Counters don't tip

Local yokels

I'm good terms with my local store and yes I take care of some of the people and some dorks I ignore. In fact I don't even play at their table because it's them. Why? They give bad advice to the plops and slow the stinking game down. They are chatty cathies with anyone who wants to listen to their view on life. ugh! First don't make mistakes, be accurate in payoffs and please don't start trying to finagle tips off me. I'll tip according to the service like I do when I go out to eat. I may or may not like you but you may be a good dealer. If you are courteous and attentive and are not a snitch you probablly will draw a tip for services rendered. If you don't posess the above qualities here is your tip " Get into another line of work! ".
 
aslan said:
After a good session I usually tip modestly. It's for a lot of reasons. I don't feel compelled to, but dealer's salaries are cr*p, not that they didn't have a choice in jobs, and also, it makes one look less like an advantage player. I don't want the dealers talking among themselves that this one or that one is probably a card counter because he or she resents the lack of tipping. Also, like you say, if you go their frequently, it oils the wheels, and makes you a persona gratis. I like tables where I am on friendly terms with the dealers and the pit people. Everything seems to go better when the atmosphere is copacetic.
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Much of what was behind my saying to tip modestly at one's home casinos. Oil the wheels, keep it friendly with the dealers and pit people. Yes, it helps a players look like less of an AP sometimes, but the experienced dealers spot the counters easily. When dealers talk to each other about the players, the tips may be the difference in whether a player is in the "liked" category or the "hated" category. I've seen disliked counters 86'd, while bigger-money counters who are well-liked seemingly will never get barred.
 
You don't need to tip until the dealer is happy. You certainly don't need to tip a percentage or anything like that. But you do need to tip, or you're a greedy asshole. No way around it; if the dealers didn't receive tips, they'd be at $4-8 an hour. That's not fair if I'm making 10 times that (or more).

Same thing if you don't tip in a restaurant, or the pizza guy, or possibly your bartender. You don't have to tip a lot, or even to whatever contrived guideline there is, but you do need to tip something fair.

If you can't afford that, then you can't afford to play.
 
moo321 said:
But you do need to tip, or you're a greedy asshole. No way around it; if the dealers didn't receive tips, they'd be at $4-8 an hour.
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Steve Buscemi disagrees! He had a minimum wage job that society didn't think it should tip, but he survived just fine!


(Reservoir Dogs ftw....)
 
BrianCP said:
Steve Buscemi disagrees! He had a minimum wage job that society didn't think it should tip, but he survived just fine!


(Reservoir Dogs ftw....)
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Back when I was driving limos I drove Mr B and his wife a few times. $40 tip on top of the 20% built in to the bill every time.
 
I might tip a few $1 chips from the table game chip coupons I get in the mail. Usually I'll play them for the dealer at higher TC's. IME, playing them at higher TC's also helps mitigate the "checks play" sometimes (some won't call it if there's a toke, some barely say it, etc).

If the dealer is giving me better than normal pen, I sometimes offer the dealer the option of taking or playing the toke.
 
moo321 said:
You don't need to tip until the dealer is happy. You certainly don't need to tip a percentage or anything like that. But you do need to tip, or you're a greedy asshole. No way around it; if the dealers didn't receive tips, they'd be at $4-8 an hour. That's not fair if I'm making 10 times that (or more).

Same thing if you don't tip in a restaurant, or the pizza guy, or possibly your bartender. You don't have to tip a lot, or even to whatever contrived guideline there is, but you do need to tip something fair.

