Table of Contents
Written by
Mike Waters
Edited by
Matthew Scott
The Most Common Mistakes New Casino Players Make
The bad news is that most casino players make some mistakes that probably cost them some cash, and that’s especially true for those of you who are new to casinos. The good news is that most of them are easily fixable by just learning the basics and paying attention to details like the T&Cs.
Some of the most common mistakes I see are about bonus terms, wagering requirements, cash-out limitations, or game rules. Below are some of the most frequent errors I see new casino players make, along with what to pay attention to before you start playing.
1. Not Understanding Casino Bonuses
One of the most common mistakes beginners make is claiming a casino bonus without fully understanding how it works. Let me be very clear about casino bonuses: ALL of them look very attractive, and I don’t expect you to be immune to the promotional banner. And, truth be told, many of them are worth claiming, but you need to be aware of all the T&Cs, especially wagering requirements, maximum cashout limits, and expiration dates.
I’ll tell you about some of the most important T&Cs of popular bonus types so you know what to look for:
Welcome bonuses are usually the largest promotions you’ll see at an online casino, and they’re probably the promo you’ll claim first – and the place where you can make your first mistake. A typical welcome offer might look something like this:
“100% Match Bonus up to A$1,500 + 100 Free Spins”
Let’s look at this offer in detail. So, if you deposit A$1,000, you’ll get A$1,000 on top of it, which totals A$2,000. Plus, you’ll get 100 free spins for pokies.
The first T&C to check here are wagering requirements. I’ve prepared a guide on wagering requirements and tools for calculating them, so I’ll be brief here. If the bonus comes with 40x wagering requirements, it means that you would need to wager A$80,000 in total bets before you can withdraw the winnings.
Other bonus T&Cs include:
- Game contribution: Check how much each game contributes towards the wagering (displayed as a percentage)
- Maximum bet limits: The maximum bet amount you can use for the bonus
- Bonus expiration date: It shows how much time you’ve got to clear the wagering requirements.
The most common mistake with welcome bonuses is falling for huge offers with unreasonable wagering requirements, like 60x or 70x. Another common issue is not having enough time to clear the bonus, as some offers expire in just a few days. A good bonus for me is one with wagering requirements of up to 30x to 35x. WR of 40x is acceptable, but anything above that falls into the ‘questionable’ territory.
Note from Australian Gamblers: A common mistake that many rookies make when claiming a welcome bonus is that they forget to enter the bonus code. Some bonuses require a bonus code to be entered, and you can usually find it in the bonus T&Cs or the promotional banner.
Free spins are another extremely popular promotion, especially for pokies players, but they’re also where players often make mistakes. A typical offer might look something like this:
“100 Free Spins on Sweet Bonanza”
Sounds great, right? But the key detail you need to check is the value of each spin. If the spins are worth A$0.10 each, then 100 free spins are actually worth just A$10 in total, not A$100.
Another thing to check is whether winnings from free spins have wagering requirements. In many cases, whatever you win from those spins still needs to be wagered before you can withdraw it.
The most common mistake beginners make here is assuming that a large number of free spins automatically means a valuable bonus. Sure, this is not a detrimental mistake that will cost you money, but you may get a worse bonus instead of a better one.
Tip from Mike Waters: Always check the spin value and wagering terms first. If you want to calculate the real value of free spins, we have a free spins calculator that can help you estimate what the bonus is actually worth.
Cashback bonuses are my personal favourite because they usually come with very low or no wagering requirements.
Since they give you a percentage of your losses, mistakes are less common, but beginners often assume that the cashback is free of wagering requirements. However, some casinos do require you to wager the cashback amount, which obviously makes the offer less valuable.
The solution for this mistake is simple: look for cashback bonuses with no wagering requirements, or as low wagering requirements as possible.
2. Ignoring RTP and House Edge
Another mistake I see new casino players make all the time is choosing games without paying attention to the RTP (Return to Player) or the house edge.
Many beginners pick games based purely on how they look. Admittedly, casino gaming should be all about fun, and who am I to tell you not to play a fun game just because the RTP is bad, but from a pure value standpoint, it’s a mistake.
For example, if two pokies look very similar, and the first has an RTP of 96.5% and the other 92%, the first is the better choice. The difference might not be noticeable in the short term, but over the long term, it will be.
The same thing applies to table games. For example, European roulette has a house edge of 2.7% on even-money bets, while American roulette jumps to 5.26% simply because it has an extra zero. So, yes, choosing American over European roulette is definitely a mistake.
Many beginners never even bother to check the numbers before playing a game, and that usually costs them money in the long run.
Tip from Mike Waters: Always check the RTP or house edge of a game before you start playing. It takes a few seconds, and it immediately tells you whether you’re playing a game with decent odds. For pokies, I’d suggest avoiding games with RTP lower than 95%.
