A Complete Guide for Casino First-Timers

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Congratulations! You are about to indulge in what millions of people are currently enjoying — a neon-laden paradise with breathtaking opportunities. It will not be that hard to get used to glitz and glamour, cocktails, buffet tables, and a list of other attractive features. However, since this is your first time, it is entirely understandable that it seems like a daunting experience. You are surely going to make some mistakes, and you should be okay with that right now! So without further ado, let’s jump right into our list of tips you might need when you visit a casino for the first time.

Age Requirement

It may surprise you that we have listed this as our first tip, but it is essential that you pay attention to these matters! It depends on where you choose to go, but in most states the minimum age requirement is 21. If this is not suitable for you, you could try visiting one of the Native American venues, where gambling is allowed at the age of 18. Some gambling laws allow gambling from the age of 18 (Native American Casinos), to the astonishing minimum age of 23 in Greece.

So if you fulfill these requirements, all you need to do is to prepare your ID or passport in order to be able to pass through a casino’s verification process; and if you’re lucky, you can finally start winning big!

Familiarize Yourself with the Casino

Take a good look when you arrive. As you walk in through these massive doors, our best piece of advice is to look for a player’s club or whatever scheme the venue has put together and then join it. The entry fee or any other additional costs will be surely worth your investment. While you’re there, ask all about their scheme and the perks that you should expect. The minimum that the venue should provide is a rich match bonus offer and the opportunity to accumulate some loyalty points with every wager. That way, you will be keeping track of all of your bets, and you will manage to have a clearer insight into your wins and losses.

Swiping your card against every machine will accumulate points and offer a wide array of rewards, depending on the loyalty scheme at hand. You could expect discounts on hotel rooms, trips to exotic locations, free meals and beverages, gift cards, and many casino offers you could use for more betting. At least, these types of rewards are what we’ve encountered so far. Make sure you fully understood what exactly you are entitled to, and ask any relevant questions — you need to know it all!

This way, you can ensure that you have a great jump-start and take advantage of all the available perks, in order to make your first casino experience a truly unforgettable one!

Pay Attention to the House Rules

The same way you’ve worked hard to establish your own house rules, you should likewise be able to understand that the casinos have put some regulations in place as well. These vary from establishment to establishment, but they are usually a no-brainer. Since this is your first visit, we will list a few examples to make you aware of what you should expect. For example, you may stumble upon a venue with a strict dress code, where only sophisticated guests are expected. There will also be venues that prohibit smoking or drinking inside the premises, because of the laws in that country.

Another thing you should pay attention to as soon as you enter a casino is to look for posters or signs for anything that is prohibited. For instance, some casinos don’t allow taking pictures within their premises; and this is not tolerated. So, if you wish to capture the moment with your friends, just make sure you first check with the floor manager whether you are allowed to or not; because this person will definitely be available, so you can ask them! Just take a good look around the entrance, as it will be hard to miss the warning poster or that sleek guy in a black suit who, as the manager, will be only too glad to assist you further.

Don’t Get Carried Away with Slots

Gamblers can rarely get enough of spinning the reels, and the operators do take advantage of that fact. Don’t get us wrong — slots are awesome, but there is more to them than meets the eye! The first thing you should be aware of is that slot machines are the biggest money-makers for the casinos since they provide between 65–80% of the total profit to the operators. Now you have to agree, that’s a pretty big number!  And new, cutting-edge technology slots are very simple to master; all you need to do is insert your currency, decide on the amount you wish to bet, and press spin. Easy, right? Well, this harmless diversion is more harmful to your budget as a beginner than anything else. Even though slots are the first thing you’ll notice upon entering a vast casino hall, do try thinking ahead!

Slots have enjoyed a significant rise in popularity over time, which is why casino owners have decided to offer massive jackpot offerings; and these do seem especially alluring to inexperienced players! They are spread in a maze across the casino floor, making it really hard for a first timer to remember that there other casino games available too…

Also, you might have heard of the house edge. If you haven’t — this mathematical prediction helps players have a better understanding of how much they’ll lose per each bet over many spins. We will try to use simple math to present a simple explanation: if the house edge is set to 1%, the venue is expected to earn $1 for every $100 players wager on that particular machine.

Now, since you are already familiar with the house edge, the payback percentage definition is equally important too! The size of the payback percentage is invaluable when deciding to try your luck on slot machines. For instance, if you see that the house gives a payback percentage of 99%, that means that the house expects you to win back 99 cents every time you bet a dollar. So this is what you should pay close attention to when choosing which slot machine to play, as this can be tricky for a newcomer.

