Blog « Harlequin Fun Casino Hire

Charity Fun Casino in Dorset

Last night, Harlequin Fun Casino hosted a fun casino party in Dorset to raise money for local projects. We had a great time, and managed to raise over £300 which is amazing! We took a Blackjack table and a Roulette table, and they were both very popular! We had a lot of first time players last night who had never played wither game before. Hannah and Kerry, our croupiers, were happy to explain the rules to everybody, and helped them play each hand in turn. It’s really easy to pick up the rules for Blackjack and Roulette. Roulette is a great game for beginners because you don’t really need a strategy or a “plan” to win, it’s really just luck! Blackjack on the other hand is a strategy game. If you play your cards right (pun intended) you can make a killing on the Blackjack table, or at least tip the odds in your favour by learning a few simple rules. Just ask our croupiers to teach you a bit of Blackjack strategy and before long, you’ll see the positive results!

I absolutely love going to Dorset with our fun casino tables. I grew up there, so all my friends and family are still there, and I know the county like the back of my hand! If you’re ever in need of a fun casino in Dorset, get in touch with us here at Harlequin Fun Casino. We’ll chat in a bit of detail about what you’re planning, and see if we can help make your event as successful as last nights!

James Bond Themed Fun Casino in Winchester

Last night, Harlequin Fun Casino had a great night entertaining 200 guests at James Bond party near Winchester. It was a brilliant night, and every had so much fun!

We’ve been hosting fun casino parties in Winchester more frequently over the last few months, and we love going there! Winchester is one of the most beautiful places in the south of the UK and there are so many great venues for parties and events.

Last night’s party was held to celebrate Maxine’s 40th birthday, and she birthday girl herself was a dab hand at the fun casino tables! On the very first Roulette spin, Maxine put down $50 on Black and got lucky, doubling her money! Her luck didn’t end there! Later, she put $10 on 17, only for 17 to come in!! A cool $360 to be made there! If only we were playing for real money! (I must say, I am glad we weren’t or I’d be broke!!)

The Blackjack table was definitely the most popular. We took three Blackjack tables along to the party, and there was never a time when there was visible space on any of them! It was just like in a real casino! (Except we had no pit boss and we were seriously lacking in any real notes!)

Maxine and her friends had a fantastic evening, and we were chuffed to be a part of it! We are hosting a fun casino party for Maxine’s brother Andy this Christmas, so we’ll llok forward to seeing some familiar faces!

How to Play Blackjack…

At Harlequin Fun Casino, we have a team of professional croupiers who are not only experts in the field of casino gaming, but who are also really friendly and approachable. They’ll explain all the rules of each game if you or any of your guests are not sure how to play. They’ll walk you through the casino games step by step, and help you as you play!

However, if you’re a complete beginner and you really want to be able to play well on the night, here is a quick breakdown of how to play Blackjack in it’s simplest terms!

How to Play Blackjack…

Blackjack is played with anything up to eight decks of cards. Each card is worth a different amount. Cards 2 to 10 are worth their face value, Kings, Queens, and Jacks are worth 10, and Aces can be used as either 1 or 11. The object of Blackjack is to hit a 21, or as close to 21 as you can without going over. You are playing against the dealer. You want to hit closer to 21 than the dealer. For example if you hit 20 and the dealer hits 19, you win!

The best total of all is a two-card 21. This is known as “A Blackjack”. This is when you hit an Ace and a card with a value of 10 (Either a ten or a Jack Queen or King). Blackjack pays 3 to 2, so if you get “A Blackjack” on a $5 bet, you will win $7.50 instead of the usual $5 pay back on every other winning hand. However, if the dealer also has “A Blackjack”, the hand pushes. “Push” means, you just get your money back, but don’t win anything. But if the dealer goes on to draw 21 in three or more cards your blackjack is still a winner with its 3 to 2 payout.

