Online Gambling PhD
Casino Etiquette Code
of Casino Behavior
by Mark Pilarski
A front-line employee of a casino is forced to obey
two rules when it comes to casino customers. One, the
player is always right, and two, if the player is wrong,
see rule number one. Not easy when a decent percentage
of players are running on high octane drinks and losing
money. But that doesn’t mean that the casino patron
shouldn’t at least know some table civilities. These
social graces will go a long way in making both your
stay and the employee’s job more enjoyable.
Let’s start with blackjack. Here is a table game
where a manners referee (pit boss) is called into play
most often.
• Know the hit/stand signals for the blackjack game
you’re playing.
• In baseball, it’s two hands for beginners; on a
live blackjack game, the opposite. Some casinos are real
touchy-feely (throw you out) about you doing anything
funny to the cards.
• Once you’ve placed your wager, don’t touch
your bet until you get paid.
• If the cards are running against you, don’t
keep asking for a new deck. If you don’t like your
cards, move to another table.
• Expect with abusive language an early departure
from the casino.
• Don’t ask the dealer what her hole card is.
Dealers won’t risk their job over your wager. There’s
nothing wrong with asking for advice, but not after the
dealer looks under her face/ace.
• If you lose several hands in a row, don’t
accuse the dealer of cheating. Most (99%) don’t. It’s
most likely a bad run of cards, plus, let’s not
discount poor play. Also, abusing the
"messenger" for crummy cards lacks any form of
civility.
• If you’re using a basic strategy card
(recommended), don’t refer to it each and every hand.
You should have a basic understanding on how to play
most of your hands well before you sit down on a game.
• Using these lines? "Are you going to be nice
to me?" Question is, are you going to be nice to
them. "Where are you from?" It’s most likely
on their nametag. "Do you live here?" Yes, we’re
not Martians commuting from Mars. Instead, try some
other light conversation.
• Don’t walk up to a dealer and tell him he looks
bored, make him shuffle an eight-deck shoe just to make
one $5 bet, lose, then walk.
• Once the hand has been completed, don’t turn
your cards over to help the dealer. Dealers have a
routine on the pickup and you’re just slowing them
down. Besides, dealers need to spread the cards a
certain way so the cameras can read them.
Slots/Video poker:
• If the casino is crowded, limit your play to just
one machine. For that manner, even when the casino isn’t
bustling, don’t play more machines than you can
"safely" watch over. Certain individuals make
a career of ripping off inattentive players who don’t
monitor their machines.
• In video poker, confine yourself to playing just
one machine. Making correct decisions based on the cards
dealt is much more difficult than pulling a slot handle.
• When taking a break or looking for a change
person, a player will put a cup on her seat or on the
handle indicating she is still playing that machine.
Heed these signs. Separating a player from her favorite
slot is like messing with the cubs of a mother bear.
Craps:
• Do not try to hand cash to the dealer to make
change. The dealer is not allowed to take any cash or
chips directly from the customer. You need to place your
money on the layout, before the shooter gets the dice,
and ask the dealer for "change only."
• Some wagers like Pass/Don’t Pass bets, odds,
come bets, the Big 6/8 or field bets can be made by you.
On the other wagers, place you money on the layout and
ask the dealer to make those wagers for you.
• Keeps your hands off the table and out of the way
of the dice being thrown. You do not want to disrupt the
game by altering the toss with your hands.
• Tables have rails all around the game to store
your gaming chips. Use them. Also, underneath there is
shelving for your drinks.
• If you are the shooter, give the dice a good toss
across the table. Never try to slide dice across the
layout thinking you can control the outcome. The first
time the boxman will call out, "No roll." The
second time, possibly a slap on the wrist. The third—adios
Amigo.
• If you are a Don’t Pass bettor, don’t scream
out, "Come on, seven!" Betting against the
majority of players is bad enough, but rooting against
them and gloating after a win is a awful form.
Roulette:
• All seats in a casino are for players only. Most
dealers are instructed to ask non-players to move.
• Roulette is a game where you exchange money for
chips. The color coded chips are not allowed to be bet
or intermingled by your friend’s or family. If both
you and your spouse are playing together, you will need
to get separate-colored chips.
• Dealers will leave the winning bet on the layout.
Your payoff on the inside wagers (numbers) will be slid
to you. It is your responsibility to remove the winning
bet if you don’t want to play it the following spin.
Outside wagers (red/black, odd/even, columns, etc.) will
be left alongside your original winning wager.
Tipping:
As in most service industry jobs, most front-line
casino employees get paid minimum wage. The majority of
a casino employee’s pay comes through the gratuities
of casino patrons. Never should you expect the employee
to bend the rules if you decide to tip. However, if you
are winning, and the dealer is being courteous and
helpful, it is customary to show your appreciation.
Naturally you are under no obligation to tip, but an
occasional gratuity is always in good form and helps
keep up the morale at the table. Look at tipping as a
donation to "Lady Luck."
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