Tipping Host

I know this has been hotly debated. I have given hosts $100 here and there, especially when they’ve helped me in different situations. But it made me rethink tipping when I heard a podcast with Steve Cyr. He was talking about clients who tipped, and said Michael Jordan was a good tipper. Then he said “unlike pippen stiffen.”

that got me thinking: “Are you supposed to tip your casino host?” I know by the letter of the law no. But is there some unsaid rule, does it help you get better offers and things picked up?

 

I tip according to sevice rendered. Im sure tipping can help with future trips, but keep in mind, hosts have constraints on what they can do.

 

Without getting into the merits of the tipping discussion, this makes me completely doubt anything Steve Cyr says.

Michael Jordan is absolutely notorious for being a horrible tipper: https://www.si.com/nba/2014/04/04/michael-jordan-cheap-tip-charles-barkley-conan-obrien

 

Personally, I'm actually no longer allowed to tip at Aria because I'm friendly with many of them, and in some instances have to go back later to tip into the pool (because the particular people I know won't accept money from me). I don't have a host, but I've had restaurant hosts and servers take unbelievable care of me because they know me.

 

I have never had a tip refused, but my tips are modest <$50.

I tipped my host last week before I asked for backend comps and before she looked at it (it could.ve been only $5.00, but it wasn't), she agreed to back end my wi-fi and about $125 in food.

I regularly tip my Asian hosts at times when gifts are customary, like CNY,

 

In today's tough job market for hosts, a kind word to management and solid play is just as appreciated as a cash tip.

 

I had the exact same reaction when reading the initial post. There are lots of stories out there about what a bad tipper Jordan is. A friend of mine worked for the Bulls in the nineties and I asked him once if those tipping stories were accurate. He always told me he had never seen MJ in a situation where tipping was appropriate, so he had no basis to answer. But he also told me that he wouldn't be surprised if the stories were true based on his interactions with Jordan

 

I tip hosts pretty regularly as I try to jam activities into a long weekend trip. Hosts do have some discretion over backend comps. Asked a host to review play at end of a trip, tipped at the end to say thanks, she went back to the computer and knocked off a little more. Tip amount was greater than the additional comp but the net tip out of pocket for me built goodwill and more importantly she was able to take home 100% of her tip

Kind word to management also does matter. I got a generic apology email from a hotel once after their computers were down for several hours and check in area was a mess. I mentioned how my host went above and beyond to fix this issue which was obviously no fault of hers. Was told those letters help and it’s been saved in her file

 

I also am confused on tipping. My host gives me nothing extra but books my trips. So he gets credit for my play. Should I still tip. I have tipped in past but why?

 

IMHO, in that case, I wouldn't tip. I only tip when the host goes out of their way (above and beyond) my expectations. For example:

1) comp room when I advised "no play" in advance (medical)
2) $500 FP (unannounced)
3) Suite upgrades (unannounced)

 

For me my hosts are a travel/booking agent, they get their commission. I'm friendly, but not friends with them. Have only met the LV host once briefly. Never had any do anything special and I don't ask. A few times I haven't even received the room that was supposed to be booked.
If I was Charles Barkley I'd be tipping everyone.

 

I always tip my host. As others have said before, the host has a lot of discretion when it comes to backend comps, extra free play (either upfront or additional free play given in the middle of the trip) and other extras. I didn’t even know it was a contested issue until I read some folk’s opinions here.

I will add this though: I think it only matters when you reach a certain level of play. If you’re just booking on basic casino offers/mailers and your host doesn’t really do much “hosting” I don’t think its really necessary. For example, I usually just book offers and don’t ask for much, so I’ll tip 50-100, based on what my requests are. However, my parents work with their host for many specific requests and get freeplay and RFB worked out over the phone (usually more generous than the generic offers.). They enjoy more flexibility but this also entails more work for the host, hence the cash tip.

That said, I’d be lying if we tip only to thank them. It probably can help when the host uses their discretion for extras.

 

I'm similar. Right when I first got my host I got tickets to some private event for my wife and I comped and that's been about it. Pre covid I would get water and chocolates in my room as well. Now I don't really get anything extra. I gave mine a starbucks gift card last Christmas and she mentioned letting her know before I left so she could look and see if she can comp anything off. I asked if it used my RCs at CET and she said yes so I was like what's the point then? So yeah I may do something next year for Christmas or if she does anything extra but for now it's only what I can book myself online.

 

I’ll take a different point of view here. I think you should definitely tip your host. When you go to a restaurant, you tip the waitstaff, but in a nutshell, they just take your order and bring it from the kitchen. When you go to a bar, you tip the bartender, all they are doing is making your drink for you. So, even if the casino host just takes your offer and makes the arrangements, they are providing a valuable service, just like other individuals in the customer service business.