Blackjack tables are normally D-Shaped, and there is space for a maximum of seven players. The dealer stands at the top of the table facing the players. In real casinos, there is a placard or notice which tells you the minimum bet on that particular table. It will also tell you any “House Rules” as certain rules vary from casino to casino. (We’ll get to that later)

The playing cards are shuffled and then dealt from the card shoe. In some casinos in Las Vegas, only one or two decks of cards are used, and the dealer deals from the hand. To start, each player must place a bet by putting any number of their casino chips into the box in front of them. (Usually a square or a circle clearly marked on the baize). Once all bets have been made, the dealer will then deal everyone two cards. They are dealt face-up if from a card-shoe, and face down if dealt from the hand. One of the dealer’s cards is turned face-up so the players can see it and the other is dealt face-down.

Now each player must decide what to do with the hand they have been dealt. They add up the value of the cards they have been given, and must decide if they would like to be dealt another card to make their total closer to 21. If they decide they want another card, they tell the dealer to “Hit”. Hopefully, this card will not make their total over 21. If it does, then they “Bust” and lose the chips they bet. If not, the hand stays and the next player is asked what he or she wants to do with their hand.

Once all the players have decided what to do with their hands, the dealer must play his hand. The dealer plays according to set rules: The dealer must keep drawing cards until he hits past a 16. If he hits a 17, he must “Stand” which means he is not allowed another card to try and get to 21. (In this situation, any player who has 18 or more wins.

Blackjack Vocabulary…

“Hit”: If you want to take another card, you must ask the dealer to “Hit”. You must ask him by making a gesture of some kind. You can also say the words “Hit” or “Hit me” but a visual gesture must also be present. This is because in a real casino, the cameras must be able to catch you asking for a card.

“Stand”: If you Stand, you decide you don’t want any more cards. You hope that the amount you have is enough to beat the dealer.

“Double Down”: If you are holding 9, 10 or 11, you might want to “Double Down.” This means that you can double the bet you put down before you were dealt the cards. You want to do this because there are more ten value cards in a deck than anything else, so it’s more likely you’ll get a ten and your hand will be strong. This is not always true, but it’s often worth the gamble. Some casinos will let you double down on any hand, but most restrict it to a hand that equals ten or eleven. When you “Double Down” you can only receive one more card. If you have a 10 or 11, you are hoping it will be a ten! If it’s a 2, you are not allowed to hit another card. This is why they call it gambling!!

“Split”: If you get dealt two cards equal in denomination, you can split them into two separate hands. You need to add a bet to the second hand when you do this. This is a good idea if you get dealt two Aces as there’s a greater likelihood of you hitting a ten on each.

“Insurance”: If the dealer’s face-up card is an ace, you may take “insurance,” which essentially is a bet that the dealer has a 10-value card down to complete a blackjack. Insurance, which may be taken for half the original bet, pays 2 to 1 if the dealer has blackjack. The net effect is that if you win the insurance bet and lose the hand, you come out even. For example, the player has 18 with a $10 bet down. The dealer has an ace up. The player takes a $5 insurance bet. If the dealer has blackjack, the player loses the $10 bet on the hand but wins $10 with the 2 to 1 payoff on the $5 insurance bet.

Tags: Blackjack, Blackjack Vocabulary, Double Down, Hit, How to Play Blackjack, Insurance Pays 2-1, Stand

"How many fun casino tables do I need?"

Fun-casino-hire-1 Another popular question without a specific or standard answer. The number of fun casino tables you need for your event is really your decision, but it depends on several factors:

How many guests are you inviting?

We normally recommend that you hire one table per 40-50 guests, but remember that the more tables you have, the more people will be able to play at any one time.

How big is the venue?

Our fun casino tables are full size and some of them are over 10 foot in length. You’ll need to ensure that the venue you are holding the event in has enough room for all the tables you require. If you’re not sure about space allowance, we’ll happily contact the venue for you and discuss set up and floor plans.

Which casino games do you and your guests like the best?

By far, roulette and blackjack are the most popular casino games at a fun casino. Poker is a very popular card game, but the nature of the game means it’s not entirely suited to a party atmosphere. Poker games can go on for hours and hours, and only a small number of people can play at any one time, whereas blackjack and roulette are far more sociable. A hand of blackjack is dealt roughly every 30-60 seconds, so it’s easy to just dip in and out whenever you like. If you’re having over 100 guests, it might be a good idea to hire two blackjack tables and one roulette. Blackjack is always really popular and there’s nearly always a queue to play, so if you have the two of them, it shortens the queue dramatically!

