Everyone starts as a beginner with any new endeavour. When you’re a beginner casino player, the tables can be daunting. Casino games move fast, and there are no explanations. Make the wrong move, and you may illicit scowls from those around you.
With a little forward thinking and awareness, you can fit in with the more seasoned players. There are proper ways to join a game, play a game, and exit a game when money’s involved. We’ve compiled a list of etiquette rules that will lead to a smooth entry into any table game you’ll find at the casino. Whether you’re keen to break into the blackjack scene, or join a lively game of craps, we’ve got you covered.
Rule No. 1: Unless you’re playing casino games online, only sit down when you know how to play.
Asking the dealer how to play a game for the first time is tedious for everyone and will not be welcome during busy periods. Most casinos run tutorials for table games in the mornings for newcomers. Alternatively, you can learn and practice by playing in our real money online casino. Since you’re playing independently, you can go at your own pace.
If neither of these options are feasible, stand back and observe the action for a while. Notice the bets people are making and how they navigate the table. When you get the idea, join in, which takes us to our next point.
Rule No. 2: Reserve buy-ins for between rounds.
It’s polite to wait until the hand is finished before you buy-in to a game. If you’re aiming to join a blackjack table, place your cash mid-way between the dealer and your betting circle. Avoid placing your cash on the betting circle, which can be confusing. The dealer will exchange your cash for chips.
Rule No. 3: Know the chip denominations ahead of time.
When you’re handed chips, you should know the colour coordinates for the denominations. For most places, you’ll be looking at $5 red chips, $25 green chips and $100 black chips. But you may also encounter $1 white chips, blue, brown or orange $10 chips, and $500 purple chips. These colour coordinates aren’t going to be exactly the same for every casino, so check with the cashier ahead of time.
Rule No. 4: Don’t touch your chips after the dealer closes bets.
The dealer will signal “open bets” by sweeping their up-turned hand across the board. This is the time to get your chips in place. To signal “closed bets”, the dealer will sweep their down-tuned hand across the board in the opposite direction.
Rule No. 5: Know the hand signals in blackjack.
Anyone is allowed to say the moves they want to make while playing blackjack, but many casinos ask players to use the game’s hand signals as a minimum requirement.
It’s easy. When blackjack is dealt face-up, to hit, you tap the table. To stand, you wave your hand parallel to the blackjack table. For doubling, place a matching bet beside the original and tap your cards. For splitting, place a second bet equal to the first right beside the original bet, and then tap two fingers on the table. The dealer will split your hand for you.
Rule No. 6: Refrain from touching your cards when they’re dealt face up.
When the dealer deals cards face up on the table, they’re not to be touched.
Rule No. 7: Refrain from touching your bet after you’ve placed it.
After the dealer closes bets, you can no longer touch your chips. Also, when you win a hand, don’t immediately grab your chips; wait for the dealer to pay everyone and then retrieve them.
Rule No. 8: Even at the best online casino—the dealer isn’t interested in providing advice.
If you’ve ever wondered why dealers typically provide vague answers when asked for advice, it’s because they don’t want to blamed for a loss. Make your own decisions and trust that you will get better over time.
Rule No. 9: Be aware of the cash out procedure in a real money casino.
All you need to do is observe other players to know this. For most places, the common procedure is to simply stack your chips neatly between rounds and provide them to the dealer to count and exchange. Don’t try to cash out mid-round.
Rule No. 10: Drink with moderation.
Enjoying some beverages while playing casino games can add to the ambience. But if you drink too much, it can impact your decision-making and lead to poor behaviour. Always drink in moderation.
Craps is a lot of fun in a live casino; it’s also one of the games with more etiquette considerations on top of those provided above. We’ll go over a few of the main ones.
When the game is live, keep your hands behind the rail.
When shooting, gather the dice with one hand and keep them over the table. It’s against the rules to pass the dice between both hands.
Always throw the dice at eye level and make sure that they hit the back wall.
Don’t take too much time “setting the dice”, which is positioning them in a particular way with the aim of getting repeat outcomes. It can become tedious for those around you.
Unless you’re playing in our Live Dealer Casino, which has real people running and playing the games, you can disregard this list of etiquette rules when you play online casino games here at Bodog. We have several variants of blackjack, craps, baccarat, roulette and more; all can be played for real money. Sign up for a free account today and play from the convenience of home.