Whether you’re headed out for a weekend of fun at Atlantic City, or are just gearing up for a casino party fundraiser with family and friends, it’s important to know the rules first. No, we’re not talking about the rules of the table games — though that will definitely come in handy too. We mean the unspoken rules, the rules revolving around table etiquette once you take a seat. Here’s what you need to know:
Familiarize yourself with the game first.
Okay, so we fibbed up there. The rules of the game ARE important, but only because a) we want you to win and b) others at the table aren’t going to like it if you start fumbling. At the very least, make sure you have the general idea down pat before you take a seat at the high rollers’ table.
Know how and when to trade in chips.
Buying in and cashing in larger denomination chips for smaller ones should be done in between hands, not during. In addition, if you want to trade in your smaller denomination chips for larger ones, wait until you’re ready to leave the table. And remember, as the great Kenny Rogers would say, “you never count your money, when you’re sitting at the table.”
Keep your hands off the cares.
… If they’re dealt face up that is. There would be no reason to touch them if they’re already displayed. If they’re dealt face down, like in poker, use only one hand to check them. This rule is put in place to try to stop cheaters and card sharks in their tracks. When you do handle the cards, handle them with care, paying special attention to not crease or bend them.
Keep your alcohol consumption to a minimum.
No one likes a loud, drunk card player. Spare everyone the aggravation and know when to say no to the next round of drinks. If you’re a smoker, be courteous, even when you’re seated at a table in the smoking section.
Don’t forget to tip your dealer!
Your dealer is working hard while you’re making money. If you hit big, toss him or her a chip. They’ll certainly appreciate it! If you aren’t having too much luck, it’s a nice gesture to tip anyway as you get up to leave.
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The first form of playing cards was first introduced many centuries ago in China, during the Tang Dynasty. Chinese gamblers used symbols of currency to differentiate between the suits. By the 14th century, playing cards were introduced to the Europeans, through the Middle East, where they began their journey to become the card decks we all know and love today.
1371 & 1377: As far as documented evidence goes, here’s where it can be traced back to. It was in Spain, in a Catalan rhyming dictionary that playing card were first officially noted. Just a few years later, the first detailed description of playing cards was documented as well, by John of Rheinfelden, a Swiss monk.
1380: Not long after, cards began to boom all over Europe! People were abuzz from Florence and Brabant, to Paris and Barcelona, all looking to get their hands on a deck. Everyone wanted to get in on the action.
1440: Johann Gutenberg’s printing press was not just profitable for the press. It allowed playing cards to be mass-printed and produced, instead of hand painted as they had been previously.
1480: Playing cards had solidified their suits. While different from the suits we have today, cards of this era were adorned with hearts, bells, leaves and acorns — suits that had been adopted from the Germans.
Late 1400s: Things turned around for the ace, which was previously regarded as a low card. It began to adopt a special significance, encouraging players to regard it as the highest in the deck instead.
Early 1500s: Rouen, a card-making company of that time, began illustrating cards with the familiar king, queen and jack that we still use today.
1674: Charles Cotton published the first unofficial manual for playing cards, called Compleat Gamester. His aim was to lay down the law and hammer down distinct rules for the most popular card and dice games of his time.
1711: For the first time, playing cards became regarded as a taxable good.
1793: Following the French revolution, authorities banned the use of royal figureheads on playing cards. But not for long! Twelve years later, Napoleon appeared, and overruled the illustration ban.
1834: Poker appeared on a river steamer in Mississippi! It was here that the first documented game was said to have been played.
Mid 1800s: Card name abbreviations started appearing in the corners of cards. It’s said that this was around the time that eha “knave” became the “jack” — so it didn’t overlap the K abbreviation for the king. The famous joker card also began to circulate.
1935: A fifth, green suit is introduced and named the “crowns.” As you can guess, this didn’t take well, and was abandoned shortly after.
Today, millions of people play cards around the world, and it’s a good thing too! If playing cards had not been such a successful invention, what would we have done?!
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In honor of Black Cat Appreciation Day, we thought we’d shed some light on a few of the most well-known gambling superstitions. Lucky numbers? Pre-roll rituals? You name it, we’ve got it — and there’s plenty more where that came from in the casino!
Beware of the number 13. The number 13 has a bad wrap across many cultures for being unlucky — think ‘Friday the 13th.’ So much so, that many Las Vegas hotels have omitted the 13th floor altogether. Wouldn’t want to give guests stay on that floor bad juju!
Hold the fifties please. For years gamblers have steered clear of $50 bills. Legend has it that mobsters would stow a crisp fifty in the pockets of their victims before burying them. From there, the superstitions surrounding the $50 bill were born.