3. Playing Games Without Understanding the Rules
Another common mistake I see is players starting a game without understanding how it actually works. This applies to pretty much every casino game, from pokies to more complex table games like blackjack.
Now, to be fair, pokies are usually very simple. You spin the reels and hope for the best. There’s not much strategy involved. But even with pokies, it still helps to understand things like paylines, bonus features, volatility, and payout tables.
With table games, this mistake becomes much more serious. Take blackjack, for example. If you don’t understand the basic blackjack rules and strategy, you’re essentially giving the casino an unnecessary advantage.
The same goes for games like baccarat, craps, or certain roulette bets, where some bets have much worse odds than others.
Besides learning the basic rules, I also suggest you learn which rule variations are more favourable. In some games, even small rule changes can affect the house edge. For example, blackjack tables where the dealer stands on soft 17 are better for players, and in baccarat, you should understand the difference between commission and no-commission Banker bets.
Tip from Mike Waters: Before you play any game, take a minute to check the rules or try the demo mode first. Most online casinos offer games in demo mode, and it costs nothing to try the game and check the rules before playing for real money.
4. Not Paying Attention to Withdrawal Limits
Another mistake I see beginners make is not paying attention to withdrawal limits. The general rule of thumb is that the higher the better applies to withdrawal limits.
For example, some casinos may limit withdrawals to A$5,000 per week or A$20,000 per month. That might not seem important at first, but if you hit a big win, you would want to get your money as quickly as possible, right? That’s why you need to read the T&Cs and be aware of the limits.
Deposit limits may exist as well, but they’re usually less important because you can simply make multiple deposits if you want to play more.
5. Choosing Unlicensed or Unreliable Casinos
These days, there are hundreds of online casinos available, and not all of them operate under proper regulation. Playing at a casino without a valid licence is not advisable because it can lead to a bunch of problems, like slow or cancelled withdrawals, poor customer support, rigged games, and more.
Besides the licence, I suggest you look for player feedback, or, if you can’t do it yourself, check some of the best online casinos at Australian Gamblers.
6. Relying Too Much on Betting Strategies
Another mistake I see quite often is players relying too heavily on betting strategies and believing they’re a guaranteed way to beat the casino. Now, I’m not against using a strategy. In fact, I do support some betting systems when they’re used for bankroll management. A good example is Oscar’s Grind, which can help structure your bets and slow down the pace of games like roulette.
The problem arises when players start treating these systems as a guaranteed way to win. They’re not, and there is no betting strategy that can remove the house edge or change the game’s odds.
The Martingale system is a perfect example of this mistake. On paper, doubling your bet after every loss on even-money bets sounds like a clever way to recover your money. Let me tell you what the reality of using the Martingale looks like: you play for some time, and your bankroll remains largely the same, then a long losing streak happens, and you need to make uncomfortably large bets.
The worst-case scenario is when you need to make large bets, yet you’ve hit the table limits. Now your ‘foolproof strategy’ has failed completely, and there’s no way to recover your losses.
Tip from Mike Waters: Use betting strategies as a tool for managing your bets, not as a magic formula for beating the casino. Please don’t fall for the false promises that a certain strategy can guarantee you will win at the casino.
7. Not Managing Your Bankroll
The last mistake I want to mention is poor bankroll management. This one might sound obvious, but it’s something many new casino players ignore.
Here’s a situation that I see many rookies do: You deposit A$100 and start betting A$10 or A$20 per spin on a pokie. At that pace, your balance will probably last you just a few seconds – especially if you’re playing a high volatility game. Sure, you can win even in your first spin, but how likely is that to happen? I’ll tell you: very unlikely.
Casino games come with variance, which means that wins and losses don’t happen evenly. Even if you’re playing a game with a good RTP, you can still go through periods where you don’t win anything, and you need to be aware of that.
That’s why managing your bankroll properly is important. You should set your bets based on your bankroll. Have a bankroll of A$10,000? Great, that means that you can bet with A$100 per spin. The bet size should be in correlation with your total bankroll if you want your gaming sessions to last.
Tip from Mike Waters: A simple rule I suggest for beginners is to keep your bets at around 1-2% of your bankroll per spin or round. This won’t guarantee wins (as there is no way to guarantee wins in the casino), but it will help your balance last much longer. If your bankroll is A$1,000, your bets shouldn’t exceed A$20 per round.
Myths and Fallacies That Mislead New Casino Players
Besides simple mistakes, many new casino players also fall for various myths and gambling fallacies. These ideas are surprisingly common, and they often stem from misunderstandings about how randomness actually works in casino games.
The problem with these myths is that they can influence how people play. Instead of making decisions based on the rules of the game or the odds, many new players fall for these traps and start relying on myths like patterns, superstitions, or strategies that simply don’t exist.
This is a very dangerous path, and I advise you never ever fall for any casino myth or fallacy!
