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Handpay Tipping Etiquette?

Discussion in 'Casino Gaming' started by bignig135, Jan 10, 2016.

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  1. bignig135

    bignig135 Low-Roller

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    As Brits,we don't have such a widespread tipping culture as in the US, and we are still waiting for our first handpay, but on reading another thread, we learned a tip is expected if you win one. If you win $2000 for example, how much would a casino employee presume you should tip them?

    We fully appreciate that most employees in the service industry are on minimum wage and depend on tips for a living, but surely anyone who comes to pay you out is fairly senior and as such would be offended by being offered too little and obviously we would want to avoid embarrassment. We have read that some bar staff or croupiers can be very sarcastic if they don't get tipped sufficiently. Thanks for your help in advance.
     
  2. BreakEven

    BreakEven High-Roller

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  3. SH0CK

    SH0CK Stylin' and Profilin' Quasi Tech Admin

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    You will find they will not give you all large bills on a hand pay as a wink to you to encourage you tip them something. Tip what you want to tip them or don't tip the hand payer at all. There isn't a standard amount of percentage for this.
     
  4. shifter

    shifter Degenerate Gambler

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    I've had a few handpays and never tipped $1.

    I don't consider that a tippable situation even though I tip way above average elsewhere.

    Maybe if you get several HPs in one session and the attendant is working hard I would throw a $20.
     
  5. gpenguins67

    gpenguins67 High-Roller

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    I kinda agree with shifter. It really is one of those things that they really don't do all that much for you... they take your ID, fill out a form and get your money. But I guess its the same concept of cashing out at the cage. If i'm cashing out a decent amount I throw the cashier a few bucks. For a hand pay typically I throw them $20 or so for a HP that is just over the limit. When I hit the $5k at golden nugget in September, there were 2 attendants and I threw them $50 each. I see it more as a karma thing.... not really a requirement.
     
  6. sabre

    sabre Low-Roller

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    It isn't customary to tip on a handpay in the US. Many people do, because they like sharing their good fortune with strangers or something. But it isn't like tipping 15% at restaurants or tipping the cab driver.
     
  7. bigalbr

    bigalbr VIP Whale

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    Keep in mind that the person giving you a hand pay is not doing you a favor. They are completing paperwork to report the win to the Internal Revenue Service. I'm not sure what impact that has on you as a Brit, but it presents some possible headaches to an American come tax time. I suppose it may be reasonable to tip them for timely service, but it's tough to be as timely as a TITO ticket.
     
  8. Naturaleight

    Naturaleight MIA

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    I agree with Shifter above. A Handpay is not an expected tip, despite them (sometimes) throwing in $20's and $10's in your payout to encourage a tip. I play high stakes video poker (usually $200-500 a spin) so there are sessions where I get a ton of hand pays, and sometimes I'm still down. As a gesture of good will, I sometimes will tip if I'm winning, theyre working hard, getting the drink girl for me, and things are going well etc etc. But you shouldn't feel obligated to tip. It's really a discretionary thing, in every one of these situations.
     
  9. HollisTheCat

    HollisTheCat Low-Roller

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    My OH tips $50 in every hand pay, regardless of amount. I tip $20 on jackpots $1200-5000, (which hit often betting $50-500 a spin/push) $50 on jackpots $5000-$10k and $100 on jackpots over $10,000. I only tip the orginal attendant that comes and registers/confirms the win.

    Almost everywhere except for the High Limit salons in Wynn and Venetian will break your win down for the final hundred into $20s.

    On a winning session I always tip the dealer ag the tables on my color-up.

    Neither are required or looked upon as say cocktail service but its just the rhythm I have fallen into over the years and have no problem with doing so as yeah, karma and all jazz.
     
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2016
  10. Sonya

    Sonya Queen of VMB

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    Tip whenever and wherever you feel comfortable doing so. <-- That's my rule for tipping in Vegas. Doesn't work for everyone, but seems to cover most of it.

    I, personally, do not like the assumption that I'm going to tip on a handpay. I don't get that many of them, after all. ;) When I hit my first hand pay on a Deuces VP game in Tahoe, they came and broke down the last $100 into $20's, a $10, $5 and five $1s. They counted out my money and 3-4 people stood there for a minute and I thought, "Yay me!" and stuck it all in my pocket. I didn't even think anything about tipping for that.

