Table Games How To Tip Your Dealer

OK, wow, that is interesting. It's almost as if I'd rather always say 'dealer hand in' to ensure they actually get the money. But I have never tipped where the dealers did not say 'just place it here for us' (on the pass line). In other words, they WANT us to gamble for them. I think it makes it interesting for them and they know they can expand on that tip by gambling it. Every single time I have put down a bet they have told me to just place it on the pass line, even if its 1 or $3.

Another dumb question: What happens when you toss out a tip and you say 'Here's a little for the house'?
I have done this before, intending it to be for the dealers, but did it just go to the house? I cannot remember if the dealer told me to put it on the passline or not. I am pretty sure he did, and I put it there for the dealers, but does that simply go to the house? Can you tip the house? (not that I would ever want to).

 

I have to object here.

Also, I'm an economist and I'm more pro-market than pretty much anyone, so I HATE "communism" (I assume by that you mean "Marxism").

But dealer tip pooling isn't communistic and it isn't done in the interests of fairness per se.

Pooling of tips happens because of the Principal-Agent Problem.

Basically, you know how players tend to tip more when they win?

Since dealers are mostly paid with tips, this means that the dealer has a fiscal incentive to cheat, collaborate with players and subvert the game's rules to increase the player's winnings.

The dealer is the "agent" and the House is the "principal." Because dealers are paid with tips, the interests of individual dealers can conflict with those of the House.

By pooling tips, the individual incentive for a dealer to facilitate player cheating and/or to conspire against the House is lessened. This is one of the reasons that tip pooling exists.

A second reason for tip pooling, also related to the fact that winning payers tip more: player luck fluctuates. Sometimes players are lucky and sometimes players are unlucky. A dealer can provide great service and conversation even if a player is being slaughtered at the blackjack tables.

Why should a dealer be penalized for something they have no control over (the outcome of the game)?

There MIGHT be another reason for tip pooling; the fact that high-limit players tip more and thus dealers prefer dealing in high limit rooms. But this problem could be solved simply by rotating dealers through the high limit room, so tip pooling isn't the only solution.

Is tip pooling perfect? Of course not. It lessens individual incentive (as you quite correctly pointed out) to provide a good experience to players. But it DOES help ameliorate the Principal-Agent Problem and it also helps lessen the effects of bad player luck on dealers.

Tip pooling has nothing to do with Marxism.




Now, on to the topic at hand. My general tipping policy is simple; every hour I make a red-chip bet for the dealer (I'm a green-chip player), irrespective of the game's outcome. If I'm lucky, I am probably more likely to make a bet for the dealer more often.

For cocktail waitresses, I tip one dollar when she takes my order, and one dollar when the drink is delivered.

If the house comps me some cigars, the cigar hostess will also be tipped, typically two to five dollars depending.

If I'm drinking at a bar rather than gambling, I usually leave a $5 tip for the bartender (I typically drink multiple cocktails). If its a really good bar with nice bar snacks (like the Mandarin Oriental skybar) its a $10 tip, possibly greater.

 

Lay Odds For Dealer

Being that craps is the only game I play I will lay some odds for the delaer once one of my Dont pass or Dont come bets goes up on a number. I bet $5.00 to start out with so if my number is a 5 or 9 I'll put $3.00 down and say, "odds laid for the dealer". If the seven comes before the five or nine then the dealer will get the $3.00 tip plus an additional $2.00 on the win. If the number is a four or ten I'll lay $4.00 for the delaer and if it wins the dealer gets a $6.00 tip. The delaers tend to like the odds being laid for them. I also like to tip early in the game as it seems I get better service that way.

 

This suggests I should only tip when winning because the dealer has some power to make me win or lose so if I'm losing it's at least partially his fault. Good to know. I normally tip even when losing because I figured the cards are the cards but maybe not...

 

If you are a stiff the dealers may not give you any breaks but they can't really cause you to lose.

