Tipping

admin — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:37:11 +0000

You may still be wondering how to tip. Keep these few guidelines in mind when tipping:
- Think of tips like dog treats. The quantity of cheddar cheese is less important to Fido than the frequency. He’ll roll over just as enthusiastically for a sliver as he will for a chunk. So spread out your tips and make them in small amounts.
- Start off on the right foot. Making a small bet for the dealer when you first join a table is always appreciated.
- Make amends. If you’re getting bad service or you’re playing with a rude or indifferent dealer, a tip is a good way to end the cold war and get the dealer back in your corner. But if that’s not your style, or if you simply don’t think he deserves it, by all means don’t hand over a gratuity.
- Keep track of your tips. Most important of all, keep a very rough estimate in your head of how much you’ve tipped. The number may surprise you.
Tipping doesn’t have any hard-and-fast rules. A casino or dealer will never kick you out or ban you for refusing to tip. Remember that these guidelines are simply that - guidelines. Observe how more-experienced blackjack players at your table give gratuities and make note of the rapport they build with the dealers. Before long, you can develop a feel for what’s appropriate and what isn’t. Just as important, you get a feel for what kind of tipping pattern fits your personality and budget.

Knowing your limits

admin — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:34:22 +0000

Before you cash in your money and make any bets at a blackjack or slot machine, be sure you know the rules and parameters of the game you’re about to play. Even popular standards, such as blackjack and video poker, may have weird variations or unusual rules. Avoid disrupting other players — and save yourself some embarrassment - by confirming that you’re playing the game you think you are before you join in. Just ask the dealer (while she’s shuffling is the best time) to give you a quick overview of the game. But most specialty or unusual games have their rules printed at the table, so you can typically read them before you play.
Always check the table limits - the betting minimums and maximums — before you sit down. Casinos usually print the limits on a small, colored placard on the table to keep you from inadvertently joining a high-limit game where you can’t afford even the minimum bet. Making a $5 bet only to have the dealer point out that you’re sitting at a $100-minimum table can be humiliating.

blackjack, black jack

Tipping

Knowing your limits