Roulette Ettiquette

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If you’re an online roulette player, you won’t have to worry too much about the etiquette of roulette. But even we admit that there’s nothing quite like a trip with friends to the casino, so chances are that you might want to head to a live roulette table at some point. And while nobody will care much about how you play the game in your own home, there’s definitely an etiquette to playing roulette in the casino.

Most of these etiquette tips might seem like “common sense,” but that doesn’t meant they aren’t important — or often ignored by those who are new to playing roulette with other people. Here’s a breakdown of the important rules of etiquette you’ll want to follow the next time you’re in a casino.

Respect Your Fellow Players

Nothing ruins a casino trip faster than a player who just doesn’t know how to treat his fellow gamblers. Of course, you’re going to want to respect people the same way you do in all walks of life, but there are a few tips that are specific to gambling that you should follow as well.

First of all, make sure you give the other players enough space to stand at the table. This is an easy one to forget, especially if you’re playing at a crowded table. This might mean sliding over so that someone desperately trying to make bets from behind you can reach the table, or it could mean giving up a seat to someone who really isn’t in any physical condition to stand and place bets.

You should also be aware enough not to do anything that will make other players uncomfortable at the table. Don’t scream and shout constantly; it won’t help you win, but it’ll certainly irritate the other players. Another big no-no is rooting against bets made by other players. It’s fine to cheer a bit for your own bets, but if you’re specifically asking the ball not to land on a certain number (or group of numbers) played by other players, you’re going to suck all the fun out of the atmosphere.

Don’t Insist on Using Casino Chips

One of the more interesting aspects of roulette is the fact that the game uses its own chips. When you get to the table, you’ll get chips in your own colour that don’t have a marked value on them (the value is determined when you buy them). These chips are very important to roulette, as they allow players and croupiers alike to keep track of what bets belong to what player.

That said, you’ll sometimes see standard casino chips on the roulette table as well. This is perfectly acceptable for a player that is just dropping in to make one or two bets, and then plans to leave the table. Many players like to do this in order to start or end their casino trip, hoping to make some quick cash. It would actually take longer to exchange the chips than to place that single bet, so these players are doing the whole table a big favour.

On the other hand, players who continuously use their casino chips at the roulette table are making a big etiquette mistake. The problem here is that the croupiers now much spend extra time each spin paying out wins with casino chips, giving them one more thing to worry about on an already busy table. Worse still, if other players come to place one or two bets with casino chips, there could easily be confusion as to who each chip belongs to. If you plan on staying at the roulette table for any length of time, make sure you exchange your chips.

Follow the Croupier’s Instructions

There is nothing more irritating than a player who refuses to follow the instructions of the croupier. Remember, the casino staff controls the game, and all games (including roulette) are played by their rules only. If you violate the croupier’s instructions, you’ll only succeed in slowing down the game for everyone.

There are two main ways in which players sometimes try to do things against the croupier’s instructions, and they both have to do with placing bets. First, realize that when the croupier says that there are no more bets allowed on the spin, they mean it. If you try to place a bet later, they will stop you, and a pit boss may be called to resolve the situation, further slowing down the game. Similarly, you might be anxious to place a bet after the last spin ends, but you should not do so until after all the winning bets from the last spin have been paid and the marker has been removed from the table layout. If you try to make a bet earlier than that, you’re creating a situation that could confuse the croupier, and you will be told to take it back.

Remember to Tip

One of the nice things about playing online roulette is that you never lose any money to tips. However, that leads some online gamblers to look at tips as just a hit to their profit margin, which in turn leads them to refuse to give tips in live casinos as well.

We’re not suggesting that you need to constantly tip your croupier, or be overly generous with your tips. However, after a particularly big win, it’s considered polite to give the croupier a little something as a thank you. When you think about it, you’re not really tipping because of the win (clearly, the croupier didn’t let you win just to get a tip), but it’s the perfect time to give a tip for the service they’ve provided to you throughout your time at the table. Casino employees aren’t the highest paid workers in the world, and they certainly appreciate the tips, which can only help the atmosphere at the table. In addition, you should also tip waitresses who bring you drinks — especially if those drinks are free, in which case you’re still getting a bargain even after the tip.