When you play as much as I do, you have to deal with many different kinds of people: dealers, pit critters, waitresses, ploppies, fellow APs, etc...
There are good people and bad people in every one of those categories. I have enjoyed playing at tables where the dealers are genuinely friendly, and rooting for you to win. At other tables, dealers have been miserable, rude, and sometimes have even cheated me on purpose. I will happily tip the former a small percent of my EV (usually 2%), and will stiff the latter.
2% may seem very small. I make about $50 an hour. So this is only $1 per hour that I tip, on average. If I am losing, I usually don't tip. If I have a great session, I may tip $5 at the end. But usually I'll tip a dollar every once in a while for good service and good cards. $1 an hour is really all I can afford.
What pigrat doesn't realize is that it's hard to spare even the $1. It's not like I have mililons of dollars. In fact, I'm $100,000 in debt. I have car loans, student loans, credit card debt.
Since I play 1000 an hour a year, roughly, I toke about $1,000 a year. This $1,000 is money I could have kept to myself if I wanted. It would have bought me many nice things. But I don't mind giving it out to nice people.
What does bother me is that he money I give isn't being given to the nice dealers directly. Instead, dealers like pigrat get an equal share. Dealers who think that they are so important to the success of counters, and have an inflated sense of self-importance and entitlement. Dealers who are bitter and resentful of the success of others.
I will agree to tip 5% or even 20% of my winnings to dealers. But on one condition. Since dealers like pigrat think they are responsible for my good fortune, and deserve a cut, I must insist that they take responsiblity for my bad losses with them. If I am playing at your table, and lose big, then please compensate me for my losses, out of your own pocket (not the casinos). If I lose $5,000, then I think you should pay me maybe $500. Otherwise, you're just being very cold, just like I'm being cheap for stiffing you. After all, you're the one who gave me bad cards, right?
Perhaps I should get your phone number and arrange a secret meeting with you so that I can give you gifts. That way you won't tell on me, and I can count all day long at your table. That would be so much appreciated. If you can do me that huge favour, I could make mililons! Wow.
Not too long ago, I tipped a dealer $2 at the end of a session where I won several hundred dollars. Instead of thanking me, she demanded that I give her ALL my white chips. When I refused, she called me cheap. I complained to the supervisor, who had a "word" with her. Needless to say, she will never see another tip from me ... ever.
I doubt pigrat would be satisfied with a $1 or $2 tip, and he would rat me out like the pig he is. But, given the alternative of tipping him $30 an hour or being ratted on, I'd choose the latter any day.
