Casino Safety Tips: How to Be Safe at the Casino

Casino's can be a fun place to go with friends, family, or possibly by yourself. Casinos open the doors for socializing and you may make some new buddies while you're playing some of the many games at the casino. But, there are dangers at the casino. Any place that has a lot of money floating around is generally a dangerous place, especially if you are the one walking around with the chunk of change in your pocket. Below I will outline some of the dos and dont's when going to a casino.

Never Count Your Money While You're Sitting at the Table

That isn't just a lyric to "The Gambler", that is a safety rule. You should never make an open display of how much money you have while you are at the casino. This rule carries over to any public place. If you are flashing your cash you are more apt to be targeted by a thief. If you win big at the casino your best bet is to have the cash office hold your winnings until you leave. Most all casinos offer this courtesy. Big wins to some people may be small wins to others. You know how much money is big for you at the casino. I won $500 playing a slot machine and felt like I was carrying around the Hope diamond in the casino. I promptly had one of the security guards escort me to the cash office to have my money held. I later had the security guard walk me to my car. Some of you may feel like this is ridiculous, but, when you are in a casino anything can happen and it can happen quickly. Pick pockets and other garden variety petty thieves know how easy it is to steal money and many of them can do it in the blink of an eye. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Yay! For Fanny Packs

Of course fanny packs are out of style, but in the casino they are all the rage. If you can stomach the idea of wearing a fanny pack you should. But, don't wear your fanny pack on your fanny. Wear it facing the front to protect your money and identification. You are more likely to notice someone reaching for your waist than you would someone poking around in your purse or back pocket.

Never carry a purse into a casino. Purses are so easily snatched that bringing a purse into a casino is like asking someone to pilfer with it. You don't have to wear a fanny pack but you should do something that will prevent thieves from even attempting to steal from you. I never was able to wear a fanny pack so I bought a wallet much like my husbands and carried it in my front pocket. Be careful when using this method though. As silly as it sounds you may want to practice sitting down and getting up before you go to the casino. I have a certain pair of jeans that make the wallet slide up every time I would sit down. Make sure that the wallet doesn't slip out when you sit down.

Twos Company

Going to a casino in pairs or more is the safest way to go. But, when going with a friend you may run into some issues. You may be winning at one machine but your friend isn't. She may decide to wander off to another part of the casino that she thinks holds the winning slot machine. If at all possible the two of you should try to stick together. Casinos can get crowded and the two of you can lose each other rather quickly. Before you go to the casino the two of you should come up with a game plan. For example, if one friend is ready to move on to another portion of the casino she has to wait X amount of time before you two move. The same applies to you if you later find yourself bored with one section of the casino you have to wait X amount of time before you can make her move with you. You have to be fair.

The Loner vs. the Safe Gambler

It is best not to go to a casino alone. But, if you must go alone you need to always be on guard. Just like the gazelle that gets left by the herd, you will be targeted by any thieves lurking in the casino. Make sure you have a cell phone on you when you are in the casino. Your screams for help are going to be muffled by the dinging of the slot machines. A small can of mace never hurt anybody except the thief. You can hurt him, that's ok.

Most casinos have dark corners or vacant areas. Avoid these at all cost. There are enough slot machines or games in the casino to choose from. You don't have to go to the vacant area of the casino to win money. You don't have to let a friend or family member know every time you go to the store, but, you should always inform someone that you are going to a casino. Just a quick heads up to someone will suffice. This is important because something may happen and no one would know to worry. Not to scare anyone, but imagine you won a hundred grand at the casino. Now, let's say a thief saw you win that hundred grand at the casino...I think you know where I am going with this.

Just because a casino can be a dangerous place does not mean you should avoid it. You need to respect the danger. If you have the ability to respect the danger by following a few of these safety techniques you will have fun and be safe playing games at the casino. Don't allow yourself to be a victim.