7 SECRET CASINO ETIQUETTE TIPS

We all make etiquette mistakes – whether it’s dumping ketchup onto an exquisite cut of Wagyu beef, lighting up in a no-smoking zone, replying to All with an email message that was meant for only one recipient to see – but it’s particularly important to avoid committing gaffes when other people’s money is at stake.

One place where that can happen is in a brick-and-mortar casino, where you play alongside other gamblers. While one’s lack of etiquette might not necessarily cost them chips, it will likely create stress all around. And who needs that while trying to overcome the odds and head home with a little bit of extra cash in hand?

Here then is a casino etiquette guide, with the secret rules of comportment for everyone who desires an enjoyable session of gambling.

1. MASTER THE RULES OF YOUR GAME

Casinos are unfitting places in which to learn while you earn (or maybe the opposite). Before buying in to play a game, know the rules. Otherwise, you’ll be slowing things down for everybody while you ask the croupier to define a field bet or muse over the meaning of a Play wager at Three Card Poker.

You don’t have to be an expert to sit down in a casino, but you should at least understand the basic rules. One way to get there is to play online. Cafe Casino [cafecasino.lv] offers a wide range of games. Master the rules at home, in your own time and in your own way, before taking on a live game.

And, please, if you are playing craps and get handed the dice, do not throw them so high and so hard that they fly off the table. Give the bones a gentle, underhanded toss. That way they hit the wall and land safely on the table’s surface. Going out of bounds as a shooter is a definite breach of etiquette.

2. BE A GEORGE AND NOT A STIFF

In casino parlance, a big spender is called a George. People who hold back financially are referred to as stiffs. It’s always best to be known as a George.

That said, there is debate about tipping dealers if you lose. When you win, it’s an easy call. Sure, throw the dealer a tip. Or, even better, if the dealer is into it, put up an extra bet and play the hand on his behalf. That way, you’re both in it together. It’s classy, sporty, and fun.

There’s a school of thought that you should wait until the end of the session to tip. Then, if you are ahead, toke the dealer appropriately. But I think we can do better than that. After you win a big hand, whether you are up or down in the middle of a session, it’s fair to tip the person who contributed to your achieving the windfall. Hopefully, there will be more to come.

As for the cocktail waitresses, they are bringing you free drinks. Always tip them and be a little extra generous. Whether you are winning or not, they need to be paid for ferrying drinks to the table – and they deserve every dollar they get.

Tipping with chips, by the way, is totally acceptable.

3. DON’T OVERSERVE YOURSELF

On the same note, we all love a free drink but moderation in the casino is key. Some of us like several free drinks, and that might be fine (especially if you’ve just enjoyed a great dinner). But don’t let the open bar turn you into a lush at the table. Overindulging on alcohol can lead to your making bad decisions for yourself and being a little less than civil toward others. Assuming you hold your liquor reasonably well, after a couple alcohol laced drinks, it’s always a good idea to switch to soda or coffee – at least for a couple rounds.

4. PLAY YOUR CARDS AND TAKE YOUR CHANCES

I was playing blackjack in Atlantic City, with large bets up on two spots. I doubled down on one, split the other and hoped the dealer would have a 9 underneath the 7 he showed.

The guy next to me was betting table minimum with a 16. He asked me what he should do, meaning that he did not want to make a move that would mess up my bets. He said he was afraid of taking a card that could harm my prospects.

Honestly, I wanted him to do what worked for him. I told him as much. Obviously, the correct move would have been to hit. He chose to stand. And, yes, I did wind up losing all the bets – the dealer had the desired 9 and then drew a 5, the very card that would have benefited my table mate as well as myself. Then he looked at me and said something along the lines of, “I would have done whatever you wanted me to do.”

I told him not to worry about it – the cards did what the cards did; he could not have controlled the outcome one way or the other – though his comment did make my loss doubly vexing.

The etiquette lesson here is this: Always do whatever you want to do and don’t suggest that other players make decisions for you.

 5. KNOW THE SIGNALS

If you choose to play blackjack, keep in mind that it is a game of signals. This is for the good of the casino and for the good of the player. Verbal requests can be misheard by the dealer and not picked up by surveillance in case any questions arise. Designated hand signals are impossible to miss.

In fact, this is so critical that if you say “hit” to a dealer, he will ask you to signal your decision.

In light of that, here are the signals to remember in a blackjack game where the cards are dealt face-up and not touched by the player: If you want to hit, gently tap the table (I like to do it with two fingers); if you want to stand, wave your hand, palm down, over the cards; doubling and splitting are conveyed by placing a stack of chips, equal to your wager alongside the original wager (the dealer might verbally confirm whether you are doubling or splitting). To surrender, it’s smart to say the word and then to wave your index finger, like you are drawing a line, behind the bet.

When cards are dealt face down, which is the case in single-deck blackjack games, if you want to hit, gently scrape the cards against the felt; to signal standing, slide your cards under the bet; splits are signaled by turning the cards up, literally splitting them apart and adding your second bet; doubling down is made clear when you turn up your cards and add a second bet.

Upon being dealt a blackjack, you turn up your cards.

Dealers do their own signaling when you buy into the game. They take your cash and carefully spread it out on the table so that surveillance can see how much you are buying in for. Therefore, it’s proper etiquette to present the money in a neat stack with all the bills face up.

6. POCKET THE PHONE

Cell phones make life easy. But they don’t really mix with casino gambling. In fact, casinos view them with extreme caution since they can be used as cheating devices to clock roulette wheels or to surreptitiously film shuffles. With that in mind, it’s understandable that dealers will say, “Sir, no cell phones at the table.”

If you must make a call, sit out the hand or spin of the wheel or roll of the dice and simply step away from the table. You can talk all you want when you are not in action at a casino.

7. MIND YOUR TEMPER AND WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE

There is no doubt that gambling can be a high-stress activity – especially when cards are not coming your way. But it’s always worth remembering that if you can’t handle the swings of a game, you probably shouldn’t be playing. This means that while at the table you should watch your language and not blame the dealer or other players for the outcome. I’ve seen people whip cards at dealers, curse their bad fortune with serious profanity and even criticize the play of other gamblers.

None of it looks good and all of it makes people uncomfortable while hindering the fun of gambling. Anyone who feels the urge to act inappropriately should walk away from the table and take a breather.

Whether winning chips or bleeding them, the person who is ill mannered at the gaming table is always the real loser.

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