Man plays poker in the casino. Holding cards in hand, gambling concept. Wide image background with copy space.

At land-based casinos, you’ll likely encounter players that aren’t there for fun, they are focused on winning money and nothing is going to stop them. These players do everything they can to gain an edge and that includes making sure they are not distracted by the many enjoyable elements that make up a modern casino.

With people now predominately playing casino games online a number of the possible distractions that can ruin concentration are eradicated. Yet, a couple of new distractions emerge with online play and players are losing money because of these disturbances and should follow these tips to improve in-play focus.

Phones

Many of us are using our phones to play casino games online, but the tool we use to access an online casino might be causing issues. Mobile gaming is huge now and the big players such as Paddy Power Games have gone to great lengths to ensure the experience of playing casino games on a smartphone is immersive. Yet, the list of things we use our phones for is growing all the time and this makes them a tremendous distraction.

We’ve all seen people trip and fall because they were too glued to their phones to see where they were walking and people are making casino gaming mistakes for the same reason. For some, they think they can double-dip, meaning they are playing one game concurrently with another. This is obviously not advisable and in all likelihood, you’re simply playing two games badly. For others, it’s simply a matter of different functions of the phone interrupting play with alerts from social media or a variety of additional apps causing a distraction.

The answer is to have a dedicated device for gambling that is free from distractions, but this isn’t feasible for many, so changing your settings to prevent notifications when gaming should suffice.

TV

People are increasingly using their smartphones while watching TV. Sometimes it’s just for looking up information on the show they’re watching, while some like to post on social media during a show and things like live tweeting Love Island news makes the viewing experience better for many, as well as keeping up with developments through sites like the Daily Mirror. While using your phone while watching TV might irritate your viewing companions, it’s generally a harmless activity. Yet, watching TV while gambling online and should be avoided.

While there can be moments in games such as poker, blackjack or slots when you’re not really doing anything, it’s better to be focusing on the play rather than becoming engaged in something on TV. This is less of a problem with games of chance such as bingo or roulette, but with real money on the line, it’s best to limit distractions by switching the TV off. An alternative to having the TV on could be playing some soothing music, but it needs to be background music such as Bosa Nova and jazz, which Tripster Panda explains the difference between.

Music that is soothing and relaxing can help students to beat stress or anxiety while studying. Background music may improve focus on a task by providing motivation and improving mood. During long study sessions, music can aid endurance. While gambling at home can present fewer distractions than a land-based casino, we should all be wary of other elements that can interfere with online casino gaming.