Proper etiquette at the Roulette wheel

Used to playing online roulette? Then there isn't really much to worry about in the way of etiquette. If you want to plop yourself on your sofa in your underwear and spin the virtual roulette wheel, go for it. And if underwear is cramping your style, no one's around to tell you to keep it on.

The beauty of playing online roulette is that there are no other players to worry about, no dealer to contend with, and no general etiquette rules to follow. But you're in for a rude awakening if you think you can take online roulette etiquette to a real casino.

So before you hit the land-based felt wearing slippers and a stained t-shirt, read on. We've got all the tips you need to make everyone you're playing roulette with happy.

Don't crowd the table

Remember, when you play roulette in a casino, it's not just you. There are tons of other players who are all looking to place bets around the roulette wheel.

Some players might be playing the inside. Others might be playing the outside. No matter where they're playing, they'll need to crowd around the table to get their bets in. If you've got a prime spot, make room for others. And if there isn't room for others, let players behind you drop their chips on the felt. They'll be able to signal to the dealer where they want to place their bet.

Don't mix your chips with other chips

At land-based casinos, roulette dealers keep all sorts of different coloured chips for playing the inside. The different colours help the dealer keep track of which chips belong to which players. And it ensures that multiple bets on the same number, or combination of numbers, don't get mixed up.

If you're playing with friends and they want to piggyback on one of your bets, don't take their chips. Instead, have them back you with real Australian currency. Mixing colours could confuse the dealer and negatively impact your payouts.

Pay attention to the dealer

You know how in online roulette you can take all the time you need between bets? If you want to go make yourself a sandwich between throwing $50 down on evens and pressing "spin," you can. There are no other players to worry about and no dealer clock to take into account.

But live? It's a different story. The roulette dealer signals to all the players when no more bets are permitted. It happens a few seconds after he spins the wheel, but before the wheel comes to a stop. When the dealer says no more bets, make sure you don't throw money down on the felt. You'll make the dealer angry, and if you happen to win that bet, the casino will likely take it away.

Tip the dealer

If you've lost a bunch of money, don't feel obligated to tip the dealer. In fact, the dealer won't expect you too. But if you've gone on a pretty sick run - if you've turned a few bucks into a few thousand - the dealer is probably expecting you to thank him with a chip.

You might also want to tip if the dealer has gone out of his way to tell you how certain aspects of roulette work, or if she's taken the time to move your chips for you if they're out of your reach.

Don't swear at the dealer

When you lose money at the roulette table, remember that it's not the dealer's fault. Sure, the dealer may be the guy spinning the wheel, but he's not the guy keeping the profits. In fact, he gets paid hourly - and not that much money at most land-based casinos. He's just doing his job. You wouldn't swear at the Hungry Jack's cashier because they're out of burgers, would you? It's not his fault that he can't sell you one. And it's not the dealer's fault if you don't win, so be nice.

That's pretty much everything you need to be aware of before you play roulette in a real casino. While we won't say that living by this roulette etiquette code means that the roulette gods will shower you with riches, we will say that it'll make the players, dealers, and pit bosses a lot less angry.