Going to the casino for the first time.

[Lufia Erim]

So i am planning an outing to the casino with a couple of friends. I personally have never been to a casino and have no idea how it works. I live in montreal and have a pretty big casino here. That being said i am kinda nervous.

Now don't get me wrong i know about the little things like quiting while you are ahead or cutting your losses. I'm just curious if there are any things i should know before going. Traps and the sort. I don't intend to lose my shirt.

I also must admit i don't know how to play blackjack or craps or poker. Should i avoid playing those games and stick to slots or should i try different things even though im a complete noob?

Give me your casino stories, and tips.

 

[Plinglebob]

The best suggestion I've ever had regarding Casinos is set yourself a budget thats no more then you can afford to lose and then expect to lose it all.

 

[jademunky]

One thing I would suggest is to not bring along your debit or credit cards. Leave them in the car or, better yet, at home if possible. Aside from that, just do what Plinglebob said and stay within your budget.

I've never much liked gambling myself, but have fun.

 

[Queen Michael]

Here's my advice: Get yourself some cash. Decide that you will spend all of this cash and nothing else. Then, whenever you win at the games, put aside that money. It's not spending money. Only the money you brought to the casino is.

The problem isn't winning. It's keeping your winnings.

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

Black Jack and Craps generally have pretty good odds, most gift shops have materials regarding how to play them, including reference cards regarding the game. A big piece of advice is that if you play Black Jack, get the card with the basic strategy card, and know weather, or not your local dealers have to stand on a soft 17(ace and 6). Black Jack does have the best odds in any casino, with the house only having a slight edge at best, the odds for any hand are essentially; 49you/51the house.

Set a budget for gambling, that budget is money you're going to spend, do not expect a return on investment at all. Don't take any money off your cards in the casino either, they charge nasty large fees generally, and you risk losing the money you took out. Best to leave the debit/credit cards at home.

A big tip. If you're playing a static amount at any given time, like say $20, and you double it, or better, put the winnings in your pocket and leave them there.

Slots have horrible odds, so if you play them don't expect to win. Video Poker is alright, but the odds are only decent if you're playing jacks or better. On that note for video poker, deuces wild might look appealing, but don't fall for it, the odds just plain suck.

Finally if you go and want to give a good shot at winning, don't drink, if you do drink expect to lose.

There are my best tips being a local of a gambling town, in this case Reno, Nevada.

 

[Risingblade]

Screw the gambling hit the buffet.

 

[Souplex]

Set aside some money for gambling, do not gamble any money other than the money you set aside.

 

[Frankster]

I'll second the "have a limit and don't go over it" suggestion. Basically know in advance how much you're going to be losing tonight and just have fun.

Leaving behind credit cards is also a sound idea.

Now for the games themselves... Play the ones you want, you're not gonna be making a profit unless you get really lucky. Still avoid slot machines and what not, those are the domain of grand mothers and retirees who spend ages in casino "knowing" the slot machines and how likely one is going to be giving or not.

Oh wait..Final tip, though this might only apply to the few casinos I've been with my grandmother to, god rest her soul:
tip generously, don't be stingy.

Whilst this advice has personally served me well in general, in casinos giving a tip/chip to the croupier when you win big might just incline them to tilt the odds your way a bit more.
Worst case scenario you'll be very well served and get grade A treatment.

 

[ecoho]

So i am planning an outing to the casino with a couple of friends. I personally have never been to a casino and have no idea how it works. I live in montreal and have a pretty big casino here. That being said i am kinda nervous.

Now don't get me wrong i know about the little things like quiting while you are ahead or cutting your losses. I'm just curious if there are any things i should know before going. Traps and the sort. I don't intend to lose my shirt.

I also must admit i don't know how to play blackjack or craps or poker. Should i avoid playing those games and stick to slots or should i try different things even though im a complete noob?

Give me your casino stories, and tips.

avoid poker as that game tends to draw more experienced players, craps and black jack are more luck and the learning curve for the rest is a lot less steep.

as for slots if you can find a silver strike machine they pay out considerably well as long as you don't collect the coins they shoot out.(each one is worth $10 and I never have less then two wins every $20 on 5 different machines.)
its best to avoid the others but if you do play one quit when you're ahead or break even, cant stress that enough.

 

[FalloutJack]

Do nothing on credit, do nothing involving slot machines. If you think slots were rigged before, think how easy it would be for the new electronic ones. Card tables? Beware of doing marginally well and then them changing dealers or decks. When this happens, bet low or fold. Do not test the patience of the house. The house's job is to take you, and while they outlaw and ban cardsharks, it would not surprise me to find out that they hire 'em. Do not attempt to cheat at all, yourself, because you are not James Bond, Bret Maverick, or any other classic gambling hero. Play the game, try not to get hurt too badly, money-wise, and bow out when things get thick. Roulette wheels? FORGET IT!