 

Dealers can do suttle things to either help you or hurt you particularly in blackjack. Many of them know the true count and body language plays a key role on the marginal hands of when you are holding a 12 or 16 on whether you should hit or stand. For instance if you are a "stiff" and you have 16 against say a dealer 7 and you know the true count is extremely high you would maybe choose to stand on your 16 as it may be a high probability bust for you. If you don't know the count but the dealer does and you are a stiff he/she will make a long pause when it comes your turn to take a card and if you initially decline they may often say things like are you sure? pause longer etc. to goat you into taking a card and busting. Even if they bust because the count is high they are happy they busted you because you are not toking them.

I think hurricanemikey could help us out more in this area but not sure he will devulge his secrets.

 

I doubt many of them know the true count. Most of them don't even know basic strategy. But even if they do know the count, their body launguage isn't going to change whether I hit or stand.

I tip for good service. Dealers that don't smile or interact with the players or thank me when I tip them, No tip for you! Dealers who are fun and/or have big boobs...I'm a good tipper.

 

Sonya, I was thinking the other day -- where the heck is Hurricane Mikey? I used to LIVE for his trip reports! He is one of the reasons I joined the board years ago.

 

Well I hope life is treating him well!

 

Hmmm... when I am at the bac tables. I tip the dealer $1 when he/she gives me a Natural 8/9 when my hand wins. On two cards I win a 7 and the other side gets a 6. I tip the dealer (depending on the table limit) $2 to $5 when I win an 8 or a 9 on the third card when the other side has a 7 or 8. At the end of my play for that shoe and I am up 3 or 4 units at a $100 table and my commissions is below $20 I tip $10.

 

This has been a great thread. I've been thinking of playing some craps on our next trip to Aliante Station and was wondering about ways to tip the dealers. If the table minimums are no more than $10, I was thinking about putting $1 on the pass line for the dealers along side my own pass line bet whenever I'm tossing the dice. Once a point is set, I would also put 2x odds behind the dealer pass line bet. Of course I'll bet 2x odds for my own pass line bet too.

Cruiser

 

That is a fine plan.
You can even do less than 2x odds for the dealers and it will still be appreciated. Remember: the one thing that dealers learn is that when ONE person starts tipping, others soon join in. That is why they will say thank you for that one dollar chip that you put down for them. They know others will hear them thanking you and others will start in putting down tips soon too.

 

I play craps once in a while and usually play quarters, with nickel pass line w/ 1 or 2 nickel odds bets for the dealers. The dealers I have spoken with prefer a pass line bet over a yo bet due to the fact they are getting better odds with a better chance of dropping the tokes.

Your proposed bets are the same ratio and the dealers will be appreciative for the tokes - especially at a locals casino which may not get the same pool of tokes as a strip casino.

 

Thanks for the replies FoolsGold and Viva Las Vegas. Another question - when I put down my passline bet and a smaller bet along side it, is it assumed I'm making a bet for the boys or do I have to announce it?

Cruiser

 

Oh they will instantly know, particularly if it is below table minimum.
If you have two red chips on the line directly in front of where you are standing, they assume that is YOUR bet and if they see even one white chip two inches beside it, they will know it is a bet for them. They are liable to thank you or to even say "Dealers are on the line". However, if you have the least desire to do so feel free to say Dealers are on the line yourself or Dealers are in the Field. And if you really want to do something that is "Fifty-Fifty" all you have to do is put down a stack of chips on some bet and say "Two Way". Two Way means YOU and the DEALERS equally.

IF you have two reds on the pass line (say its a minimum ten dollar table) and One White chip two inches beside it... and the shooter establishes a point, you would probably want to add an odds bet behind the two reds for yourself. IF and only if you also want to add an odds bet for the dealers, you need only position the chips and the dealers will know but if you care to you may also announce "Dealers have odds" or preferably "Dealers have shoes". Even if you say Dealers Have Shoes to your dealer, he will probably repeat it loud enough for the full table to hear it partly to encourage his fellow dealers but mainly to encourage the other players.

 

FoolsGold,

Thanks for the info! Looking forward to checking out the craps table besides our long hours at VP.

Cruiser

 

I play the hard ways for $1 sometimes, I will throw out a red chip, tell them hard ways press the # for the dealer.