A First-Timer's Guide to Casino Table Games

Placing your first wager on a blackjack or craps table can be quite daunting. This guide will provide you with a fundamental comprehension of how the games and bets function, and help you feel more confident in your first steps.

Blackjack

The objective of Blackjack is to beat the dealer by having a hand that is worth 21 points or as close to 21 points as possible without going over. Here is a basic guide on how to play Blackjack:

• Each player starts by placing a bet.
• The dealer will then deal two cards to each player, including themselves. One of the dealer's cards will be face-up and the other will be face-down.
• Each player, starting with the person to the left of the dealer, will then decide whether to "hit" and take an additional card or "stand" and keep their current hand.
• A player can hit as many times as they want, but if their hand exceeds 21 points, they lose automatically, and their bet is taken by the dealer.
• Once all players have finished their turns, the dealer will reveal their face-down card and hit or stand based on the rules of the casino. Typically, the dealer must hit if their hand is worth less than 17 points and must stand if their hand is worth 17 points or more.
• If the dealer goes over 21 points, they lose and all players who haven't bust will win their bets. If the dealer has a hand that is worth more than the player's hand, the player loses their bet. If the player's hand is worth more than the dealer's hand or the dealer busts, the player wins their bet.
• If the player and dealer have the same hand, the player will typically push and receive their bet back.

It's important to note that different casinos have different rules and variations of the game. It's best to check with the casino or the dealer for the specific rules of the table before starting to play. Additionally, it's also important to learn basic strategy when you are first starting out.

Craps

Craps is a popular dice game that is played at casinos around the world. The objective of the game is to correctly predict the outcome of the roll of two dice. Here is a basic guide on how to play craps:

• Each player starts by placing a bet on the "Pass" or "Don't Pass" line. The Pass line bet is a bet that the shooter (the player rolling the dice) will win the round by rolling a 7 or 11 on the come-out roll (the first roll of the round) or by rolling their point (a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) before rolling a 7. The Don't Pass line bet is a bet that the shooter will lose the round by rolling a 2, 3, or 12 on the come-out roll, or by rolling a 7 before rolling their point.
• The shooter then rolls the dice, and the outcome of the roll is determined by the sum of the two dice.
• If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11 on the come-out roll, the Pass line bets win and the Don't Pass bets lose. If the shooter rolls a 2, 3, or 12 on the come-out roll, the Don't Pass bets win, and the Pass line bets lose.
• If the shooter rolls any other number on the come-out roll (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10), that number becomes the shooter's "point." The shooter continues to roll the dice until they either roll their point again (in which case the Pass line bets win, and the Don't Pass bets lose) or roll a 7 (in which case the Don't Pass bets win, and the Pass line bets lose).
• Once the round is over, the process starts over at step one with the same shooter if he/she hit their point, or a new shooter if he/she rolled a 7 before hitting their point.

Other than pass and don't pass, there are also other types of bets that can be placed such as come, don't come, odds, place, field and hard ways, among others. But, if you can gain a basic understanding of the rules of Craps, then you will quickly pickup on the many other side bets offered.

Roulette

Roulette is a popular casino game that is played with a ball and a spinning wheel. The objective of the game is to correctly predict where the ball will land on the wheel. Here is a basic guide on how to play roulette:

• Each player starts by placing their bets on the numbered layout on the table. There are several types of bets that can be placed, including:

1. Inside bets: These bets are placed on specific numbers or combinations of numbers on the layout. Examples include straight up bets (on a single number), split bets (on two numbers), street bets (on three numbers in a row), and corner bets (on four numbers in a square).
2. Outside bets: These bets are placed on the outer part of the layout, and cover a larger group of numbers. Examples include column bets (on one of the columns of numbers), dozen bets (on a group of 12 numbers), and even/odd bets (on all the even or odd numbers).

• Once all the bets are placed, the dealer will spin the wheel in one direction and roll the ball in the opposite direction.
• The ball will eventually land on a specific number, and the dealer will place a marker on that number to indicate the winning number.
• All the players who have placed bets on the winning number will receive a payout, while the rest of the bets will lose. The payouts vary depending on the type of bet and the odds of the bet winning.
• After the payout, the dealer will clear all the losing bets, and the players can place their bets for the next round.

Roulette is one of the easiest table games to learn and can lead to a very fun night for players of any skill level. If you have no idea what you're doing, simply pick your favorite number and place a few dollars on it and see what happens.

Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker is a casino game that combines elements of the Chinese game of Pai Gow and the American game of poker. The objective of the game is to create two poker hands out of the seven cards dealt to the player, one hand with five cards (referred to as the "high hand") and one hand with two cards (referred to as the "low hand"), that are stronger than the two hands of the dealer. Here is a basic guide on how to play Pai Gow Poker:

• Each player starts by placing their bets.
• The dealer will then deal seven cards to each player, including themselves.
• Players must then arrange their seven cards into a five-card hand (high hand) and a two-card hand (low hand) according to standard poker hand rankings.
• The high hand must always be higher in ranking than the low hand.
• The dealer will then reveal their own cards and arrange them into two hands following the same rules.
• Players compare their hands to the dealer's hands, and if both of the player's hands are stronger than the dealer's hands, the player wins and is paid even money, minus a 5% commission for the casino. If one of the player's hands is stronger and the other is weaker, the game is a push and the player's bet is returned. If both of the player's hands are weaker than the dealer's hands, the player loses their bet.
• After the payout, the dealer will clear the table, and the players can place their bets for the next round.

Pai Gow can definitely take a little getting used to, but the other players and dealers are always happy to help with your first few hands. One advantage to Pai Gow is the pace of play is very slow, so even a small buy-in of $100 can last for quite a while. 

These guides may not be as useful for those who are already experienced with Las Vegas and casino games, but it's important to remember that everyone starts as a beginner. If you're new to casino table games, the best way to learn is by giving them a try yourself. You'll be amazed at how fast you can grasp the rules and have a great time.