What is the budget for your fun casino party?

Obviously, the more tables you hire, the more the price of hire goes up, but hiring a fun casino doesn’t have to be very expensive, and there are lots of discounts and offers to be had here there and everywhere. At Harlequin Fun Casino, we offer a discount when hiring two or more tables, and occasionally you’ll find other offers on our Facebook and Twitter pages so stay in the loop to make the most of these great deals.

“How many fun casino tables do I need?”

Fun-casino-hire-1 Another popular question without a specific or standard answer. The number of fun casino tables you need for your event is really your decision, but it depends on several factors:

How many guests are you inviting?

We normally recommend that you hire one table per 40-50 guests, but remember that the more tables you have, the more people will be able to play at any one time. Read more about this at usa pavilion, at the same time learn something useful.

How big is the venue?

Which casino games do you and your guests like the best?

By far, classic slots is one of the most popular casino games at a fun casino, next are roulette and blackjack. Poker is a very popular card game as well, but the nature of the game means it’s not entirely suited to a party atmosphere. Poker games can go on for hours and hours, and only a small number of people can play at any one time, whereas blackjack and roulette are far more sociable. A hand of blackjack is dealt roughly every 30-60 seconds, so it’s easy to just dip in and out whenever you like. If you’re having over 100 guests, it might be a good idea to hire two blackjack tables and one roulette. Blackjack is always really popular and there’s nearly always a queue to play, so if you have the two of them, it shortens the queue dramatically!

What is the budget for your fun casino party?

Las Vegas Party in Domewood, West Sussex

SDC12951 On Saturday night, Harlequin Fun Casino had the pleasure of attending a 40th birthday party with a Las Vegas theme in Domewood, West Sussex. We took a roulette table and a blackjack table, and over 100 people came to the party dressed to impress. We saw a Las Vegas bride and Groom and Elvis himself! (as pictured!)

It was a brilliant night, and the casino room was jam packed the whole night long. We had some very impressive players on the tables, and special mention goes to Jake Pearman (age 10) who impressed our croupiers time and time again with his lucky streaks! Jake was proud possessor of the “Harlequin High Roller” title on more than one occasion, although he wasn’t technically allowed to win the prize! (Mum’s house rules!)

Another special mention goes to Dean who racked up a cool $800 in no time at all on the Roulette table. He was heading the “Harlequin High Roller” leader-board for a long time with that impressive win, until the gorgeous Emma (pictured left) waltzed up to the tables fashionably late and managed to turn $50 into $1,400 in just under an hour! Now that’s impressive! Bruce, the birthday boy had a little flutter on the Roulette table, but ultimately blew his dollars pretty quickly (claiming he had to “mingle with his guests” but personally, I think his luck may have run out!!) All in all, it was a fantastic night, and we all had a brilliant time. Once again, thanks to Tanya and Bruce for inviting Harlequin Fun Casino to host their fun casino party. I think they’d agree with me when I say it was a blast!

What do you get when you hire a fun casino?

Roulette Hire I get asked this question over the phone several times a day! So I thought I’d lay out all the particulars of a fun casino night so you’ll know what to expect!

Fun Casino Tables

Obviously, essential to the casino party are the fun casino tables! We have roulette tables, blackjack tables and poker tables for hire. All of them are full size and professional standard. Often people ask me if they need to provide tables to put the casino tables on. When you hire our tables, you don’t need to provide any tables of your own. Our casino tables stand on sturdy mahogany legs, just like in a real casino. We just need a bit of space for them! They are pretty large!

Chips, Cards and Accessories

The important bits! Without these, it’s difficult to play Roulette or Blackjack and impossible to play poker! If you have sets of card or chips you would prefer to use for your casino night, you are welcome to, but it’s not necessary for you to do so. We provide all of the playing cards, poker chips and accessories for the night.

