5 Secrets of Casino Gambling They Don’t Want You to Know

One of my first jobs was working at a casino. While big, it was certainly nothing like those casinos in Las Vegas or Atlantic City. It was, however, the pride and joy of Central New York and people would come from hours away just to try their luck at the slots and the tables. Working at a casino is unlike any other job. There are strict codes of conduct and secret “protocols” that are in place for gamblers whether you realize it or not. In fact, Business Insider did a piece covering other secrets of Las Vegas casinos as told by anonymous staffers. What to know what they are?

One of the perks of a casino is that the drinks are usually free. Now, where I was working, the state did not permit alcohol sales BUT guests were allowed to and encouraged to bring in their own booze. More often than not, I would come across a guest who had gambled away his money thanks to too much alcohol. At larger casinos, the drinks are free because they expect you to lose. Your losses are what cover those free drinks. Secondly, by giving you free drinks, the casino is helping impair your decision making skills which means you will likely spend more money.

To be a good gambler, you need to be focused. To be focused, you need to be sober. Even though they are free and contribute to the atmosphere of the casino, you should skip the alcohol if you want to turn a profit.

You might think that security at a casino is limited to the hundreds of overhead cameras and the occasional floor manager – but you would be wrong. Every casino has their own set of law enforcement officers who are posed as guests. Their duty is to watch what gamblers are doing, identify cheaters and arrest wrong-doers. Casinos don’t want you to know this because it will make their guests feel uneasy.

Want to spot an officer? It’s easier than you might think. Officers tend to move around the casino a lot. You’ll notice them at various tables for one or two hands and at many of the slot machines. You also might notice that they place small bets and are not heavily invested in winning or losing any game. This is because these “players” are not able to keep their earnings and they are using the casino funds for their bets.

I’ve seen quite a few gambling forums that talk about trying to manipulate the casino into giving you free drinks, meals or rooms because it looks like you are always losing at the machine. But there are eyes always on you. Casino staff has certain guidelines to follow when it comes to comping. They cannot simply comp your drink because you are good looking. In fact, an employee can get fired for giving out comps to any guest who they feel hasn’t spent enough money in their establishment.

If you aren’t losing, don’t expect to be comped. Furthermore, if you are losing, recognize that the reason why the casino is offering you a meal, room or drink is because they want you to stay longer and lose more. This is the perfect time to know that it is time to head home.

Possibly one of the biggest secrets of casinos is how the cards are handled. You are probably familiar with the card trays and that they are switched out every few hours. But the trick is how they play the cards that they have. Let’s say that you see a dealer with two decks in his hand. You think that this is a double-deck game so you sit down. On one hand, it is a game of 104 cards. However, the cards are a combination of six or seven different decks.

Remember, at the casino you are not playing Go Fish, you are playing for real cash that the house doesn’t want to give to you. This trick is used to deter card counters who think they know what is in the deck, but they don’t really because it is a mixed deck. Simply put, do not put too much of your money on a card game you think you have a good chance at winning. Chances are you are completely wrong about what is in the dealer’s deck.

You will notice in many casinos that you are encouraged to take larger chips rather than smaller ones. They do this simply because it is more convenient for them. You might not think anything of it, but taking larger chips can actually work against you. It somehow seems easier to throw down a single $25 chip than it does to count out five $5 chips, so the temptation is always there to bet more than you might really want to. This can result in losing money very quickly.

You’re not obligated to take the larger chips, so make sure that you get the denominations you feel comfortable with.