Mark Gruetze

The first few times you visit a casino can be like a first date: excitement and hope mixed with worries and what-ifs. You wonder what to do, how much to spend, how to act if things go well, and how to extricate yourself if they don’t.

So, you’ve decided to give this blackjack game a try. It looks so easy, and so profitable, in “Rainman,” “21,” and “The Hangover.”

But before you imitate Alan from “The Hangover” and plop down a $10,000 buy-in, have an idea of what you’ll do at the table. If you avoid these seven common beginner mistakes, you’ll get the most from the game.