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Table Games Blackjack Dealers Hustling for Tips

Discussion in 'Table Games' started by Kickin, Nov 29, 2012.

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  1. Kickin

    Kickin Flea

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    How often do you guys see dealers hustling for tips? I don't mind it when they do it in a "fun" way - which I usually see at craps, but sometimes they cross the line and that attitude bothers me. I was at a blackjack table this weekend when a new dealer came on, an older gentleman, and within a couple of minutes he started hustling. All of us on the table were down when one player started winning a bit and tipped the dealer a couple of times. He made a big noise about how she was setting an example for the rest of the table and looked at all of us. He even "joked" about it with the dealer at the table next to him. He kept bringing it up and it was annoying. We were all down, maybe we had made back some money after he came on but still in the red. He had just come on and was barely our dealer for 10 minutes. I was never betting anything lower than green chips, and at one point on a win of $50 he paid me in all reds. I asked him, "Why'd you give me reds" and he said "Well you might want to use them for something" and just gave me this stare for a few seconds.

    If he hadn't acted the way he did I would've tipped him. Just because he saw us not tipping for the 10 or 20 minutes he was dealing doesn't mean we don't tip. If he thinks I'm going to tip anytime I win a hand or even win a blackjack he is insane. Usually if the dealer is friendly I place a bet for them when I have a big bet on the table, and also when I walk from the table I usually tip whatever "small" chips I have left after coloring up. It can end up being a lot of tips for them.

    That guy just annoyed the hell out of me. I didn't end up tipping him the reds or anything at all. I gambled with them on top of my greens and cashed out after realizing I was even. All that dealer accomplished was turning someone who typically tips dealers a decent amount into someone who is beginning to regret it.
     
  2. NeonTurtle14

    NeonTurtle14 I Run the Vegas Hotdog Stand

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    I've seen this too, there is one casino on the strip where this always seems to happens to my wife and me, and after having it happen a third time by different dealers, we simply won't play blackjack there anymore.

    Not sure if there's a way to complain about this, or if they are allowed to do that. Even if they are allowed to hustle, we are allowed to get up and leave :)
     
  3. merlin

    merlin MIA

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    I've never seen anything quite as blatant as that, but no chance I give him a dime after that.
     
  4. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    That is the best way to get their attention. I am sure there are some that are just bold, and some that are desperate and need the money.

    Either way, there is no reason for it.
     
  5. hanoscf

    hanoscf High-Roller

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    I've never seen anything that blatant. I would have done the same thing you did - not give him a dime.
     
  6. Nevyn

    Nevyn VIP Whale

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    Write "don't eat yellow snow" on a piece of paper, and place it in the dealer tip position.

    Or you could just ask if he's a dealer or a panhandler as the pit boss goes by.

    Realistically though, I'd just color up and leave. I've never had a dealer begging for tips, and certainly not paying me in lower denominations as a "hint". That's pretty disgraceful.
     
  7. ams722

    ams722 Side Bet Shunner

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    Name names! Where were these dealers at?

    I've never seen anything quite that bad. In fact, I can't even think of one instance where I detected a dealer fishing for tips.
     
  8. Kickin

    Kickin Flea

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    This was at Caesars in Atlantic City not in Vegas (sorry thought I mentioned that). I don't remember his name, he was an older guy, white hair, glasses, a bit heavy. It was in the pit right outside the high limit room.
     
  9. y2mulder

    y2mulder Low-Roller

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    11 years in the business, and trust me.....a "hard" hustle is an absolute no-no. At this point, you could complain to just about anybody. Dealers know where the line is, and if they cross it, then just back the bus up on them.

    Casinos know over-hustling dealers hurt business, and they will not tolerate it. Players cant be replaced, but shitty dealers can.
     
  10. gongoman

    gongoman MIA

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    Well said.:beer:
     
  11. pass line man

    pass line man VIP Whale

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    Absolutely... if the toke committee finds out about someone hard hustling, it's bad for all the dealer's tokes.....trust me just make it known to the floor that you are being hard hustled, and it will end...most likely for the dealer.
     
  12. Vladimir

    Vladimir Low-Roller

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    I've had a few examples of this but all in all pretty rare.
    I generally tip quite generously (IMHO) especially if the dealer is nice to look at.

    The most often example is a dealer paying off a $5 win with 5 singles, I'm often tempted just to make my next bet with the singles to make a point.

