While proper etiquette and behavior are often easy to maintain at table games like Poker and Blackjack, games that elicit a more dramatic response from their players can sometimes turn the most genteel gambler into an obnoxious buffoon. Throw in the fact that drinking and gambling often go hand and hand, and a good refresher course in proper “roulettiquette” is always a good idea.
Hands
Keep your hands off the roulette table and out of the way as much as possible. Sure you want to protect your chips, but keeping your hands anywhere near the play area may confuse the dealer or make him suspicious of you. Remember, once the dealer waves his hands to signal “no more bets,” your hands should be back in your personal space.
Temper
Everybody loves to win, but a quality player is defined by how he or she loses. Never yell, curse or lash out in any way. Upsetting another player’s chips, bets or the delicately-calibrated roulette wheel itself is usually cause for dismissal from any reputable casino.
The Marker
When a player wins a spin, the dealer will place a black marker next to the winning number. When this marker is on the table, do not touch anything – including your own chips. Failure to obey this rule is the number one reason for players to be dismissed from a table.
Tipping
There’s not much that a dealer can do to help you out in roulette, but it’s still polite to tip your dealer – particularly after a large win.
Remember, the dealers are there to help you have a good time, but they have a strict code of conduct that they must follow. Casinos deal in millions of dollars every day, and even the suspicion of theft or threat can ruin a good time in a heartbeat. When in doubt, remember the “Golden Rule of Gambling:” if you are not prepared to lose the money you are betting, do not bet at all.
