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New Slots by Henry Tamburin
Mind Your Manners
Life lessons for gamblers, from novice to old pross

Most novice players are very self-conscious about saying or doing the wrong thing when they gamble. It probably stems from an embarrassing situation they once had, like being admonished by a blackjack dealer for touching the cards or receiving icy glares from fellow craps players when the dice touched their dangling hand. Even slot players come under scrutiny from other players—especially when they try to play “their machine.”

Although most of the codes of casino behavior are covered by rules and regulations, there are plenty of unwritten ones—the ones that you won’t find in casino pamphlets or books—that have evolved over time and have become general operating procedure for gamblers. For example, you would never talk to or jostle a hot craps shooter. There is no casino rule that says you can’t, but if you do, you will be committing a major faux pas in craps.

What follows are the dos and don’ts of casino manners for novice players. And even if you’re seasoned veteran, it won’t hurt to brush up on your casino manners to avoid a potentially embarrassing situation.

General
Before you sit down and play any table game, always check the placard located somewhere on the table that tells you the table minimum and maximum bets. Nothing can be more embarrassing and annoying to other players than a player who buys in to a game, makes a first bet of $5, and then is told by the dealer pointing to the placard, “Sir, the minimum bet is $25.”

You must convert cash to casino chips when you play table games. When you buy in, keep in mind that dealers are not allowed to take cash directly from your hand. Always place your money on the table and ask the dealer for chips. When you are finished playing and want to convert your smaller denomination chips to larger ones, wait for a pause in the action before you ask the dealer to color you up.

Don’t place any objects such as purses, wallets or bags anywhere on the playing table. Drinks are permissible as long as you use the drink holders provided to players—spilling a drink on a table will cause chaos, hold up play, disgruntle both players and employees, and be pretty embarrassing.

As a general rule, do not touch the chips you have wagered once the playing round has started. Likewise, don’t touch your winning chips until after the dealer collects all losing bets and pays off winners.

Loud, abusive language and temper tantrums are strictly verboten. And don’t blame the dealer for your bad luck or accuse them of cheating. You’re probably just having a bad run.

Yes, drinks are free for all players, but it’s common courtesy to tip the cocktail waitress who brings your free drink. Likewise, if your dealer has been friendly and helpful and made your playing experience enjoyable, thank them by leaving a tip (or make a bet for the dealer).

Don’t take your children into a casino to “watch the action.” This is very annoying to serious players. Plus, in most gaming jurisdictions, you are not allowed to bring children into the casino (they don’t belong there anyway). If you have teenagers, be mindful of the minimum age requirements for players (usually 21 years old). And if you disobey the rules and junior gets lucky and hits a big slot jackpot, don’t be too surprised if the casino doesn’t pay off (because he is under age, the casino is not obliged to pay).

If you are a smoker, be mindful of the nonsmoking tables (placard on table) and the designated nonsmoking areas in some casinos. Don’t blow smoke in the direction of other players or the dealer and use the ash trays.

Blackjack
An empty chair doesn’t always mean an open spot. Check to be sure an adjacent player isn’t playing two spots. On the other hand, if you are playing two spots, the tables are crowded and someone is anxious to play, be courteous and give up one of your betting spots to the new player.

Don’t hog the table or use a vacant chair as a foot stool or arm rest. Chairs are for players only, although when the casino isn’t crowded, it’s usually OK for a spouse or friend to sit at an adjacent chair to watch you play.

Don’t join a game in the middle of a shoe unless you ask your fellow players if it’s OK to do so. Many players believe that a new player who joins a game in mid-shoe will disrupt the flow of the cards (even though there is no basis for this). Actually, it’s a good idea to wait till the shuffle to buy in.

Make sure you use the correct hand signals for hitting and standing (please don’t say “hit me”). In shoe games where all the player’s cards are dealt face up, do not touch the cards. In single-deck pitch games, only handle the cards with one hand and always keep the cards over the table where the dealer (and the eye in the sky) can see them. If you are dealt a blackjack or your hand busts, immediately place the cards face up on the layout.

Offer advice to other players only when asked. Do not criticize or demean the playing decisions of fellow players. It’s their money and they have the right to play their hand as they wish. If you are dissatisfied with how a player makes their decisions, then leave quietly and play elsewhere.

Once you make a bet and the cards are dealt, do not touch the chips that you have wagered. When you double down or pair split, place your secondary wager next to (not on top of) the original wager. If you are wagering several chips of different denomination, stack them neatly in the betting spot so that the lower denomination chip is placed on top of the higher denomination chip (in other words, for a $30 wager, place a red chip on top of a green chip).

Although it’s OK to use a basic strategy card when you play, don’t refer to it on each and every hand. This slows down play and can annoy other players (you should be familiar with most of the strategy before you sit down and play).

If you are a novice blackjack player, it’s best not to sit at third base (last position to receive a card before the dealer). Many blackjack players mistakenly believe that a wrong play made by the third-base player can affect the outcome of the dealer’s hand and potentially lead to player losses. Disgruntled players often will make comments to third-base players when this happens (which is itself bad manners).

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