    When I hit my Royal Flush at Sam's Town a few years later, I knew that a tip seemed expected. I tipped the slot attendant who had been there the whole time I was playing and who verified my win. I'm still not sure who those other people were. A suit and another attendant it looked like, but I just tipped the one, I believe $20 on my $1200 win.

    Although it hasn't happened yet, I typically play a lot of VP at the Bellagio Sports book bar. My favorite bartender there takes really good care of me and I always tip him well. If I were to hit a Royal there, I'm sure he'd get a much bigger piece, but did I mention that he ALWAYS takes very good care of my friends and I when we are there?

    I think the attendants on the floor are more used to being stiffed on that particular tip, as I've never seen one do much more than sigh or shrug and walk away. I haven't seen someone stiff the bartender when playing at the bar, so not sure what happens there. I know that at the bar, the bartenders seem to often give off the impression that they are comping you drinks as a personal favor and expect to be rewarded accordingly. They will be the ones to suggest you are playing too slow or not playing max coins and can't give you drinks, etc. I'm sure you could expect your drink service to slow if you hit at the bar and didn't share with your bartender. :wink2:
     
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2016
  11. johnvic

    johnvic VIP Whale

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    I've only had one hand pay, a royal for about $1000. I tipped $40 because it was my first, and only, royal and I was feeling extra good about it. This was at Wynn. If I ever get another royal I'll tip a $20 because I think $40 is over tipping. There was no paperwork involved just a standard hand pay.
     
  12. pbqltbook

    pbqltbook Tourist

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    Have had many hand-pays at Venetian outside the high limit room -- and never have I received anything other than hundreds.
     
  13. merlin

    merlin MIA

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    Keep in mind you dont have to tip at all on handpays, if you choose to on a 2k win, $20 would be fine, $40 would be generous.
     
  14. 3544quebec

    3544quebec High-Roller

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    As an Australian I'm already tipping 30% to the IRS on any handpay and in some states another 3-6% to the state government. On a handpay of $1500 I'll only see about $1000 of it. I'm better off winning $1100 than anything between $1200 and $1750 I feel that my one third contribution of any handpay to the US budget should provide sufficiently for the underpaid in the US employment system! If I was a Brit and got to keep every cent of my win I might be more amenable to donating something for good karma.
     
  15. BayouBengal

    BayouBengal VIP Whale

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    And even then it depends on the attendant. The gf got a $2k hand pay last trip, got paid all in big bills. Attendant didn't even ask if she'd like a mix.
     
  16. Auggie

    Auggie Dovahkiin

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    It only seems like everybody tips because its talked about so much, but the large majority of people don't tip on hand pays. As far as expected, I don't think it is expected either, but they are happy to get one and if given a choice they would rather have a tip than not have one.

    Giving them $5, $10 or $20 is good.
    There was an old tipping guide going around a few years ago that suggested a percentage of the win, but thats just a ridiculous idea.

    No, its not anybody senior.
    There are slot attendants going around the casino floor. They are there to break bills, help you find machines or casino/hotel facilities, explain the games, straighten chairs, reset machines, reload paper, etc. If you win a hand pay then one of the slot attendants will come over to pay you and who you get just happens to be whoever finds you first. When it comes time to actually put the cash in your hand then a second attendant will be present to witness the payment, but they are just another slot attendant and likely whoever the first one could find that was available.

    I've never seen this, but it could happen if you had a particularly large win or were a known High Roller and tipped really small.


    The important thing is: you need to tip who you want, when you want and for how much you want and not tip a certain amount or tip somebody just because somebody else did. You do want to consider if there could be ramifications to no tipping or tipping too much: IE: if you stiff the cocktail waitress when she brings your drink then you are less likely to see her the next time she is taking orders... but with hand pays somebody has to come pay you and you can keep in mind that after that trip you are probably never going to see them again and nor are they likely to remember you.
     
  17. 1BETSY1

    1BETSY1 Tourist

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    I think 20 would be appropriate for someone who service was to only come over and count you out your hand pay.
     
  18. DaiLun

    DaiLun R.C., L.C., and A.A.N.G.

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    At most casinos I play at, the slot tips are "pooled", so you're not tipping the individual, you're tipping the slot "team".

    As I've said before.

    For me, tipping a hand pay isn't about the service as much as it is about "paying it forward". If I hit a BIG handpay, (>$4000), I also make sure to give the cocktail waitress who's serving me an additional $5 or $10. If you traditionally tip ONLY the minimum at a restaurant, I can see how tipping for a handpay would go against your nature.
     
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