Visiting a Casino

With Covid restrictions easing worldwide and a sense of normality returning, many people are looking to go out for entertainment. Before Covid, casinos offered a fun night out and a chance to strike it big if you got lucky.

Like most places you visit, there are rules, etiquette, and social norms that you must follow. If it’s your first time visiting a casino or you haven’t been in a while and are unsure what to expect, keep the following in mind.

House Rules and Etiquette

Every casino is different and has its own rules, but some general rules apply to most casinos. 

Put your phone away when gambling at a table, as it’s considered rude to text or talk on the phone. Using your phone is also distracting to fellow gamblers trying to concentrate on the game. 

Another common rule is to familiarize yourself with the hand signals used during a game. Instead of talking, you need to let the dealer know how you’d like to play your cards using different hand signals. If you don’t know what they are, the dealer will have to repeat them to you, which can be annoying for the dealer and the other patrons. 

Rules that are different at each casino usually relate to smoking, the dress code, and photography. Many casinos have designated smoking areas, so you’re not allowed to smoke on the floor.

In many casinos, the dress code is casual during the day and formal at night, but it’s a good idea to check what the dress code is before going. The last thing you want is to be turned away at the door because your ripped jeans are not allowed.

You might want to take a picture to remember your fun night out or snap a photo of the gorgeous interior of the casino, but check to see if this is allowed. Some casinos have a no-camera rule to protect the privacy of their patrons. 

Age Restrictions

Before heading to the casino, check their minimum age requirement. If you’re in the US, the age you’re legally allowed to gamble varies from 18 to 21. In most other countries, you have to be 18. Always carry a valid identity because bouncers will need to verify your age. 

Have a Budget

A bit of planning will go a long way in ensuring you have a pleasant night. Before you go, budget how much you can spend. Your budget should include money for gambling, tipping the dealer and tipping servers,

If you’re a drinker, find out if you have to pay for drinks. At some casinos, drinks are free for gamblers, but if they’re not, you’ll need to budget for drinks too. Whether you have to pay for drinks or not, tipping the server is a courtesy as most servers rely heavily on tips. 

Like servers, dealers work for tips, so make sure that you’ve built enough money into your budget to accommodate this. 

Find out the minimum table amount for each game so that you can plan where to play and have enough money for the time you spend at the casino. It’ll be very disappointing if you’ve lost all your money after one game and then have nothing left to play with. 

Learn how to Play Before Playing

You might be tempted to dive straight into a table game before knowing the rules, but this is the easiest way to lose all your money within a matter of seconds. It can also be frustrating to the other gamblers if you interrupt the game by asking the dealer how to play.

Before playing, learn the game’s rules by reading up online and watching the others play. Some casinos also offer free lessons on how to play. When you’re more comfortable with the game, start slowly by playing on a table with a few players and make a conservative bet.

Popular Table Games

If a night at a casino is on your social calendar, you should familiarize yourself with popular casino games, especially if you intend to play table games.

  • Poker

Probably the most popular card game played at casinos, Poker is a reasonably easy game to understand and play. The odds of winning at Poker are high, and you can also make a few side bets.

To play Poker, you must play against the dealer. You start by placing an ante bet, which is an equal amount all gamblers bet. The dealer then deals with three cards. You can look at your cards and decide whether you’d like to play or fold.

If you fold, you forfeit the ante bet. But if you continue to play, you add more money to the stake in the hopes that your cards win. 

  • Roulette

Roulette is the most straightforward game to play. It requires no skill or strategy and is down to luck. The name roulette comes from the French word for little wheel. The game consists of a wheel with red and black markings, each one numbered. 

When the wheel stops spinning, you place a bet on where you think the ball will land. Once you’ve placed your bet, the dealer will spin the wheel. If it stops on your chosen spot, you win.

  • Blackjack

Balckjack is also called ‘twenty-one’ because the purpose of the game is to form a hand that adds to 21. It’s a popular game to play at casinos because the rules are simple and the game is fast-paced. 

To play Blackjack, the dealer gives every player two cards. After looking at your card, you can choose to stand, which means you end your turn or hit, meaning you take another card. 

If you’re feeling lucky, you can choose to double, meaning that you double your stake and get an additional card. You can also split by separating your cards into two hands, so you have two hands to compete against the dealer at reaching twenty-one. 

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