10 Most Annoying Gamblers You’ll Meet at a Casino

Oh man, people at casinos. Casinos give a distinctive look into a varied catastrophe of humans at their best and worst.

I love people in general. I love meeting new people, seeing old and new friends, and I find it generally easy to strike up a conversation with just about anyone. My husband, on the other hand, not really a fan of humans.

Casinos shove a bunch of people who don’t usually hang out together to test their skills at winning money. Casinos are wonderful people watching for this very reason.

Try it out some time. When you need a break from the tables or slots, grab a drink from the bar and get comfy in one of the nearby lounge chairs.

Just watch. It’s fascinating to watch your fellow players interact with each other. The airport might be the 2nd best place for people watching.

I promise you will see 1 (or all) of the following 10 most annoying gamblers at casinos. There’s no casino out there that doesn’t have at least 3 of these players in their building at any one time.

1 – The Aggressive Gambler

The Aggressive Gambler (AG) can most likely be found at the slot machines. You usually know they’ve been in your midst because the slot machine’s buttons don’t work.

The AG has taken out their anger on the machine. The poor slot machine was just minding its own business and not paying out like slots are known to do.

This gambler is frustrated that they keep pouring money into the machines, and the machine is just doing its job. Its job is to take your money.

The AG gets madder and madder. This type of gambler eventually gets the idea in their mind that if they start banging and hitting the machine, they’ll somehow win more money.

This tactic rarely works. If it does work, it’s by chance.

There’s nothing more disheartening for you, and the casino, to sit down at a machine, add some money, only to find out its broken. The buttons have been smashed. The “lever” is broken. It’s a mess.

If you find it discouraging to sit at one of these machines, imagine how the casino must feel? The average slot machine costs anywhere from $10,000.00 to $25,000.00.

Not only do they have to have the machine repaired, but they must also pay employees to remove it from the floor and install another machine. Most casinos don’t close, so they must disrupt the happy environment that the casino has perfected to remove the old machine and install the new one. Ugh.

2 – The Sportscaster

Here in North Texas, we have a popular radio station that is all sports. I’m talking 24/7. All the Ticket talks about is sports.

Sports opinions are great when you’re an armchair quarterback. Maybe you’re a retired pro player hired by a tv network to commentate on the sport you played.

You know when a commentator is not cool? When you’re playing at a casino.

Meet the sportscaster gambler. This type of gambler makes comments, shares opinions about the entire sports game you’re gambling in.

This gambler tends to be alone. Where are their friends to keep them in check? This is an unsolved mystery of casinos.

They have opinions about the wins, the losses, the strategies being used. They are sharing a play by play account of the hand or game with their views sprinkled in.

This gambler is unaware of how annoying their comments are to the rest of the table and how dangerous they can be to everyone’s bottom line. Never mind the fact that I’ve seen someone lose it verbally (less often, physically) on the Sportscaster.

This is a casino, not the Cowboy’s season opener. Keep your opinions to yourself, friend.

3 -The Regular

Casinos are (usually) located in towns. These towns or cities have residents. Some of those residents like to gamble.

Enter the Regular. This gambler knows everyone at the casino. They know the bar staff, the pit bosses, the dealers.

The worst character flaw of the Regular is that they want everyone to know that they know everyone. We get it, dude, you’re here all the time. Am I supposed to think you’re cool? I don’t.

This type of gambler is one of my personal pet peeves. They are usually obnoxious, loud, and a little extra. We’ve all seen them. They’re generally not found at the mega-casinos, like the Bellagio or MGM Grand.

The haunts of the Regular are normally seen in the smaller casinos on the Strip or other gambling towns. They are the king of their tiny castle.

I asked a dealer one time if they liked the Regular. Her response was about what you might think it was. She said, “This guy always comes in here. No one likes him. I feel bad for him, sort of”.

The Regular can be found at every casino the world over. I usually just steer clear or take a break to people watch.

4 – The Mean Victim

Ok, I know the words “mean” and ‘victim” don’t usually go together but hear me out. The Mean Victim is their own worst enemy. They’re also the bane of most casino goers.

The Mean Victim (VM) sits down to the table, just like any other gambler. They’re great when they’re winning, and things are going their way. They’re fun to play with, friendly, and an all-around delight to to be around.

Then things take a turn for the worse. The VM starts to lose hands. Their mood changes from light and jovial to dark, and let’s be honest, mean.

They make their lost hands someone else’s fault. They can be mean to their fellow gamblers. The most identifiable trait of the Mean Victim is they start to take out their aggressions on the dealer.

The dealer is in the same boat as our friend, the slot machine. They’re just doing their job. They’re following the rules and dealing cards in line with the regulations at that table.

The MV starts to accuse the dealer of dealing them crappy hands on purpose. Sometimes the VM gets personal and starts calling the dealer names.

A VM in a full temper tantrum is not a pretty sight. It’s also an excellent way to get kicked out of a casino. I guess they aren’t friends with the pit boss like our buddy the Regular.

It rarely goes well for the VM once they’re in full meltdown mode. The VM spirals out of control, and their gambling dissolves with their mood. Steer clear if you can because I’m not scared of comparing the MV to Energy Vampires.

5 – The Looky Loo

The Looky Loo (LL) is a casino visitor who is just watching people play. The LL tends to take up a seat around the table or at a slot machine.

This is especially annoying to gamblers like my husband. B is suspicious of other people in his natural state. Get him in a casino, and his suspicions are multiplied.