Purchase red undergarments. Chinese New Year celebrations boast the color red, and for good reason! The color is said to symbolize good fortune and joy, and to bring prosperity to those who wear it — and wear it they do! Many gamblers pack a pop of red in their suitcase, most often flaunting red underwear.
“Never count your money, when you’re sitting at the table.” Kenny Rogers had it right when he said this line in his hit song, The Gambler. Not only is it considered unlucky to tally up your earnings at a casino table, but it’s also bad taste.
Cut out the crossing. You fingers, your legs and even your arms should remain uncrossed at all times. Superstition says that crossing can “cross out good luck,” and we wouldn’t want that would we?
Keep your hands to yourself. Touching other players, particularly on the shoulder, is forbidden at the table. It’s considered rude and therefore unlucky.
Don’t wash those hands. If you’re playing a hot hand and keep racking in the chips, you don’t want to wash that luck away! On the other hand, if you’re on a losing streak, washing your hands is thought to help change the course of your luck.
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Virtual game play is the next best thing to hitting the casinos in real life or at a casino party. Not only is it a great way to pass the time, but it can help you practice your betting and bluffing skills as well. But before you press your luck at the first virtual casino you come across, you’ll want to take the following into account to ensure you’re selecting the right one.
What is their track record? Do a little bit of research to see which the online casinos the digital gaming community is buzzing about. You’ll want to learn more about their customer service and their overall reputation. The internet is a dangerous place, so make sure you’re feeling 100% secure before you input your credit card information and hit submit!
Do they hold the proper licensing and registration? This goes hand-in-hand with their reputation. If reviews check-out, do a deeper dive to make sure they’re legitimate. Avoid online casinos that fail to provide licensing information — a surefire sign that you’ll be duped!
How will you pay to play? The most reputable online casinos offer multiple ways to withdraw or deposit funds. You should also be wary of any daily or weekly withdrawal limits. This is a good indicator that something is not sound. As a general rule, paypal is usually the safest way to go.
Are there any signing bonuses? Many digital casinos will offer a one-time offer for bonus cash to play with when a new member signs up. Who doesn’t like perks? Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, check out their bonus offers and see whose takes the cake
Do they have a good variety of games? And finally, when all is said and done it really all comes down to personal preference. Make sure the sign you choose has gaming options that peak your interest!
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From playing on the streets of Ancient Greece with makeshift game pieces, to the world of televised and online poker, gambling has been a staple for centuries. If you’re a gambling enthusiast yourself, here’s a bit of history about how your favorite pastime has evolved.
2300 BC: Gambling Emerges – It was in Ancient China that we saw the first evidence of gambling. Archaeologists reported finding tile etched with have lottery-style games of chance.
500 BC: Poker Chips Prevail – You can thank a group of young rebels in Ancient Greece for today’s poker chips. With all forms of gambling for money being illegal, players invented chips so that they could claim they were only playing for the small tokens, and not really money if seen by guards.
800 AD: Cards Are Coined – While little is known about their purpose back in 800 AD, the first deck of cards appeared in China at this time. Some believe they were traded like playing cards or used to play the first games of Chinese dominos. Regardless, they were drastically different from 52-card deck we know and love today!
1600: Blackjack Begins – Though the term “blackjack” wasn’t coined until the early 1900’s in the US, the game itself dates back hundreds of years. Evidence shows it was played in both Spain and France during the early 1600’s, but little is known about where the idea truly came from.
1638: The First Casino – The first gambling houses that would resemble today’s casinos started popping up in Italy during the early 17th century as a way to limit illegal street and carnival gambling. Though it had little success at first, it paved the way to lawful and regulated gambling.
1829: Poker is Played – The game of poker is believed to have spurred from many other card games over decades of play, but the first true game can be traced back to the United State’s own New Orleans in the mid 1800’s. With over 100 million players worldwide and 7 variations of the game today, it’s hard to believe that poker was originally a pretty unpopular game. It wasn’t until World Poker Tournaments began in the 1970s that the game began to garner worldwide attention.
1891: Slot Are Born – The modern day slot machine is based on a design first seen in San Francisco, where playing cards spun around and stopped at random. At the time, prizes like gum or cigars were won, but soon after machines began spitting out money and evolved into the electronic machines we play on today.
1910: Casinos Flourish – It wasn’t till the Great Depression the gambling in several states was made legal. With so many people suddenly out of work, many found themselves trying to make their livelihood through casino games, leading to huge interest in casinos.
1994: Online Gaming – Suddenly, you no longer had to go to a casino if you want to gamble! With dozens of virtual casinos popping up by the day, in less than 5 years, online gambling became a multi-billion dollar industry — one that’s still lucrative today.
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Luck isn’t the only thing you’ll need at the casino if you’re looking to try your hand at a game of blackjack. While a little good fortune certainly helps, you should also be able to identify and avoid the most common blackjack mishaps. Here are a few blunders to be aware of to to take your card playing to the next level.
