I’m John. I’m 36 years old. And I like to gamble from time to time when I’m free from my normal activities. My gambling path started just a couple of years ago. There are probably thousands of newbies who still consider gambling to be something of a manifestation of evil and hesitate to try online casino games. And I was one of them once.
I used to watch my friend spinning the reels of slots on his smartphone and scoffing at him, considering it a pointless waste of time. However, a small feeling of envy that arose when I learned that he had won a few thousand made me do some research on how online casinos work.
I simply typed something like ‘online casino Canada’ into the search box and found a post that mildly encouraged me to try the King Billy casino. Not considering myself to be a gambling man, I browsed through a few pages and closed it. A couple of weeks later, when my kids and wife went to visit their grandparents, I got bored at home alone and decided to try my luck at gambling.
My Story
Before I tell you about how online casinos have changed my life, I want you to understand who I am. As a software engineer in a fairly well-known company with 9 years of experience under my belt, I have implemented many IT projects. Having spent my childhood at a time when digital technology was rapidly creeping into everyday life, I became interested in computing as well as in the way information is stored. Put simply, most of my life has been about computers and Internet technology. I didn’t stick with a gambling website for long, not because I had any technical difficulties.
I try to be cautious and consistent in what I do, so I took my time registering at the King Billy casino online to play for real money. When you already have children, you have a serious responsibility and deny yourself many things, including entertainment. However, something snapped in my head that day and I decided it was time to try my luck.
First Gambling Experience
The first thing that pleased me was that some of the games are available in test mode. I didn’t have to start by making a real-money deposit. The selection of online slots here is impressive. And I had my eyes scattered.
I decided to try Pick a Fruit (it was just the first game on the list) so as not to waste time making a difficult decision. I clicked ‘Demo’, looked a little at the spinning loading circle and the Spinomenal logo, and finally got into the game. As someone who hasn’t been to a land-based casino before, I didn’t experience the atmosphere of Las Vegas. What I liked was the simple and intuitive interface. A minute later, I was listening to a cheerful tune and watching the spinning reels.
After seeing my fake bankroll increase almost with every spin, I decided that it was fun and not as dangerous for my wallet as I had thought before. After reviewing the Payments section and checking the minimum and maximum deposit limits, I realized 2 things:
- You can start small here. The minimum deposit is only $10 which is within my risk tolerance.
- The maximum deposit amount is limited to $4,000 for most payment methods, so King Billy won’t let me lose too much at a time.
Deciding that I would deprive myself of a couple of packs of Marlboros (and take care of my health at the same time) I deposited $20 and started playing the same slot.
First Real Win
I won on the 3rd spin, and it was only a couple of dollars. But the first win is probably the most memorable! Turns out, Pick a Fruit is perfect for a beginner like me. With high RTP and extremely low volatility, it gave the feeling that I would win every time. With about $30 in my account after half an hour of fun with Pick a Fruit, I decided to switch to something else.
It’s hard to remember what games I tried then, but after a few hours with slots, my net profit was $87. The thing about slots is that they are like a black box. You invest your money and win or lose, but you don’t know what’s going on inside. As I wanted to have more control, I remembered poker sharks leading lives like rock stars. Nevertheless, I found myself as a blackjack player…
Why Blackjack
Poker is a game that combines not only luck and strategy, as many people claim, but also the ability to manage your emotional state. That is not true of poker machines, which have very little to do with real poker. As someone with a mathematical mindset, I settled on blackjack, where being able to think strategically is the most important thing.
Realizing that it is a waste of time to use card counting techniques in RNG-based blackjack, I switched my attention to the live game. And I’ve done so without regret. Friendly croupiers, real tables, and chips, all of which I found more appealing than the rigidly programmed card game.
I had heard about the history of the MIT team and was curious about their card-counting technique. By the way, RNG-based blackjack is not as useless as it may seem, as you can practice quick card counting on it.
What I Have Come To
Today, I gamble at weekends, and it is mostly blackjack. I’m still improving my card counting techniques, but more often than not I leave an online casino in the black. There are a few important things I have learned and want to share with you:
- Online gambling is not as dangerous for your hard-earned money as some people say it is.
- Start with chance games like roulette or slots, especially if you’re a beginner.
- Don’t take gambling as a way to make a living, because that kind of attitude is a clear pathway to trouble.