PLAYING IN THE CASINO

WAGERING ETIQUETTE OFPLAYING IN CASINO

Casino table games have unwritten rules of behavior that are followed as a matter of courtesy to the dealer and to the other players. These rules are primarily designed to avoid misunderstandings and to keep the game moving smoothly.

When you first sit down at a table, you will need to buy in. If you brought chips from another game at that casino, you can play with those; however, you cannot use chips that you brought in from a different casino. In Nevada, real currency can be played at most table games. If you toss a bill on the bet circle, the dealer will call out (for the floor person to hear), “Money plays.” If you win your money bet, you will be paid off with casino chips.

To buy in, place your money on the layout; never hand it to the dealer. The dealer will not convert your cash until the current hand is concluded, so don’t think she is ignoring you. If you lay out a large bill, it will be converted entirely into chips; the dealer cannot make change. You may, however, ask for specific denominations of chips. When you quit playing and are ready to change your chips back to cash, you can do so at the cashier’s cage.

No matter which game you are playing, at the start of each hand you need to put up one or more bets. If you are slow in doing this, the dealer will gently remind you, but it will also hold up the game. In some games, such as baccarat, you are not expected to bet every hand.

Once the dealer starts distributing the cards, you may not touch your original bet. If you do, you will be admonished. This is because one method of cheating is to change the amount of the bet after seeing how good a hand was dealt.

The above rules are general and apply to all table games. Every different type of game also has some unique rules of its own. These additional rules are covered in the chapters on the specific games.

OBTAINING CREDIT

If you are a serious table player and would rather not carry around large sums of cash, you may wish to establish a line of credit at the casino. To obtain credit, you first have to stop at the cashier’s cage and get rated. You will have to fill out a credit application, so they can check your credit history. If you already have credit at another casino, it won’t take very long because all casinos use the same credit agency. If you have never established credit at a casino before, they will have to check with your bank, which could take a day or two—and even longer on a weekend. In any case, the casino is not likely to give you more credit than 75% of your average checking account balance as they expect you to settle any losses by writing a check before you leave.

Once your credit is established at a casino, you can step up to a gaming table and ask for a marker for a specific amount. (Bear in mind that few casinos will write markers for less than $500.) The dealer will pass your request to a floor supervisor, who will ask you for identification. He will either check his computer or call the cashier to verify that you have adequate unused credit. He will then ask you to sign a marker (which is a simple IOU), and instruct the dealer to give you chips in the requested amount.

If you have a large number of chips when you are finished playing, you will be expected to redeem your marker before you leave the table. In any case, you should settle up at the cashier’s cage before you leave the casino.