Las Vegas Roulette
Roulette in Las Vegas is the same as it is anywhere else, but the lights
are brighter, the crowds are bigger, and everyone is looking to have a good
time. You've probably shelled out a lot of money for a weekend getaway or a
full-fledged vacation, so you can get carried away with yourself trying to
have a good time.
Also, there are so many casinos and resorts in Las Vegas that it sets a new casino gambler's head to spinning. So here's some advice for gambling on roulette in Las Vegas, including tips for choosing casinos, money management suggestions, gambling etiquette advice, and tips for treating the casino staff.
Vegas Roulette Tips
Major
casino resorts on the Vegas Strip have a $5 minimum on roulette. If you
prefer to play at $1 and $2 minimums, you'll want to either look in the
older resorts on the north end of the Strip, or head to the casinos off the
strip or downtown. Since each casino changes its set-up often, you might
find exceptions when you're there.
Vegas Casino Gambling Tips
Dealers are people, too. Not only are they people, but they are people trying to make a living working for a casino obsessed with making the biggest profits possible. So be sure to tip, and understand they are under big pressure to perform. The casino staff, by and large, does an amazing job.
Understand Dealers are Human - Dealers make mistakes. It does not make you look comparatively better when you try to make them look worse. This is especially rude at a low-limit table, where the dealers are least experienced. You get what you pay for.
Don't Argue with Dealers - You'll never win one of these arguments, if (for example) you argue after the croupier says "no more bets". First you'll get a warning. Then you'll be escorted out.
Be a Good Tipper - If you're having your average casino trip, you're losing a nice chunk of money. Assume an occasional fair tip is the price of doing business. Most dealers depend on tips for their wages, so don't take advantage.
Bet for the Dealer - A funner way to tip the dealer is to bet for them. A tip gets you a nod, but a bet on the same proposition you're betting on for yourself creates camaraderie and a shared goal. The dealer will cheer your wins and groan at your losses. This isn't an attempt to buy his friendship, but just a fun way to include the dealer in your experience.
More Vegas Roulette Gambling Tips
These are rules of etiquette when playing roulette in Vegas. Most of these rules apply in other casinos, as well as real life, but they are never so apt as when you're gambling in the gambling mecca.
Speak English - This isn't one of those "it's our country" things. When you speak in another language besides English, the casino management gets concerned about collusion. Most Las Vegas casino rooms disallow non-English speaking at the table.
Know the Game Before Playing - Don't learn the game on the fly. Learn to play a new game online with a simulator, or at least read through the rules in the casino's brochures. While most dealers/people take this in good grace and try to help, it's a nuisance they shouldn't have to put up with.
Don't Argue with Other Players - Almost as bad as arguing with the staff. This never makes you look good. You're holding up the game for the other players and it makes you look like you have no self-control. The other gamblers didn't come to Vegas to watch you throw a fit. They came to gamble.
Don't Criticize Other Players - No matter who big of a dunce or a noob the player next to you is, don't criticize them. It's their hard-earned money, so let them do with it as they please. If you want to bankroll them, then I might wave this suggestion.
Never Get Caught Cheating - If you are counting cards or you happen to glimpse the dealer's card or another player's card, leave it in your hat. Don't cross the line and discuss this gray area of fair play and cheating. It's never a good policy to own up to these things, and if you do something happens in the gray area, make certain it never comes to light. Mostly, just play the game like you know you should.
Don't Bet and Talk on the Cellphone - This doesn't make you look important. It just makes you look self-important (and rude). The person that roams through a grocery store talking on the cellphone and getting in your way is called a "meanderthal", so imagine what they call them when they do the same in the casino (usually just "asshole").
Don't Cuss in the Casino - You may or may not agree with rules against cussing, but most casinos have them. Control the urge to firing off four-letter words, no matter how irritating the losing streak gets.
Roulette in Vegas - Casino Money Tips
Besides being nice to people and staff, you want to hold on to as much money as possible. So we come full circle with a short discussion about how to make your gambling dollar stretch as far as possible.
Always Use Your Player's Card - Whether you think it's going to be a quick set of roulette in Vegas, or you expect an all-nighter, always have your player's card with you. They can be a burden to carry around, but bets add up quickly and comps are freebies you never get back if you miss them, so don't throw away money by leaving your player's card in the room or the car.
Never Deviate from the Bankroll - Never double-dip into your cash when you've settled on a bankroll. You set your bankroll in calm and reasoned conditions. The casino is not placed to override those decisions.
Quit While You're Behind - Avoid going on tilt. When you get down a significant amount--half your bankroll, for instance, you make mistakes trying to win it all back quickly. The same odds that applied when you lost that fifty percent still apply when you're trying to win it back. Step away from the table for a few minutes, clear your head, and reassess. If you return to the table, you'll have calmed down somewhat.
Don't Drink and Gamble - Whatever else can be said about alcohol, everyone has to agree that drinking has a big effect on inhibitions. The more alcohol you have your system, the more impulse your play becomes and the more reckless you are. Casinos don't offer free drinks because they're nice. They consider that an investment.
Don't Gamble on Roulette when Tired or Sleepy - They say people who drive without enough sleep or who drive when sleepy are just as impaired as people who drive at the legal level of inebriation. There are even countries out there, like Finland, where it's illegal to drive sleepy. If this logic applies to drive, and you don't want to gamble when drunk, then you don't want to gamble when fatigued or drowsy, because you're impaired.
Having a Winning Goal - Walk up to any gaming table, including roulette tables, with a goal in mind. When that goal is achieved, walk away. A common win limit is doubling your chip stack. Once you do that, lock in your win by walking away.
Redeem All Tickets and Chips - There's no telling how much money casino operators make a year off of people who forget to redeem their chips or forget to redeem their winning tickets. It's not an official win until you redeem it for the cash (plus some) you paid to get those coins or chips in the first place.
Vegas Roulette Tips - Wash Hands After Gambling
Finally, before you leave the casino, wash your hands. I'm not one of those OCD people with the bacterial gel, but just imagine all the hands that have touched those chips today, and imagine what those hands have been doing. There are a lot of gamblers playing roulette in Las Vegas, so the odds are one of them handling your chips is either under the weather, or has done something rank recently.
