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Table Games Do Dealers Pool their Tips?

Discussion in 'Table Games' started by Electroguy563, Jan 15, 2014.

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  1. Electroguy563

    Electroguy563 Vegas Joker

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    Of course they do! However, this is my real question: Is there some sort of parity as to how it is allotted?

    Some might not agree, but I think craps dealers are the ones who are probably required to attain a higher level of proficiency, thereby requiring more hours of training. People who play craps extensively can attest to what these dealers go through, especially on a hot table.

    I wonder if the pooled tips from the craps tables are pooled only to the craps dealers?

    Anybody know for sure how these tips are pooled? Also, do you agree or disagree if they should be compensated more than other dealers?
     
  2. uli_1515

    uli_1515 Low-Roller

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    Yes at most places. I believe for the shift only.
     
  3. IWannaBeInVegas

    IWannaBeInVegas VIP Whale

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    At the casino I deal at they are all pooled. Atleast at my casino the craps dealers would not want it the way you suggest. Rarely do the players there tip much. You are correct about skill, for the place I work the craps dealers have 8 weeks of school, it's 5 days a week four hours a day, that does not include their regular shift.

    As for how tokes are decided: nightly a crew of dealers goes around and collects them and makes a count. They then take them to the cage where the cage personal count them. We get paid every two weeks so what they do is tally all if the tokes for the previous two weeks, add up all the dealer hours and then average it out to an hourly rate. Typically that rate is around $17.50 plus the casino pays us $4.50 per hour. The tokes come on our regular pay check and are taxed by the casino.

    There are weeks the rate is much higher and weeks it's lower but it's all equitable
     
  4. Electroguy563

    Electroguy563 Vegas Joker

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    Thanks for sharing this information. In my opinion the base rate of pay is terrible, and the toke system brings it up to realistic levels. I would guess in Vegas, where the tokes are more abundant, you can make a decent income, depending on the Casino...

    I can see why at the place where you work the craps dealers might not want to just pool their tokes. Probably at all or most local casinos tipping is not as common as in Vegas.

    Thanks again for the insight.:beer:
     
  5. IWannaBeInVegas

    IWannaBeInVegas VIP Whale

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    Let me add this when comparing Vegas to local joints.

    We have a few dealers bad supervisors that has worked in Vegas, one just as recently as 2 years ago. When asked why they left I was told that they had a hard time getting full time work and that at times they were lucky to get one or two days a week due to being low on the seniority list. I guess in Vegas at the good properties nobody quits and so those that have not been there for years has a hard time making it.
     
  6. WrongWayWade

    WrongWayWade VIP Whale

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    Every time I've asked it's pooled over all three shifts per day. This way the graveyard shift doesn't get screwed because they have such lower volume of play.
     
  7. IWannaBeInVegas

    IWannaBeInVegas VIP Whale

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    That is about right. Swing shift brings in the most tokes, then days and swing. At my property swing is lucky to bring in 1% of the tokes per day. First we mostly people who are doing things that are considered illegal for a living, they are there turning their dirty money into clean money and they are not known to tip. Second we have fewer people in general during those hours.
     
  8. merlin

    merlin MIA

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    Almost all pool, but there are places(one here in MN) where each dealer keeps his own tips, it really works well to make them more friendly. :thumbsup: Each dealer carries his own tip container from table to table.
     
  9. NickyDim

    NickyDim Hockey is life

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    That's like some poker games I've been in. The dealer brings and takes his own box.
     
  10. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

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    Poker isa big exception to the rule. Most poker rooms across the country, poker dealers keep their own tips.
     
  11. IWannaBeInVegas

    IWannaBeInVegas VIP Whale

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    That is how it is at my property, poker keeps their own, and they make more than those of us on the floor, BUT they just had a huge layoff as the poker room is slowly dying.
     
  12. allinpflop

    allinpflop Tourist

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    Poker is dying nationwide.....rooms are closing or decreasing the number of tables. Unless online poker comes back nationwide poker is going to eventually go back to pre Moneymaker levels.
     
  13. joshrocker

    joshrocker VIP Whale

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    So true. Online poker created and fueled the poker boom. I miss playing online so much. Since online used to fuel my live bankroll, I don't play live (still play a monthly home game) anymore either.

    As far as tips, I don't play craps all that often, but it always seemed tips at the craps table were few and far between. They seem to come much more often at BJ.

    I do completely agree with craps dealers having the hardest job. How they keep the correct odds and bets of all the players separate is beyond me. It always feels like one giant cluster when I’m playing at a busy table.
     
  14. joshrocker

    joshrocker VIP Whale

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    This was an interesting point. Do you usually know who the "dirty" players are? Or do they blantantly point out what they're doing? Or do they stupidly buy in for 10,000, play through it once, and Immediately cash out?
     
  15. IWannaBeInVegas

    IWannaBeInVegas VIP Whale

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    They don't off and tell you but for the most part it's the same people nightly and we get to know them. It's almost a sure thing when they pull out their wads of cash wrapped in a rubber band or in a plastic bag and their food stamp cards. A lot of them will be in conversation with their buddies talking about this and that (illegal activities) and figure we are not paying attention.

    The casino does not care where they get their money as long as we drop the cash into the box.
     
  16. joshrocker

    joshrocker VIP Whale

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    Interesting. Thanks for sharing! I always knew this was a method of laundring, I never knew how wide spread it really was.

    You must want to reach across the table and smack them on occasion.
     
  17. IWannaBeInVegas

    IWannaBeInVegas VIP Whale

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    I know our casino is located in the heart of drug/Hookerville. One block south is one of the main drags for the hookers, right across the street from our valet is one of the heaviest drug sales areas.

    One of our dealers over heard a guy talking about a murder that had happened and reported it to one of our gaming agents who turned the info over to the local police, guy was arrested while shooting craps a week later.

    It's bad when you have a decorated police detective who makes about $60k a year who was able in the course of 7 months wager $100,000 in cash. Found out he was working for a drug dealer who paid him for protection and also helped launder that money. Federal charges are pending and he is still sitting in a jail cell
     
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