Casino Rules and Etiquette for Beginners
CASINO RULES AND ETIQUETTE
CASINO BUDGET. When you go to a casino, the first thing you need is a budget, called a bankroll. Make sure you have enough for your trip. The amount depends, of course, on what you're going to play.
CASINO CHIPS. To play, you must exchange real money for chips. Put your money on the table and ask the dealer for a change. The dealer will give you chips equal to the sum of the money you gave. Your money will be stored in a safe place.
BETTING RULES. Before you play any gambling game, find out what the betting specifications are. These will vary from game to game and from table to table. On a slot machine, for example, the denomination is shown either on the video screen or on the glass cover.
As for table games. Each table has a sign on it indicating the lowest and highest bets allowed. By convention, the symbols for the betting denominations are the same as the standard casino chip colors: usually white for $1, red for $5, green for $25, etc. Be careful though as colors and values may differ from house to house.
CASINO PAYOFFS. A note on payoffs or payout schemes: A number-for-one is not the same as a number-to-one payout schedule. The former is usually seen in video poker machines, while the latter may be used for card games like blackjack. To show the difference, a 10-for-1 means you get a 9 unit profit plus your original bet of 1 unit, for a total of 10; whereas 10-to-1 means that if you bet 1 unit and you win, you earn 10 units plus the 1 unit bet.
CASINO ETIQUETTE. While in the casino, be nice and friendly, but not to the extent that it distracts your play. Tip the dealers and serving people regularly. Before you've gone to the casino, you must have played a long time with your chosen game and strategy (playing, betting systems) so you know what to do.
If you are losing, stay calm. Do not panic and, and above all, NEVER chase after losses. On the other hand, if you win, don't show off. Act like a loser and hide some of your chips if possible. Casinos hate winners but they will pamper you if you can convince them that you're a loser.
CASHING IN. When you want to cash in, go to the cashier. Before you do this, ask the dealer for a change again if you have lots of low denomination chips. If you played video poker or some other slot game, on the other hand, you can get a ticket from the machine by pressing a button. You'll then present the ticket to the cashier to redeem your money. Some casinos may pay you cash directly from a slot machine; however if you win big like a Full House, you will need to get your money from the cashier.