    Worst example, and the only 'hard' hustle I have ever seen was at the Riv this summer. One dealer just didn't stop going on about tips and didn't thank the players. At one point I tried to get singles in change and he dropped my $5 (theft?). Another red chipper at one point laid a fairly generous $5 on the tip line and drew 11. He doubled, but not for the dealer at first. Dealer just stood there looking at him and eventually said 'aren't you forgetting something?'. Pretty much forced the player to lay an extra red down before he would deal the card. I left straight after that, don't think I even stopped to colour up. The solution? I'll be voting with my feet and certainly won't play BJ at the Riv again, which probably means I wont ever be back in the Riv at all, which is a shame as I like the old school feel to the place.
     
  13. mike_m235

    mike_m235 Tourist

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    My last trip, I was at the Monte Carlo betting two $50 spots at a $5 table. Two other players were each playing $5. I was tipping $5 pretty often on one spot or the other. At one point the dealer mentioned that it was good that I tipped, because some people don't get it. It was clearly directed at the lady to my right, who I'm pretty sure had never even played blackjack before. I stopped tipping, then at the end of the shoe I got up. And moved one table over. When the pit boss (who I know from a couple of trips) asked me what was up, I just told him that I didn't like the dealer.
     
  14. CenterfieldNine

    CenterfieldNine High-Roller

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    Nice move! This type of thing is what I'll do now and then. I'm not one to make a scene if its not totally necessary, so I speak with my actions. It was great you said that and maybe telling that he even asked. Perhaps he has heard or seen negative things on that dealer before
     
  15. blackjacknut

    blackjacknut VIP Whale

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    I've not anything like this happen to me. However I've tipped a dealer and they did not say thank you. After two tips I said "you're welcome" very loudly and hen left get table.
     
  16. jamesxnj

    jamesxnj VIP Whale

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    Before I got a bit wiser,I played occasional BJ at the Gold Coast..I can say I've never had a winning session there for some reason.(Many at other places so I know it's not me)..
    But one day and as is my usual style will play $1 for the dealer,new shoe or after win Bj etc..and when I double /split add to the tip..So a new dealer is being trained and after I win a few hands/lose a few with a tip in play...No mention of Thanks for the Try/Or Appreciate it! Like other places...

    I told the dealer overseeing the rookie that any comment is welcome,but when you don't say shit it's not cool.Teach her that...
    I left awhile later,but I think my comment fell on deaf ears..I don't think they like caucasian players that much anyway..and I was not being rude at all,just giving them some advice from a player's point of view..
     
  17. salukidean

    salukidean High-Roller

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    This is one of the reasons I hate tip-pooling. Even if players don't tip them as a result of their hustling, they still get a share of all tips I leave for a dealer who creates a fun environment. If casinos let dealers keep their own tips, I think you'd have harder working dealers who would make make the game fun. All those dealers who hustle, don't talk at all, or do other things that lower tips would quickly be looking for a new job as their income would decrease significantly.
     
  18. jpm1603

    jpm1603 Tourist

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    I was in Vegas this past weekend and couldn't help but think of this thread. I am 28, gambling since I was 18 and never once had this happen to me over those 10 years. This weekend, I had it happen twice at the table I was on. The first was at the MGM Grand. Myself and two buddies sat at a Texas Holdem bonus table. My buddy hit a bonus bet that paid his 5$ 20/1 for $100. Normally he is a tipper but was excited about the hit to get some of his money back and it slipped his mind to tip our dealer. She looked straight at him and cleared her throat and raised an eyebrow at him. Needless to say she received no tips the rest of our stay at the table. The next day at NYNY we had been sitting at a BJ table, up and down, and a new dealer took over. After about 10 hands of dealing to us. He picked up the tip box, shook it, and said it was awfully quiet at the table. I looked at him and told him any chance he had at a tip went right out the door with comments like that. He did not speak a single word to us over the next halfhour, and I walked away up $500, not a single chip thrown his way the entire time.
     
  19. BeeeJay

    BeeeJay President of The Red Lobster Hostess Satisfaction

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    never seen anything like this anywhere, but part of that may be my own fault for overtipping. I guess having my own income completely dependent on tips has me constantly empathetic to the plight of the tip-based earner.

    I love how you guys have handled it.

    I can only imagine a dealer ready to quit the job would act in this manner because I would think it has to be an instant firing offense, or at least it should be.
     
  20. burdog

    burdog Low-Roller

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    In the OP situation I would just look at the guy and say I'm down but when you get me above even we'll talk. BTW I have said this a couple of times to a new dealer coming on after they hit me with blackjack. Both responses were that's cool. But if they did try to embarrass me I like the ideas I've read.
     
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