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Slot machines are some of the most popular games for casino goers, and for a good reason. Playing slots requires little strategy, but a whole lot of luck! Fortunately, there are a few steps you can follow before you pull that lever to increase your odds of hitting the jackpot.
Be selective. When you enter the casino, don’t just plop down at the first machine you see. Be strategic in your decision, seeking out machines that have multiple different pay lines. The more ways to win, the better! Avid slot player say that when you find the right machine, you’ll just know!
Bet max. No matter what machine you choose to play, always bet max lines! A machine with multiple ways to win does no good if you’re not trying to win in every way possible. Remember, the higher the risk, the higher the reward.
Limit yourself. Practice self control by setting a limit and sticking to it — or set multiple limits. Say you decide that you only want to bet a total of $100 per slot machine. After you select a machine, sit and play until that $100 runs out. Then it’s onto the next one!
Practice first. Familiarize yourself with the way a slot machine and slot machine betting works. There are a wide variety of free apps and online sites that can help you get more comfortable before you press your luck for the big bucks.
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There’s a lot to be learned from a good old fashioned game of blackjack — and we’re not just talking about the mathematics of card-counting. Pressing your luck on the table can teach you a few great life lessons as well, that can be applied both in and out of the casino.
Never go in blind.
Know the rules, expectations and a few tips before you walk in — it’s as simple as that. Why lose money at a blackjack table because of silly mistakes? As such, you wouldn’t go into a job interview without researching the company a bit, or invest money without looking at stock market trends first. In every aspect of life, take time to do your research and learn what you are walking into.
Embrace the peaks and valleys.
Time spent playing blackjack will be filled with big wins and even bigger losses. Remember that “ups and downs” are a part of life. Good streaks will come to an end, but so will bad ones. Don’t focus too much on what the outcome is at that exact moment, but rather enjoy the ride.
Always have self-control.
Gambling is all about power — the power of the dealer, the power of a strong hand, the power to get up and walk away. That last one is the most important. Once you’ve hit your cap for the night, have the self-control to bow out, or risk suffering an even larger loss. In life, you should always set limits and goals for yourself. Whether it’s how much you spend on a house, or time you invest at work, be disciplined and remember what your limits are.
Know when to walk away.
Part of self-control is knowing when to call it quits, in blackjack, and in life. There are times when persistence is key, but there are also instances where you need to accept that no more time, energy or money poured into something will yield you a good return.
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Baccarat is over 600 years old and it is arguably the most popular game in the casino. It’s popularity can be linked with its simplicity, with only three bets to make, you feel confident when laying down your chips. But here are some betting tips to send your confidence through the roof:
Let it Ride on the Banker’s Hand
Baccarat is unique because you can bet on other players’ hands against the dealer’s. This leaves you with more opportunity to succeed versus a game like blackjack. The house always wins right? That is why betting on the banker’s hand leaves you with the best chance to win. You actually have a .22% better chance to win on the banker’s hand than any other hand on the table.
The Risk-Reward Bet
Contrary to popular belief, Casino’s are in the business to make money, not throw it away. Betting on the banker will have you winning more frequently but at the cost of a 5% commission. Betting on the player’s hand will lead to bigger payouts and more up and down swings. Just like in investing, the higher the risk, the higher the reward.
The Forbidden Fruit
Betting on a tie is like betting on the Jets to win the Super Bowl, hopeful but not likely. The house loves when you take the tie because they automatically gain almost a 16% advantage over the player. While it might yield the biggest payouts, the risk is simply not worth taking.
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Practice makes perfect, and the same holds true for poker. If you want to be the best, you’ve got train hard, and here’s how you can get your mind on the money.
Just do it. That’s right! The wise words of Nike can be applied to almost anything, including playing poker. Sure you might keep telling yourself you’re going to read that poker strategies book, watch that tutorial or even schedule a practice night with friends, but when? We say, start now!
Ask yourself why. Having a reason for practicing means you’ve found your source of motivation. Figure out what it is about the game that you enjoy, and why getting better at it means so much to you — and remind yourself over, and over.
Set deadlines. Is there a big poker tournament coming up that you want to feel confident enough to enter? Well, what are you waiting for? Make yourself a set schedule with goals up until that point. Read 10 pages a night, play poker one night a week — once you have a distinct path, it will be easier to stick with it.
Find a buddy. The best way to make sure you stick to it, is to have a buddy on board to help hold you accountable. Perhaps set a weekly practice night, or choose a date to discuss your findings on the latest poker strategy books you’ve read. Everything is easier when you’ve got a friend along for the ride.
How do you motivate yourself to stay sharp and up-to-speed on the latest poker training techniques? We’d love to her all about it on our Facebook page!
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