Friendly & Professional Croupiers

Sometimes when people enquire about hiring a fun casino, they ask us where they will source croupiers to deal the games for the night. Well, there’s no need for you to do any searching at all. We have scoured the country for the best croupiers around and we have hand picked a select bunch of gorgeous croupiers who are not only lovely, but are also really great at what they do. It’s so important to have a really friendly and knowledgeable croupier to manage each table. In a real casino, the same rules apply. If you’re in Las Vegas, you’re never more than 10 feet away from a casino table. If you don’t like the croupier at the table you’re on or you’re not having a fun time, you’ll probably move onto the next casino. This seriously dents the diamond clad pockets of the poor casino owners (ahem) and the last thing they want is you spending your money with another casino. We feel the same way! If we don’t hire the best people, you and your guests won’t have the best time! It makes good sense for us to supply you with excellent croupiers, and so we make every effort to ensure that we always do!

A Prize for the “Harlequin High Roller”

At Harlequin Fun Casino, we offer a prize for the Harlequin High Roller. The HHR is the individual who our croupiers decide amongst themselves has been the highest roller of the night. That doesn’t mean he or she ended up with the most money, it just means they had an impressive winning streak at one stage in the game, or they racked up a large amount of cash at some point! The Harlequin High Roller is decided by the croupiers at the end of the night, and their decision is final and cannot be disputed. They cannot and will not be persuaded… I should know, I have tried!

And that’s it really. Everything you need to have a great night with your fun casino. We can also supply you with props, decorations and lighting to theme your fun casino night as well if you’d like us to. Please enquire further if this is something you think you might be interested in!

Tags: Fun Casino Hire, Harlequin High Roller, Hire a croupier, prizes

Corporate Casino Party in Uckfield

Last night Harlequin had a great night hosting a corporate fun casino event in Uckfield. There were over 200 guests in attendance, and all four of the fun casino tables were jam packed with players all night long! Corporate events are great when you have a fun casino. It’s the perfect way to break the ice and get everyone talking to each other in a relaxed atmosphere. It also breeds friendly competition too which always has interesting results! I really love going to corporate events (especially in the week as on a school night, they usually finish in time for me to go to bed at a reasonable hour!)

Corporate entertainment has not lost it’s appeal during the last twelve months of financial crisis. People still need to work, and they still need to be looked after, and we have not seen a drop in corporate clients at all. It’s all about making savings wherever you can and being more careful with your spending, not ceasing to spend altogether. In line with the credit crunch, we lowered our prices to ensure our service remained affordable for everyone. Unlike the VAT decrease and subsequent increase, we are keeping our prices low even as the world begins to re-emerge from this financial rain-cloud. As they say at the UK’s leading supermarket chain… every little helps!

How to hire a fun casino… in 5 easy steps!

Are you considering hiring a fun casino? Perhaps you’re not sure where to look or what to look for? Price is always going to be a concern, but there are so many other factors that should be taken into account when hiring a fun casino. Follow my top 5 tips for hiring a fun casino to help you make the right choice!

Google the term “Fun Casino Hire”

Ok, so it’s a bit of an obvious one, but when you’re looking for a fun casino, type the term “hire a fun casino” into google. Remember that the first two or three links at the top of the page and all of the links down at the bottom (all highlighted in pink) are sponsored links. That means they have been paid for by the company to appear high up on the first few pages. The pages below these sponsored links appear at the top of google naturally. That is not to say that the companies who have sponsored links are not great or as good as the others, it’s just good to be aware of the names that come up top naturally. It means that google trusts them to be a worthwhile source of information for you. That usually means (but not always) that they are worth checking out. There are so many great fun casino companies out there, that the first four or five pages is jam packed full of them! Spend some time looking at each website and gathering as much information as you can. Call them and ask lots of questions. We always love getting a phonecall, and it’s so much easier to answer all your questions directly over the phone. When you’re googling fun casino hire, try lots of different search terms, such as party casino hire, party casino night, mobile casino hire or hire a casino. There are so many fun casino hire companies and it’s important you get as much information as you can. Some are listed under pretend casino, practice casino or terms like casino experience or play casinos. Spend as much time as you can surfing through them all to find just the right team for your event.

Look at the quality of the fun casino tables.

