Guide to Blackjack Etiquette: The Do's and Don'ts at the Table
Whenever you visit a land-based casino, it’s important you follow the etiquette. This means sticking to a general set of rules to do with your behaviour.
Blackjack etiquette is all about behaving in the proper way at the table, so you don’t upset or offend other people; it’s also a matter of respecting others, being part of a community and making good first impressions.
Written by:
James Gibson
Published: 3 August 2024
Basic Do’s
If you’re going to play blackjack at any sort of land-based casino, there are some basic do’s you should follow. Below are some essential ones you should know.
- Know the Game. It goes without saying that knowing the full rules of blackjack is necessary. If you don’t know how to play, you’re going to slow the game down for others.
- Respect Other People. Treat the other players and the dealer as you want them to treat you. Be polite and courteous, and don’t say or do anything that might cause offence.
- Dress for the Occasion. Many land-based casinos have a dress code that all visitors should stick to. When you’re inside, keep yourself smart and make sure you stay well-presented.
- Accept the Speed of the Game. At blackjack casinos, the dealer decides how quickly the game proceeds. You can’t ask for the game to run more quickly or slowly because it might not suit everyone.
- Make Use of Hand Signals. Familiarise yourself with blackjack hand signals and try to use them. It can speed up the game and make things run more smoothly.
- Enjoy Yourself and Have Fun. Whether you’re playing seriously or not, you should focus on the fun side of blackjack. Relax, let your hair down and enjoy the experience, even if you lose.
Essential Dont’s
While there are some things you should do as common courtesy, there are certain actions you should avoid. Here’s a summary of some key don’ts for blackjack tables.
- Don’t Use Your Phone. This is something you should definitely not do as it distracts other players and the dealer. Also, it makes people think you’re not fully involved in what’s going on.
- Don’t Give Advice to Other Players. In blackjack, every participant plays their own game against the dealer. Other players won’t appreciate hints or tips; they want to play their own way. Giving out advice can come across as patronising.
- Don’t Touch Cards Unless Necessary. At many casinos, your first two cards are dealt face-up and you’re not allowed to touch them. You’re only allowed to touch them if they’re dealt face-down.
- Don’t Hand the Dealer Any Chips or Money. When you place your bet, instead of handing it directly to the dealer, you should place it on the table. This is what all players should do.
- Don’t Ask the Dealer for Advice. The dealer is there to oversee the game, not offer advice on what moves a player should or shouldn’t make. Don’t ask for tips because you won’t get them.
- Don’t Drink Excessively. Alcohol can increase emotional reactions. While it’s acceptable to have a small number of alcoholic drinks, you should never gamble while drunk, whether in person or online.
Handling Wins and Losses
In a typical blackjack gaming session, you’ll have both wins and losses. Everyone else is the same. This is why when it comes to celebrating wins or accepting losses, you should be moderate.
Naturally, you might feel lots of strong emotions while gambling for real money. To help you keep these in check, below are some basic etiquette tips to help you handle wins and losses properly.
- Don’t Brag. While it’s great if you win big, you shouldn’t brag about it to other players. You wouldn’t want others to do this to you, so don’t do it to others.
- Don’t Have Over-the-Top Reactions. There’s no need to have outbursts if you lose or cheer excessively if you win. At a blackjack table, you should by all means react, but in moderation.
- Keep the Exact Figures to Yourself. If you follow blackjack casino etiquette, you shouldn’t go into exact details about how much you’ve won or lost. Other players don’t need to know your precise win or loss amount.
- Celebrate Other Players’ Wins. If another player wins, you should do the decent thing and congratulate them in some way. Be polite and discreet about it.
- Commiserate Other Players’ Losses. Likewise, whenever someone else loses, it’s good sportsmanship to acknowledge their loss. You don’t have to do this all the time, but when you do, be humble about it.