Our biggest advice about slots is — leave the best for last, walk through the property, and see what else they have to offer.

Start with Video Poker Machines

As we’ve previously mentioned, the higher payback percentage, the better! And when it comes to video poker machines, they offer a higher return-to-player rate than slot machines. And just like the slots, video poker machines use an RNG (random number generator), so you can rest assured that the results will not be tampered with. However, the main quality of video poker machines is their transparency regarding their payout amounts.

When playing video poker, players are provided with a paytable right above the screen. In that manner, if you know what you’re looking for, you’ll even be able to find a machine that offers an RTP higher than 100%!

You just need to bear one thing in mind — to get that RTP rate, you truly have to master this game. So before you get on your merry way playing this game in your local casino, make sure to understand the rules and come in with a fully defined strategy.

Our advice is to look for a full pay Jacks or Better video poker game. But what is full pay, you may ask? Well, that is a machine that pays out 9x your bet for a full house and 6x your bet for a flush. This is considered to be the best possible paying video poker machine in the gambling world, so make sure you stay on the lookout for one of these!

Besides, video poker machines, in general, are known for offering the lowest house edge, and so they do offer you a better chance to win it big. So try following our advice and go for this more attractive substitute for slot machines and boost your bankroll. After all, you just came here, so make sure you play it smart!

Table Games Give Better Quality Than Gambling Machines

The unwritten rule of gambling is that if you don’t have much trouble with understanding the basic principles of the game you’ve chosen, the worse your odds are. For instance, understanding a slot machine is not that difficult. Basically, all you need to do is to put a certain amount of money in and spin the reels. On the other hand, you might have had more troubles with understanding the rules of Blackjack. There are a lot of things you need to take into consideration, such as the values of every card and which steps to follow. This is clearly visible when it comes to the house edges of these two games. When it comes to the slot machine, the house edge is set to be at least 7%, while in Blackjack, it is 4% or lower. If you invest your time in mastering the rules of Blackjack, you may even manage to lower the edge to an incredible 1%, which is a huge advantage for you!

The same rule applies to the rest of the table games library. You can take your pick, whether it be baccarat, roulette, or craps; they all offer significantly better odds as opposed to slot machines. However, those stats don’t necessarily apply to video poker machines, whose payback percentages do vary from 93% to 100%; assuming that you are using a reasonable strategy while playing. And even if you aren’t, they will still return most of your initial investment!

The Drinks Aren’t Always on the House

Now, let’s move on to the fun part! You’re going to be getting lucky, and you’re going to celebrate; or you may even make some great new friends as well. So if you are enjoying all those cocktails as they just keep on coming, that’s great, but just be sure you consume them in moderation! Also, make sure that you check with the cocktail waitress about the policies of the house. Because while many venues will gladly offer complimentary drinks, you really do need to make sure that this is actually the case! Obviously, this offer applies to the players who are gambling at the moment; but some casinos tend to avoid specifying just how many cocktails there are for free. You don’t want to secure some handsome winnings, only to be served a massive bill afterwards!

Also, we don’t want to preach about anyone’s habits, but we’re pretty sure you must be familiar with the fact that alcohol is known for reducing our inhibition. And doing that during your first visit may not be the smartest idea ever. You don’t want to make some sloppy mistakes, or risk your entire paycheck on one roulette spin! So enjoy playing, and drink smart!

Don’t Forget the Tips

In case you’ve found your game of choice and you have been there for a while, don’t forget to tip the dealer! You are a newcomer, who is getting used to the house rules, bear in mind that this is one of the important casino rules in plenty of establishments. No matter if you win or lose in the USA, it is required to tip both your dealer and your server. But how much?

The dealers pool their money and split your pot; so every time you wager $20, you should leave $1–5 to the dealer. This is almost mandatory if you are on a winning streak or having a good time. However, it is also important to remember that even though this is an established custom, it doesn’t apply to all venues you might visit. Some casinos have a different sort of agreement with their dealers, meaning that if you decide to tip, the staff members may find that move suspicious.

So make sure that you get to know the house rules of the casino you’re visiting before getting lost in the world of casino games.

Have Fun!

All in all, you are sure to have a good time. Now, you know all the necessary information every player should know before entering a casino for the first time. This guide may well end up going out of the window once you taste the glitzy casino feel, but then again, our ideas might also stick; in which case, they are sure to help you make the most of your first casino visit!

And if you do manage to succeed in keeping your cool and follow these tips, you should end up cultivating some healthy gambling habits while also gaining some memories you’re going to cherish for a very long time!

So bring along some company, be safe, have fun, and score some winnings during your first casino visit. One thing’s for sure — it’s not going to be your last!