No one likes to be stared at or have someone look over their shoulders. The LL is notorious for both moves.

I’m a big fan of contributing something positive to every situation you’re in. The LL is not bringing anything to the game or the slot machine area they’re in.

They take up space, give general creeper vibes, and they should remove themselves from the situation.

Let’s say they’re trying to learn how to play. Practice at home at real money online casinos. Online casinos are great for learning how to play almost any casino game.

Maybe the LL learns better being taught by someone in an in-person setting. Cool, guy. Ask a dealer at an empty table to teach you how to play the game of that table.

If a LL is parked at a slot machine, they should move on. There is much more comfortable seating all over the casino floor.

If you’re feeling particularly uncomfortable, let them know or, even better, let a casino staff person know. The LL isn’t spending money, you are. You’re the customer.

6 – The Drunk

I have repeatedly talked about how gambling and heavy drinking make for a recipe for disaster. It’s so tempting to get wasted on free drinks while gambling. It’s not a good look.

There is always someone who is trashed, and being a general, you know what for everyone. Let me introduce you to someone, this is the Drunk.

The Drunk is the person who should’ve been cut off about 3 drinks ago. They are sloppy. The Drunk is loud and probably one of the least self-aware people on the casino floor.

It doesn’t matter if they’re a happy drunk or a mean drunk. They’re drunk and jamming up everyone’s experience that night.

Again, I find myself asking, “Where are their friends? Who lets their friend act like this in public?”. I still don’t have the answers to these questions.

So the lessons here are:

• Don’t be that drunk guy.
• Don’t let your friends be that drunk guy.

7 – The Aspiring Pro Gambler

Le sigh. Where do I start with the wannabe pro player? The Aspiring Pro Gambler (APG) takes themselves way too seriously.

The APG shows up with an air of confidence that doesn’t match is their gambling skill set. APG treats even a low table buy-in like it’s the WSOP.

The APG doesn’t treat their other players like their equal. You should be lucky to be graced with their presence. They also are dressed like the wannabe pro gambler they think are.

You’ll notice that they tend to wear their sunglasses inside, have on a hoodie (which I find a little armature hour), and aren’t very friendly.

Here’s the deal, though. If APG was about to make their big break into the pro-gambling circuit, they wouldn’t be playing with you at the amateur table. They would be on a junket playing at the high roller’s table.

All I can think of when I’m playing with an APG, you look like a goof buddy. Your high horse left the stable the second you sat down at this table.

8 – The Garbage Pail Kid

I just aged myself. Garbage Pail Kids were a trading card craze from the mid-1980s. You do the math to figure out how old I am. I digress.

The Garbage Pail Kid (GPK) at the casino is the gambler who doesn’t have any manners or sense of hygiene. You can usually smell or see them coming.

Bathing isn’t their forte, nor eating at the table. The GPK tends to bring a bucket of wings, or even a full meal from a Mexican restaurant, to the table.

They have a particular personal Eau du toilet that is of the body odor variety. It’s a lot. Sitting next to a GPK is an assault on your nose.

Your grandmother is going to be offended by their manners and lack of picking up on social cues. Unfortunately, you can’t do anything about the GPK. The dealer will most likely be looking for them to break a casino rule.

Don’t try to deal with the GPK yourself. Their lack of ability to behave will take care of itself by the casino staff.

9 – The Nervous Wreck

The Nervous Wreck is something to watch in full action. The Nervous Wreck exhibits their emotions via physical displays of, well, being a nervous wreck.

The Nervous Wreck will be bouncing their leg when nervous. They will bet too much when they’re ahead. The Nervous wreck has no poker face.

The advantage of the Nervous Wreck is you can almost always tell how or what they’re going to play. It’s almost not fair.

The Nervous Wreck wears their emotions of their sleeve. If they’re losing, they will make erratic body movements or facial expressions. If they are winning, they quick to make a play or be literally bouncing in their seat.

Where the Nervous Wreck can be annoying to play. What makes them hard is that they’re exhausting to be around. It’s like playing a table game with a toddler.

The Nervous Wreck, unfortunately, almost always ends up losing their hand, or all their money. The Nervous wreck is driven by emotions. Money and emotions are not a good mix.

10 – The Professor

The Professor, much like your disliked analytics professor from your junior year, knows everything. They want you to know that they know everything.

They have an opinion on every play that hits the table. They are vocal about the gameplay.

The Professor is a know it all. Their unsolicited advice is not always spot on. The Professor isn’t necessarily correct or even on the same planet as you.

They will keep talking and talking. A dirty look doesn’t slow down the Professor. They have a level of self-confidence in their perceived expertise that is off the charts.

The dealer will most likely share a couple looks with the table, pointed at the Professor. Casino table games arent’t as quiet as golf, but dang. No one asked for your feedback, Professor.

The Professor will definitely lower the vibe of the table. And they’re harder to get rid of than a bad habit.

I usually find if no one at the table is acknowledging them, they often drift to another unsuspecting table. Do. Not. Interact. With. The. Professor.

The more attention you give them, the more they talk. Ignoring the Professor is the best approach to this quirky, overly confident gambler.

Conclusion

I hope that this guide of the types of annoying people you will most definitely run into at the casino is helpful. In no way is this the complete list of the wackadoos you’ll meet in your casino adventures.

Don’t be one of these people. No one likes any of the types of annoying gamblers I have mentioned today.

Here’s a basic rule of thumb I follow. Would my mom be proud of the behavior? Is my behavior contributing to or reducing people’s gambling experience?