- Don’t Be Jealous. If someone else wins but you don’t, you shouldn’t be jealous of them. This can happen to anyone. Be happy for them and simply hope that you’ll be lucky enough to win soon.
Tipping the Dealer
It’s important that you’re aware of blackjack tipping etiquette. This includes knowing when it’s appropriate to give the dealer a tip and how much money you should give them.
You might not realise it, but tipping isn’t actually necessary. However, it goes down well when it’s done at the right time and in the correct way.
A common approach is to only tip at the end of your gambling session. You do this by leaving the tip on the table and telling the dealer it’s for them. Don’t do this during a game though.
If you feel the dealer hasn’t been worthy of a tip, there’s no rule that requires you to tip them. Only give them one if you feel they’ve earned it.
Also, for the amount you should tip, it’s reasonable to make it a percentage of your average, around 10-30%. If you’re betting with $10, for example, you might want to leave the dealer $1, $2 or $3.
If you’re lucky enough to make a profit from playing blackjack, you may want to make your tip a percentage of your win. A suggested amount is 1-2%.
When leaving a tip, don’t make a big deal of it. There’s no need to make a scene. Just leave it quietly and move on to whatever table or game you want to play next.
However much money you have to gamble with, it’s worth setting aside a small amount for a tip. This is to cover you in case you lose everything but still want to tip the dealer.
Joining and Leaving a Table
The last section of our blog post on proper blackjack etiquette is about joining and leaving tables. A typical casino has multiple blackjack tables that people can join at any time.
However, there are a few points you should be aware of. These are related to how you join a table and leave one in the right way. Bear these in mind when moving about a casino.
If you’d like to join a table, you should make sure there’s a seat for you. To take part in a blackjack game, approach the table with a spare seat and tell the dealer you’d like to play.
Of course, you should only do this in the break between one game and the next. Never interrupt a game that’s currently running for any reason. It’s always best to be patient.
Before joining a game, check the table’s minimum and maximum bet sizes. There’s no point in joining a game if its minimum bet size is too much money for you to gamble with.
As for leaving a blackjack table, there’s no specific rule in place. You can technically get up and head elsewhere whenever you like. No one will ever stop you leaving a table.
Having said this, some players follow unwritten rules when it comes to leaving blackjack tables. For example, they might quit after winning double their money or after losing a number of games.
When leaving a table, you shouldn’t make a fuss, though it’s acceptable to let the dealer know in a subtle way. For example, you could nod your head at them or say thanks.
How Closely Should You Follow Blackjack Etiquette?
When it comes to etiquette, it seems to be a long list of rules you have to follow. They dictate what you should and shouldn’t do in certain situations.
The question is, do you have to follow each and every rule when playing blackjack in a casino? Not necessarily. The thing is, casinos don’t typically have a specific set of rules for players to follow.
It’s more a case of having a general awareness of what the best way to behave at a blackjack table is. If in doubt, watch what other players do before joining a table.
But don’t worry about not having perfect etiquette. Try your best to be courteous and dignified when playing, and you should be fine. Don’t overdo things and don’t make the game all about you; there will be others playing too.
Before you play blackjack in a casino, go over the basic points of etiquette we’ve covered in this blog post. So long as you’re aware of the general do’s and don’ts, you should be fine.
If your etiquette isn’t perfect, you won’t exactly get kicked out of the casino. Just remember to be cool, calm and collected. Don’t do anything extreme and be respectful of everyone else, including the dealer.
Summary
You should now have a good grasp of blackjack table etiquette. The next time you play the game at a casino, be sure to put the pieces of advice in this blog post into practice.
By following etiquette, you’ll have a much better overall experience playing blackjack in a casino. It’s not hard to do – anyone at all can stick to the rules and play the game in the proper way.
By all means, reread this post so you’ll remember the hints better. You could even contact your local casino in advance and ask for a few pointers if necessary.
Whatever you do, have fun playing blackjack at a casino table. It’s you against the dealer – let’s hope you manage to get closer to 21 than them!
