Nobody wants to hang out with a wannabe, so take in some of these handy tips and actually be that baller at the casino

In this world there are people who ball, and people who want to ball, and there’s nothing more cringe-inducing than someone who pretends to know what they’re doing. It’s a rather fine line, and it’s important to know how to stay on the right side of it. Nobody wants to hang out with a wannabe, so take in some of these handy tips and actually be that baller at the casino – it’s your life, so live it!

Understand blackjack card values

The premise of blackjack is deceptively simple – get your cards to add up to 21 without going over 21. Of course, there’s a little more skill involved, but fundamentally you should be able to add your cards up quickly in order to know whether to stick or twist – and this involves knowing the corresponding values of each card. For more information on blackjack values, see this handy guide.

Learn the lingo

As with all subcultures, there are slang terms that only true ballers understand. It’s fine to talk about “rolling the bones” in reference to playing craps, for example, but make sure you’ve got the knowledge to back up your reasoning for using the phrase; in this instance, “rolling the bones” is a reference to dice originally being made from animal bones in the days of ancient Egypt. And whatever you do, don’t simply make up slang to sound “cool” – people will see through your nonsense. Educate yourself.

Don’t abuse free drinks

It’s easy to feel like a rockstar for the evening and take advantage of the free drinks on offer, but this is every rookie’s worst mistake. Casinos give out free alcohol for a reason: it lowers your inhibitions and makes you more likely to take risks. Play it cool, enjoy a drink or two, and walk out of there with your head held high.

Dress to impress

Many casinos (particularly those in large tourist areas) have a lax attitude to casino attire, but if you want to truly fit in, you need to get yourself suited and booted. You might feel comfortable in your flip flops and shorts but that simply isn’t going to cut the mustard if you want to be a real baller. You don’t need to go all out with a tux and tie – a simple two or three-piece fitted suit and some smart black footwear should keep you in good stead; after all, the classics never go out of style.

Don’t flash the cash

So you’ve followed tips one to four and you’ve even had a successful day at the casino – don’t ruin it by flashing the cash. True ballers know that money is easy come, easy go in the world of high-stakes gambling. You won’t win the respect of your fellow ballers by bragging about your winnings either – the other people at the table might have had a bad day and won’t enjoy your smug sense of satisfaction. Keep it simple, stay silent and bask in the glory of winning in your mind, or better still, wait until you leave the casino to go and enjoy that new-found wealth however you want to.