First, decide on how much money you can afford to lose or are willing to lose. The odds are good that you will lose that amount. Leave every credit card and debit card you have at home. Just bring cash.

Second, be disciplined enough to walk away once you lose that amount. Don’t go to the casino window and try and establish a line of credit. Just walk away.

Third, decide how much you want to win before you quit. If it’s $100 and you win $100 on your first spin of the roulette wheel, or your first pull on the slot machine, take the money and RUN. If you actually make it out the door to your car and drive home with that $100, you will have done better than 95 percent of all gamblers.