In reality, the tip goes a lot further. If you need something special, it gives them motivation to help you. It gives them motivation to get you a night that isn’t part of the corporate offer, an upgrade if available, taking care of food and other resort charges when you low played for the trip. I always tip my hosts, and it gets me noticed and gets me what I need from them. And I always do it in cash, usually with a handwritten note in an envelope, but even times just a few hundred in a handshake to them.

 

My host books me a comped room. I always tip her a gift card, usually $50.

 

I tip my host VERY well and I pretty much get what I ask for. I’ve never asked for anything extravagant just backend to be cleared off (which last time was 8k) room in which I request (multiple if need be), golf, spa, etc. Also, if I’m having a bad trip, I get more free play (and in most instances, just free cash). I also play at higher limits/ lose more than most so that helps as well lol.

 

Wait staff in a restaurant and bartenders are paid a wage that is low to be fully compensated by tips. A bit of a different story with a host.

 

Do you tip before or after? The reason this came up for me is I have a host who I’ve worked with for three years. I don’t particularly like the guy, and he’s always trying to make it seem like he’s doing me big favors, when in reality it’s just offers that are being generated, and he thinks I’m stupid enough to believe him. He also puts me in sub-par rooms and tries to pretend like they’re the best rooms in the property. Basically, I just don’t like his personality and all his fluff but I tolerated it because he did his job. Anyway, I won 50k on last trip with about 12k in theo, and he got mad because I had 2500 in food.

I think he was bucking for a tip because he wanted to meet me so badly before I left, but I snuck to the car 15 min early. I’ve been severely undercomped before on many trips over the years, and it was just food, so I really didn’t want to tip him and assumed it would get picked up. I had come off a losing trip of about 30k before this one.

So he ended up charging me for the entire food (soft comp) and that was the straw that broke the camels back for me. I wrote to the VP of player development and said I wanted to get re-assigned. I guess I’m a really good customer though because he sat down with the VP of player development, and begged that I not get re-assigned to anyone even though I insisted I get re-assigned. The VP ended up making me stick with this host who I don’t like lol... it’s kind of funny that I have to work with him. It’s odd because I made my feelings know I don’t like him, but he didn’t care. So now I have this host who knows I don’t like him, but I’m stuck with him and this is at a nice property that is my favorite one in LV. It’s a little awkward, but as long as he does his job, I don’t care.

But it got me thinking if I should’ve tipped him?

 

I think you just gave every reason why you shouldn't. If you want to tip someone for doing a poor job, that's all you.

Though, I've not heard of a player being denied a new host before. Player Development and hosts try their best to keep players happy. But, then again, you've made it known you'll keep going back, so why should they make an effort to do anything out of the norm for your level?

 

Such a request can easily happen with CET if you are a player coded to a specific marketing pool -- especially if your dominant property is Caesars Palace.

@Naturaleight I peeked at some of your recent posts. If you are referring to your recent NYE week trip where you were staying in a suite in the Augustus tower at Caesars Palace, then I am actually closer to siding with your host -- though signs point to your host not being able to do as much for you as you expected due to corporate getting tighter with everything (so not entirely your host's fault). You were staying during the most expensive time of the year. Unfortunately, I was not closely tracking retail prices for your exact room leading up to your stay. If it was the suite that is just over 1000 square feet, then I could see that suite easily costing the casino at least $500 per night on average during the dates of your stay. I can't recall if you stayed 2, 3, or 4 nights. If you stayed 3 nights, that's $1500 of comp value you would have needed to earn. Another $2500 on top of that adds up to an estimated $4000 of comp value you would have needed to cover.

I also hope that it was your host who specifically told you your trip theo was about $12k. Even if they're counting your comp value as a razor-thin 25% of theo, your comp value would have still been $3k -- enough to at least cover the room and some of the other charges on your folio. If comp value is the VMB-standard estimate of 30% of theo, then I would estimate that you would have needed an ADT of at least $1600-1700 during the trip to cover the room. These numbers are just not adding up. If the theo is correct and the comp value is in the range of 25-35% of theo, either the room was way more expensive than I estimated (or you stayed more nights than I am estimating) or your host really has it in for you.

You mentioned having an independent host. You also mentioned playing a lot of dice and playing big on the tables. By chance, is your independent host a certain dice-focused host based in New Jersey? Even if my hunch is wrong, do you know if said unfriendly-to-your-play on-property hosts knows (or knows about) your independent host?