Fun casino tables come in a range of shapes, sizes, colours and qualities, and in my experience, you usually get what you pay for! I have worked with fun casino companies who have the most beautiful and impressive tables, and then I have come across others whose tables could do with a little bit of TLC. But it really depends what kind of budget you have. If you’re looking for a cheap and cheerful fun casino, there are loads to be found. If you type “DIY Fun Casino” into google, you’ll come up with a huge long list of companies who offer a cheaper alternative to authentic fun casino tables. Usually, it’s a set-up of a piece of felt or baize, a small roulette wheel and some chips and cards for you to set up on your dining room table and play with friends. It’s not something we offer, but I have seen it very often, and if you’re on a tight budget and you’re not really out to impress but just want to have a bit of a laugh, then a DIY fun casino could be right up your alley! If you’re interested but not sure where to go, call me or send me an email and I’ll put you in touch with a company that can help you.

Find out exactly what makes a professional sized table

If, however, you want the real casino experience, you’ll want to have a look at full size, professional tables. If you’re not sure if the casino tables you are looking at are full size, then here’s a little guide to help you. To be considered “full size”, the minimum dimensions for casino tables are as follows:

Roulette: At least 8ft long and 4ft wide

Roulette Wheel: We use the 800mm in diameter wheel which is standard, but 700mm is also widely used.

Blackjack: Standard size is approximately 6 or 7ft wide and 4ft deep

Craps: Full size can be up to 15ft but 12ft is equally acceptable.

Poker: Approximately8ft x 4ft

Anything smaller than these dimensions should not be considered full size or authentic. It’s not very often you’ll find a fun casino hire company with tables any smaller than this, but it’s worth noting just in case you’re expecting something and you are disappointed.

Look for a competitive fun casino price!

It’s not all about the cost I know, and sometimes it’s worth paying that little bit extra for something extra special, but make sure you are being charged a reasonable and competitive fee for your fun casino night. You’ll be able to get an idea of average prices by calling a few of the companies you like the look of the most and comparing. Here at Harlequin, we’re really competitive, but like I said before, it’s not always all about the cost. There’s no point paying for a cheap service if the service itself is not very good. I think most people would far rather pay for a great service and receive a great service! I know I would! Especially when it comes to a birthday party or wedding reception. These special days will be remembered for years to come, so it’s worth making sure that they are remembered for the right reasons!

And finally… Book a fun casino!

Once you’ve found the right people and you’re happy with them, book the date and relax! A good fun casino company will contact you nearer the time just to make sure all the details are still correct and will liase with the venue about set up times and all the boring bits that need to be dealt with. All you’ll need to do is turn up and have fun! It’s as simple as that! If you’re still unsure about anything to do with hiring a fun casino or you just want some advice, call Kathryn today on 07719 618 873 for a chat about your event or email info@harlequinfuncasino.com for free and impartial advice with no obligation whatsoever!

Charity Fun Casino in West Sussex

NCT Ball On Saturday night, myself and the Harlequin team went down to beautiful Bury in West Sussex, a quaint little village nestled away not far from Arundel, to host a charity fun casino at a charity ball for the NCT. The ball took place at Dorset House School which not was not only an absolutely beautiful venue with views overlooking the lush landscapes of the beautiful South Downs but is also steeped in many years of history. The event was a roaring success and all credit must be given to the beautiful Emma Gillespie who organised the entire event from start to finish. The guests all looked fabulous in their ball gowns and tuxedos, and everyone gave very generously to the cause. We managed to raise around £500 for the NCT by selling fun money to guests on the night and a mention has to be made about our new friend Mark who spent three solid hours on the casino tables and walked away with a well deserved bottle of Champagne at the end of the evening!

A charity fun casino is a great way to raise money for your charity or cause. Simply by selling fun money on the night, we can help you raise money with a charity casino. It’s really easy to do and a lot of fun for everyone. If you think you might be intersted in having a charity fun casino, please contact Kathryn for more information. If you are interested but cannot attend, here is an alternative way to check out and enjoy the casino.

We had such a great night at the charity ball and we met some fabulous people there, including a great band who go by the name of The Hit Squad! Everyone loved their music and had a fabulous time! The guys from The Hit Squad are so lovely as well and I really hope we bump into them again some time soon.