Find the Top Minimum Deposit Options For Online Gamblers
The world is filled with gamblers who want to gamble for real money but don’t want to risk too much. Often called low rollers, there’s nothing wrong with this approach.
If you can enjoy free games and use them to fill your need for gambling there’s no problem finding plenty of options.
But if you’re like me you don’t get the same rush when playing for free that you get when real money is on the line. Even if it’s only a few bucks, it’s still a different feeling when you have a chance to win or lose actual cash.
Many players who want to wager a few dollars need to find minimum deposit gambling sites.
Your options depend quite a bit on where you live, because some countries have fewer gambling options than others.
I’ve put together some information about making small deposits for low rollers below as well as other options.
The minimum amount you can deposit is usually tied directly to the deposit method you choose to use.
Deposit Methods
Minimum deposits using credit cards and bank wires are often higher than ones using e-wallets likes Neteller and Skrill. This has as much to do with the fees charged to the gambling sites as anything else.
Most places have a minimum credit card deposit of $20 or $50 because of the fees. Minimum bank wire amounts can be $100 or higher.
A few gambling web sites accept Western Union, but the fees associated with it usually push the minimum deposit higher than credit cards.
Your best bet for minimum deposit gambling sites is using Netteller or another online e-wallet account. Though it’s rare, I’ve seen minimum amounts as low as $5 in the past.
Low Roller Games
One of the keys for low rollers is finding games where they can play for a long time on a low bankroll. You can try to find games that have low minimum bets, games that offer a slow pace, games that have a low house edge, or all three.
Here’s a list of popular game for low rollers.
Keno has one of the highest house edges in the casino but it has a low minimum wager of $1 most places and still gives you the option of hitting a big win. If you play keno online you need to play it just like you do in the real casino and only play a draw every five or ten minutes.
Nickel video poker has a full coin bet of only a quarter. This is a low maximum bet but if you’re not careful you’ll end up speeding through your bankroll. Video poker players can play hundreds of hands per hour, so even if it’s a low minimum bet and a low house edge game, you can still burn through $20 quickly.
Penny slot machines offer some of the lowest bets you can find in a casino, but just like video poker machines you can make 300 or more spins per hour. Find a penny or nickel machine that only needs to have one pay line active to play.
Slow games like Pai Gow Poker offer a great way to play for as low as $1 per hand and have the chance to play for hours on a small bankroll. Almost half the hands in Pai Gow end up as a push and each hand takes a little bit to set, so you could play all day with a little luck, even with a small bankroll.
Sports betting offers an opportunity to place many small wagers over time and the chance to keep playing as long as you win often enough to keep money in your account. You don’t have to make bets on many games. Focus on betting on games that offer the best chance to win and don’t bet too much per game.
Poker is a great option for people looking for minimum deposit gambling sites. Most poker rooms have micro stakes tables that offer play as low as .01 / .02. If you’re a good poker player and keep playing at the low level tables you can build your bankroll and play as long as you keep winning.
Other Options
Though it’s not the same as playing with your own money, some online casinos offer a free bonus to try their games. Some of these are as small as $5 or $7 and offer a chance to play a few games for low stakes.
The odds of being able to cash any of these bonuses out are slim. Many free chip bonuses can’t be cashed out under any circumstances and others can only be cashed out after meeting wagering requirements of up to 50 times and after you make your first deposit.
None of this is particularly a bad thing, but you should be aware of the terms before you start playing. When I accept a free chip offer I just assume I can’t ever cash it out and enjoy the free play anyway.
If you play poker you can enter free roll tournaments to try to win a small stake to start playing at the real money tables.
Many poker players get their start playing online by placing in a few free rolls and working their way up through the micro limits.
Some sports books run promotions where you can place a free bet. Most of them are tied to a deposit, but I’ve seen a few over the years where you can place a bet without making a deposit. Most of these promotions are as strict as the free chip offers at casinos so you’ll need to make sure you understand all the terms, but it can be a way to start a bankroll if you get lucky on your first few wagers.
It seems like $20 is the common minimum deposit amount at many online casinos, sports books, and poker sites. Why don’t you set aside a few extra dollars every week until you have at least $20 to deposit? Most of us could come up with an extra $5 or $10 per week if we watched what we’re doing. One less trip to the coffee shop or packing your lunch a couple times instead of eating out will save that much.
In just a few weeks you’ll have enough to make a minimum gambling site deposit.
Conclusion
Finding minimum deposit gambling sites that offer options below $20 can be challenging, but as you just read, you still have other options. If you’re a low roller check out the games I covered above and if you catch a lucky streak you can play for hours.