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Tipping the Dealer


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Ok, this is one that I have not seen in the forum yet.How much should the pros down to the fish tip?I had a dealer tell me once that she prefers to work the lower limit tables due to better tips. As I have gone up in limits I have seen tipping arrangements between the regular players and much more chopping from everybody else. I get tip crazy! Once, after a monster session, I even tried to tip the cashier. Obviously, there is a happy medium. Living in Texas, I play mostly online and at some home-style tournaments and cash games. There are a couple of small B&Ms, but I never really feel that pressure to "tip well" until I hit the big casinos on business trips.Merry Christmas to the Right and Happy Holildays to everybody else!! I hope you have a wonderfull day!Mike

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Typically $1 per pot. $2-5 depending on pot size and how my luck (i.e. the random cards) held. This is at poker rooms where dealers work for tips only. At a casino, it is about the same because I tend to have better winning sessions there. After a tourney, I tip about 5%-10% depending on how big the pot is and again how "lucky" I got. I haven't cashed more than a $1000 yet, so this may change.Also, we should call it a toke. I am tipping for the dealer's work at distributing the cards accurately, efficiently and with integrity. I'm happy with my place in this system, but everyone is free to do what they want. There is no set rules here.

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When i first started playing, I use to tip way to0 much. I feel alot of new players do. when you realize how much they make an hour with their tips and their wage, you probably would cut down on your tips and ,sometimes, not tip at all. Let's say they make $6.50 an hour in wages. If everyone tipped them $.50 (in low limit games from 1-2 to 2-4)for every pot, and they deal 25-30 hands an hour, they would make $12.50-$15.00 an hour plus their wage which could equal over $20.00 an hour!! When you move up to the 3-6 level and above, players tip at least $1.00 per pot. This means that they can make over $30.00 an hour!!Now, this does not include the loose players who like to tip 2-5 dollars on a big win that happens on average about 3 times an hour. Seeing it this way, dealers are making alot more money than you are at your day job. And most dealers don't even do there job correctly. Most don't even speak to keep the game running smoothly. This leads to problems during hands and sometimes, heated arguments. I tip a dollar only if the pot is decent, or I don't tip at all. If i go on a rush, I might Toke them 2 dollars. When i play no-limit, I tip 2 dollars if i win around 80 dollars. And if i win $250-$500 in one pot, I throw them a $5.00 dollar chip

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When i first started playing, I use to tip way to0 much. I feel alot of new players do. when you realize how much they make an hour with their tips and their wage, you probably would cut down on your tips and ,sometimes, not tip at all. Let's say they make $6.50 an hour in wages. If everyone tipped them $.50 (in low limit games from 1-2 to 2-4)for every pot, and they deal 25-30 hands an hour, they would make $12.50-$15.00 an hour plus their wage which could equal over $20.00 an hour!! When you move up to the 3-6 level and above, players tip at least $1.00 per pot. This means that they can make over $30.00 an hour!!Now, this does not include the loose players who like to tip 2-5 dollars on a big win that happens on average about 3 times an hour. Seeing it this way, dealers are making alot more money than you are at your day job. And most dealers don't even do there job correctly. Most don't even speak to keep the game running smoothly. This leads to problems during hands and sometimes, heated arguments. I tip a dollar only if the pot is decent, or I don't tip at all. If i go on a rush, I might Toke them 2 dollars. When i play no-limit, I tip 2 dollars if i win around 80 dollars. And if i win $250-$500 in one pot, I throw them a $5.00 dollar chip
wow I should become a dealer!
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I play low limit games... and I will throw them a $1 for a pot, unless it's a a real small one, blinds or just a flop bet I win. Anything substantial for the limit, I'll toss em a buck and it seems pretty standard.

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When i first started playing, I use to tip way to0 much. I feel alot of new players do. when you realize how much they make an hour with their tips and their wage, you probably would cut down on your tips and ,sometimes, not tip at all. Let's say they make $6.50 an hour in wages. If everyone tipped them $.50 (in low limit games from 1-2 to 2-4)for every pot, and they deal 25-30 hands an hour, they would make $12.50-$15.00 an hour plus their wage which could equal over $20.00 an hour!! When you move up to the 3-6 level and above, players tip at least $1.00 per pot. This means that they can make over $30.00 an hour!!Now, this does not include the loose players who like to tip 2-5 dollars on a big win that happens on average about 3 times an hour. Seeing it this way, dealers are making alot more money than you are at your day job. And most dealers don't even do there job correctly. Most don't even speak to keep the game running smoothly. This leads to problems during hands and sometimes, heated arguments. I tip a dollar only if the pot is decent, or I don't tip at all. If i go on a rush, I might Toke them 2 dollars. When i play no-limit, I tip 2 dollars if i win around 80 dollars. And if i win $250-$500 in one pot, I throw them a $5.00 dollar chip
You don't want to tip based on the dealers maybe making more money than you? They make below minimum wage, they make a *living* off tips. If you knew what the co@ktail waitresses made, based on your reasoning you would NEVER tip them. $30 an hour is a bad day for them. Those BMW's and breast implants don't come cheap. Its your money and you can do what you wanna do but its your reasoning I disagree with.
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Did you read my entire post? Most dealers don't do there job the way they are suppose to. This leads to trouble down the line. I have always been a big believer in tipping good service. Some new players and even veteran players feel obligated to tip. What i'm saying is if the pot is small, you don't have to tip. If the dealer isn't doing his/her job, you can low ball the tip or give none at all. Plus, its ridiculous what some players are tipping them and then they lose all there money later in there session when they would probably still have 20-30 bucks in front of them. Plus, i'm putting things in perspective. You said that they make minimum wage plus their tips. Well, i said they make plenty of money when you combine the two. Don't feel sorry for them when you win a big pot and only give them a buck. They aren't responsible when you are rivered out of a pot, and there are not responsible when your hand holds up. The government only taxes them on 12 bucks an hour and the rest is theres. And if a waitress is rude to me, Then i'll go to another waitress. You tip good service, and if they don't like it, they can get a different job. But trust me, they will stay with what they have because there making plenty of money.