 

[Asita]

Don't use the slot machines. The games are really quick and despite what anyone tells you there's no way to tell if one's about to pay out. The symbols are done via RNG, not a predictable formula, so the odds on the next spin are just as bad as they were on the last one. You'll have more fun and your money will last longer with pretty much any human interaction game.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Don't carry more money than you're willing to lose, never bet on slots and always quit while you're ahead.

 

[Kyrian007]

If you learn blackjack and want to play it, here's some advice. Do not touch the cards... even "your" cards. To hit, tap your index finger on the table on your side of your cards. To stay hold your hand, palm down, flat a couple of inches off the table behind your cards. To double down, tap your index and middle finger on the table twice. The gesture for split is point both of your index fingers at your cards, then move your hands away from one another. You look like less of a rube if you come over to a blackjack table and play without saying a word.

 

[Bellvedere]

- Black Jack has the best odds in the house so I recommend Black Jack (avoid side bets like insurance though). Absolutely avoid slots and Roulette. I also avoid games where you're playing against other punters rather than just the dealer -> like Poker.

- Definitely learn the basic rules of the games you intend to play.

- Each table will have minimum (and maximum) bets. Find the right table before you sit down to play.

- Croupiers can't give you high fives.

 

[Ihateregistering1]

The best odds (as long as you follow a relatively simple system) are in blackjack. Just google "how to play blackjack' and it will explain when to stay, split, hit, etc. When playing Blackjack, don't buy insurance. Stay away from roulette and the slots. Craps doesn't have great odds, but is mostly fun because it's basically a party game.

Remember that in Blackjack, you are only playing to beat the dealer (the 'House'), not the other people at your table.

As someone mentioned, there is some casino etiquette to learn. They won't kick you out of the casino or anything, but it is embarrassing when the dealer has to explain everything to you Barney style and you slow the game down for everyone else:
-You don't need to touch you cards in blackjack, just use hand motions (they're described above).
-For whatever reason, you can't hand the dealer money to exchange for chips, you must lay it on the table, and then they will put your chips in front of you. Basically there shouldn't be any physical contact between you and the dealer. On that note: DO NOT REACH FOR CHIPS FROM THE DEALER'S BOX. This they might kick you out for.
-It's perfectly OK to tip waitresses with chips (they're basically cash anyway). Not sure if you can pay your tab in chips because I mostly gamble in Vegas (where the drinks are all free).
-It's not required, but tipping the dealer at the end of your game is encouraged and considered a pretty classy move.

As for not losing your shirt, here is the easiest way and one that always worked for me. Go in with a set amount of money (let's say $500). If you get to 150% of that money (so $750), then quit. Likewise, if you get to 50% of that amount ($250) then quit. This is the easiest way to ensure that you come out all right. Never forget that there is no such thing as "hot streaks" or any of that other rubbish: you have just as much chance of winning the next hand whether you lost the previous 5 or won the previous 5.

My dad was a pretty savvy gambler and he said it best: "The only advantage you have over the house is that you can quit playing whenever you want, while they have to keep going"

 

[MHR]

Like others have said, set aside a bit of money you feel comfortable losing and then you're set to go off and do just that.

Or like Risingblade said, hit the buffet. It's usually cheap or free to keep the cattle fed so they can keep getting milked at the slot machines. If you can get into the casino and eat more than what you've paid by cleaning out their buffet, you've already won.

 

[Summerstorm]

Tip by me: If you do something, do it in STYLE.

So: Don't plant yourself in front of a slot machine like a degenerate.

No, look up a game. Learn the rules and terms. Dress well (Because what point is sitting in a casino if you don't have a suit and pretend you are James Bond undercover and the other dudes at the table MIGHT be spies or assassins?) and really PLAY a game.

Also be aware of all the tricks of the casino to influence you. Stay awake and clearheaded.

Also: Have fun. (Pretending to be a spy or a highrolling crimeboss helps)

 

[Redd the Sock]

If you have little to no experience in casino games, I'd suggest trying some online, or one f the many video game options to learn the basics and find what you enjoy playing. Take it from me, it takes a certain mind to enjoy the slots, and I didn't have it, being bored shitless after an hour. Not to get into a fight about real games or not, but think of a video game where you just hit one button and see what happens, again and again and again and again.