The truth is that modern casino games use RNG systems and are regularly tested by third-party agencies, which means every spin, roll, or card draw is independent of the previous one. What happened in the last round has no effect on what will happen in the next one. Below, I’ve listed some of the most common gambling myths and fallacies that casino players tend to believe:
This is probably the most common casino myth of all. Many players believe that if a pokie hasn’t paid for a long time, it must be “due” for a win soon. You’ll often hear players say things like “This machine hasn’t paid in ages, it’s about to hit.”
In reality, that’s not how casino games work. Each spin is independent, and the game doesn’t “remember” previous results. Don’t fall for this myth, because it can be very costly in the long run.
This myth is basically the opposite of the previous one. Some players believe that if a game has just produced several wins in a row, it must be “hot” and will continue paying out.
Again, this misunderstanding comes from assuming that past results influence future ones. They don’t, and if a game that just paid out a big win is just as likely to lose on the next spin as any other game.
This is more of a misconception than a mistake. I often hear from beginners that casinos somehow change the odds when a player starts winning.
In regulated online casinos, that’s simply not how things work. Games use certified RNG software or provably fair systems, and the results are regularly audited by independent testing labs.
If casinos could simply change the odds whenever they wanted, they wouldn’t need a house edge in the first place, right?
The last thing that often misleads new casino players is simple superstition. You’ll hear all kinds of things at casino tables. Some players believe a machine is “lucky”, others think certain seats at a table bring better results, and some even have personal rituals they follow before placing a bet.
None of these things has any effect on the outcome of a casino game. Modern online casino games are completely random, which means every result is determined randomly at the moment the round begins. The system doesn’t care which button you press, how long you wait between spins, or whether you’re using your “lucky” strategy.
There’s nothing wrong with having fun traditions when you play, but it’s important to understand that they don’t change the odds of the game in any way.
How to Avoid These Common Casino Mistakes
If you’ve read through the mistakes above, you might have recognised a few things that sound familiar. That’s perfectly normal, and almost every casino player makes at least some of these mistakes when they first start playing. I’ve noticed that the largest percentage of mistakes players make, especially new casino players, is due to rushing and not reading the terms and conditions.
So, before you register with a casino or start playing, I suggest you go through a quick checklist like this:
1
Have I confirmed that this is a safe and reliable casino?
Check whether the casino operates under a recognised licence and has a good reputation among players and reputable review sites.
2
Have I read the key terms and conditions?
Take a few minutes to review the most important parts of the casino’s T&Cs, especially anything related to bonuses and withdrawals.
3
Do I know which deposit and withdrawal methods are available?
Make sure the casino supports payment methods that work for you and check whether there are any fees or restrictions.
4
Am I aware of the withdrawal limits?
Look for limits per transaction, per day, or per month so you know how quickly you can cash out your winnings.
5
Do I understand the bonus terms?
If you’re claiming a bonus, check the bonus terms like wagering requirements, expiration deadline, game contribution percentages, maximum bet rules, and any winnings caps.
Do this checklist, and you’ll avoid 99% of the mistakes you might make at the casino.
6 Tips From an Experienced Casino Player
Now, here are a few practical tips I suggest you do to have as smooth a beginner casino experience as possible:
Many beginner mistakes happen because players rush into games without checking the details. I already mentioned that you must read the T&Cs, and I suggest spending just a few minutes reviewing the rules, RTP, volatility, and bonus terms, which can prevent most of the problems mentioned earlier.
One of the easiest ways to avoid beginner mistakes is to start with smaller bets. Smaller wagers give you more time to understand how a game works and reduce the risk of losing your bankroll too quickly. Better yet, try the game that you like in demo, learn how it works, and then switch to real money.
It only takes a few seconds to open the game information panel and check the RTP, volatility, and basic rules. You don’t need to limit yourself only to the few selected games with the highest RTP, but when choosing between two games, it’s wise to select the one with the higher RTP.
Your bet size should always match your bankroll. Structure your bets in a way that allows you to play longer and handle losing streaks. A good rule of thumb is to bet 1-2% of your total bankroll per wager.
Betting strategies can be great to help you structure your bets, but they don’t change the odds of the game. The house edge is always there, no matter which system you use, so don’t jump in blindly thinking that a strategy will guarantee you winnings.
The most important tip is to treat casino games as entertainment, not as a reliable way to make money. Once you approach them with the right expectations, most of the common mistakes will naturally disappear.
Learn the Basics and Avoid the Common Mistakes
If you’re new to online casinos, making a few mistakes along the way is almost unavoidable. Everyone starts somewhere, and even experienced players occasionally make poor decisions.
The important thing is to recognise these mistakes early and understand how to avoid them. Most of the mistakes new casino players make usually come from rushing, ignoring the terms and conditions, or believing in myths or fallacies.
If you take the time to read the T&Cs, choose reliable casinos, understand the games you play, and manage your bankroll carefully, you’ll avoid most of the common mistakes.
At the end of the day, casino games are meant to be enjoyable, and the most important thing is to have fun.
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