP it might just be a small thing to help you win at the casino with $20.
6. Use betting strategies and cheat sheets (know your games)
Before you start wagering real money you should always know how a casino games work in my opinion. By simply just playing a game without any game knowledge you will often realize a lower RTP then while playing with the optimal strategy. On top of this you can harm the game of other players on the table which will make you a very unpopular person. This happens often with games like Blackjack, where the players play against the dealer.
To get familiar with certain casino games you can often find interesting guides online or on YouTube. Simple search for ‘’How to play *** casino game’’ and find out how you can play the game. Online you might also be able to find interesting cheat sheet. These sheets show you to optimal way of playing for any situation possible in the game.
Example: The Blackjack Cheat Sheet will always recommend you to hit a card when you draw 8, no matter what card the dealer has. But when you have a total of 12 with your first two card, you should pass against any 4, 5, or 6.
Betting strategies – can help you win at the casino with $20
On top of cheat sheets you can also use certain betting strategies. For roulette there for example is a popular $20 roulette strategy, which is also referred to as the Martingale Strategy. This strategy offers you a very good to chance to win at the casino with $20.
To utilize the Martingale Strategy take the following approach:
- Bet $20 on red and wait for the outcome. If red falls, you will win $20. You can now stop playing. You have made a $20 profit and have doubled your $20 gambling budget.
- If the outcome was black, and you didn’t win, you should double your bet to $40. If it fall, you will have a $20 profit overall.
- If it was black again, you should double your bet to $80. If you win, you get $160, and have made a $20 profit.
- No win yet? Then you can continue doubling your bet until you have made a profit.
This strategy will normally leave you with a profit. The chance of not making a profit in 5 rounds is very small, only 4%. So by using the Martingale strategy you will have a 96% chance of making a profit with an initial $20 starting bet.
Since the Martingale strategy required to double your bet after every loss this isn’t an ideal strategy for players with a small budget. But if you can afford it, this strategy is a great way to win at the casino.
7. Know when to stop
A win is a win, know when to stop. When you got lucky and have turned your $20 into maybe $100 or $150, stop! By setting limits in your head you can keep your bankroll under control.
If you have made a $100 profit maybe put it in your pocket and only continue playing with your initial $20 budget. If you lose that, simply stop playing. It doesn’t make sense to lose all your profits after turning your $20 in a nice amount of money.
Know when to stop
A win is a win, know when to stop. When you got lucky and have turned your $20 into maybe $100 or $150, stop! By setting limits in your head you can keep your bankroll under control.
If you have made a $100 profit maybe put it in your pocket and only continue playing with your initial $20 budget. If you lose that, simply stop playing. It doesn’t make sense to lose all your profits after turning your $20 in a nice amount of money.
Expert Tip
Koen Verkerk
8. Stay sober
Drinking and gambling is no good combination in general. Of course, a drink can help keeping your nerves under control, but it also affects your risk management and judgement.
Drinking one beer, or maybe two, while playing might not be a very huge thing, but you should always stay in control.
If you feel you are getting tipsy and you are still playing then you should stop or sober up by drinking some water. Gambling is already dangerous, but gambling while drunk is plain out stupid.
9. Try out multiple casinos
Just like switching games it can be interesting to switch between various casinos. The main advantage of trying out multiple casinos is that you can claim various promotional offers. Almost any (online) casino offers bonuses on sign-up or deposit which you can claim if you become a new member. Why not use them and get more out of your $20.
Switching between casinos can also help you win in another way. Sometimes you can simply be unlucky at a certain online casino. Maybe switching to a different one will boost your luck and help you win at the casino with $20!
10. Bet behind and let somebody else decide your luck
Do you have no clue on how to win at the casino with $20? Then you can also decide to let someone else decide your luck!
On the Blackjack table you can bet behind a different player if you like. When you do this you will bet on the outcome of that specific players hand. If you see that somebody is playing well you can use this tactic. When he wins, you win. When he loses, you lose as well. Easy as that!
If you bet behind someone that uses the optimal strategy then you will still get the best RTP possible. You could not do that better yourself probably, so why not give it a go!
Final thoughts – how to win at the casino with $20
As you can see there are plenty of ideas and strategies which you can use to win at the casino with only $20. Pick your favorite ideas and strategies from this article and who knows you might turn your $20 in much more.
Although the tips in this article are useful you should always keep in mind that the casino in the end always wins. If you play for a long time, you will basically always lose. Only play with money you can afford to lose, and never chase your loses! That’s key if you want to keep your gambling entertaining!