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honestly, if you tip big, you take away quite a bit of your winnings. Your already faced with the rake which at some casinos is 10%. Then you need to tip the dealer as well, tip the waitress for your drink. 1 session that could have been break even or a little profitable turns into a loss. This might not seem like much, but when you play on a regular basis, it adds up.. Now, obviously you should tip the dealer, but not some rediculous amount. When I first started playing, I didn't know any better and saw others throwing 5 dollars, sometimes 10 dollars for pots in a 10/20 game. First of all, I shouldn't have been playing at this level for my first time playing live, but when you compound that I was giving away this much money in tips, it's hard to believe I didn't break my entire bankroll and get into major debt. I got stuck about a Grand in poker before I even started to really know how to play poker, sounds pretty stupid, but it was true.I believe $1 a pot is sufficient up to a 5/10 game and $2-3 for a 10/20 game is fine as well. Just remember the rake that is killing all of us. You want to b generous, but you don't want to go broke because of your generosity.

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As a poker dealer in Las Vegas if I get $1 for every hand I deal I would be happy with that. Nothing is worse then Pushing a $500 pot and no tip. We do work for mostly tips. I work on swing shift and although I get paid $6.49/hr I also get taxed as though I make $14/hr. So the pay after 2 weeks is really only about 2 nights worth of tokes. It does seem that a lot of the younger new players dont even know it is customary to tip. I have done plenty of downs where I dont make a dime from the players. If Im playing and a player consitantly stiffs the dealer then I will toke the dealer because I know how much that sucks. $1 a hand is fine and anything above that is greatly appreciated, especially if they are not getting that $1 a hand from the other players. But if I push you a monster and triple you up a no limit game you can be a little more generous lol. And for those that are curious it is true that the bigger games the tokes are horrible. Put me on a $1 $2 no limit game all night and Ill be happy with that :D

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Thanks for the post spot boy!Here is an interesting story for the group... I have a brother that I constantly bail out of trouble. Everything from bad check writing to drunk and stranded in the middle of the night.One day, after writing a sizable check to cover his financial blunder of the week, I grumbled and asked him if I should even help him anymore. He smiled and told me something that I will never forget... "Michael, you get more pleasure out of helping me than you would letting me fail." He was right. It gave me great pleasure helping him from time-to-time. I got to complain to my wife about it (pleasure) and I felt that I was helping him out when nobody else could...Anyway. I think that I tip for the same reason. It gives me more pleasure to tip a good dealer than not. Selfish...I hope everybody had a great Christmas!!Mike

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Well that just boils down to the fact that there really is no unselfish act. Every action a person takes has a benefit for them, whether it's something they gain, or just an emotion that they can get from doing it... it's a selfish world.

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Dealers can make a lot of money. And tips can be tax free.So do waiters and lots of other professions. This has no effect on me whether I tip or not. They provide a valuable service and trust me if a dealer sucks (every once in a while) he does not get good tips from me.But, yeah, any good poker player should know exactly how a system works. There is a LOT of money moving towards the dealer through tokes and even more hitting the poker room through rakes/time.

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I saw my mailman at the supermarket a couple of months ago... He was driving a Cadillac Escalade. My taxes take pretty good care of him!Oh, and he got a Christmas bonus from our block... If you don't take care of the people that touch your life... who will? The nanny, house cleaner, yard man, hair dresser, dry cleaner... compensate these service people well and you will enjoy your life more; I guarantee it! Not only will they provide better service, but you will feel good every time you see them.Ha!

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All Tips are not Tax free in any Atlantic City casino. That box of tokes (tips) you see the dealers carrying are locked to even the dealers. It can only be opened by the cage cashier. The amount you made that day is counted out and recorded on to a receipt and computer. Plus half of all dealers are part time which means they get no benefits and sometime get scheuduled one day a week. Again its your money and you can do what you want but I'm just giving you guys a little insight on the other side of the table.

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hey saint , i think your talking about blackjack dealers. Over here on the west coast, dealers have their own tray of chips. They keep all their tips to themselves. And again, if there working one day a week, and not making money on their tips, they should get a better job. Boo Hoo. Are they going to feel soory for you when your out of money and can't get in a game?

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I think we are over analyzing tipping. Its simple...Tip or don't tip, your choice. But, if you are at a table with me and scoop up a big pot and don't tip, I will politely remind you to toss the guy a buck. Justin

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I little off topic but in the west and east some casinos have "keep your own tokes" rule on all house games (BlackJack, Craps, Roulette, etc) but the most common practice (90% of all casinos) is that tips made by the house game dealers are pooled and split between all house game dealers. I've never heard of a casino that pooled the tips from Poker. Poker dealers and house game dealers are on a different payroll.I don't expect anyone and especially the dealer to feel sorry for my ass when I bust out, the only choice I have is to take it on the chin. Lets say I won money/pots and tipped over a period of time, then ran into some bad luck, lost control and gave it all back. The last thing I want is for someone to feel sorry for me and the last thing on my mind after busting out is returning to the game. People that keep returning to the table beating after beating are compulsive gamblers.St.

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