If you can't afford that, then you can't afford to play.
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First off I think calling players who don't tip, greedy assholes, offensive. I do not think you are qualified to judge anyone. I also think there is a huge difference between an AP in a casino, and a person in just about any other service industry situation. I am not in any way by nature a greedy person. On the contrary I am what most that know me would describe as a charitable person. I also tip very generously, in restaurant, bar, or similar situations where people are providing me a service. Even bad service gets a tip from me as I am not one to make a stand on such trivial matters. I don't sweat the small stuff. But in a casino I am there for one reason, to make money. I don't worry about the theoretical nonsense of what if all players stiffed the dealers they would be poor, because I deal in the reality of it. That will never happen. The casinos, as well as those working in them make money off the public because they cater to suckers and to vices. When the world has no suckers or people free of vices, then it may be time to worry about the casinos and their employees. But I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for that day. Now I'm not saying I never tip, I will as and if needed. But in no way will I ever equate a waiter or bartender serving me, with me working, thus never will I ever view the scenarios equal in tipping etiquette. Dealers will get tipped by the overwhelming majority of players, even those trying to play the advantage it seems. And let me make it perfectly clear, I do not think that those that tip dealers are all suckers. Not at all. The suckers are the ones that think their tips are what changes the "flow" or their luck. Everyone else is pretty much just adding to the price of their entertainment. Well for me, I am not entertained by this game. I pay my bills by this game. I have no love, hate, or compassion for the casino or those that deal my cards. I feel no obligation to tip in what equates to a hostile work environment, where they would kick me out if they get the chance even though I break no laws and behave as a gentleman.

By the way, ask the waiter or bartender, (sorry no pizza guy, I don't eat pizza)that serves me if they think I'm a greedy asshole, you just may get yours handed to you.
 
Automatic Monkey said:
Me too. Especially in the strip club.

In the casino it's hard to tip for pen, but you can tip for speed, and many PC's in the large store will take tipping into account in their subjective assessment of your rating.
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Dual rates especially like tippers.

According to Cellini, tipping is involved in backoff decisions at a lot of casinos.
 
Automatic Monkey said:
Me too. Especially in the strip club.

In the casino it's hard to tip for pen, but you can tip for speed, and many PC's in the large store will take tipping into account in their subjective assessment of your rating.
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This is interesting and I would like clarification please. You say you can tip for
speed but not pen. How does tipping for speed work? I mean, if the dealer doesn't know that is why you are tipping then it is only 'subliminal'. But if you actually say something like, " ah I like fast dealers" and then tip then it is clear what is happening. The same could be for pen. " ah I love where you put the cut card so we don't have to mess with so much shufflin" and then the tip. Would this be too dangerous of a tactic to get the behavior we desire? I simply tip those that I like and don't really say why, just hoping their behavior somehow 'grows' to the others.
 
gamblingghost said:
This is interesting and I would like clarification please. You say you can tip for
speed but not pen. How does tipping for speed work? I mean, if the dealer doesn't know that is why you are tipping then it is only 'subliminal'. But if you actually say something like, " ah I like fast dealers" and then tip then it is clear what is happening. The same could be for pen. " ah I love where you put the cut card so we don't have to mess with so much shufflin" and then the tip. Would this be too dangerous of a tactic to get the behavior we desire? I simply tip those that I like and don't really say why, just hoping their behavior somehow 'grows' to the others.
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Sometimes I throw a tip up and tell a dealer to go as fast as they can.
 
gamblingghost said:
Yes, when in a bar, casino, or strip joint one must maintain high morals!:eek:
But, if you're in a crack house you can skip the tip!
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Yes, moral concepts like sharing are frowned upon in a crack house, especially when it comes to needles. :grin:
 
moo321 said:
You don't need to tip until the dealer is happy. You certainly don't need to tip a percentage or anything like that. But you do need to tip, or you're a greedy asshole. No way around it; if the dealers didn't receive tips, they'd be at $4-8 an hour. That's not fair if I'm making 10 times that (or more).

Same thing if you don't tip in a restaurant, or the pizza guy, or possibly your bartender. You don't have to tip a lot, or even to whatever contrived guideline there is, but you do need to tip something fair.

If you can't afford that, then you can't afford to play.
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I think in Vegas they make around $5.50, or whatever is considered minimum wage there. But the other side of it is that Casinos can always pay them more.

Migrant workers make even less, but no one is tipping them. How many people leave tips at motels and hotels for the maid?

If everyone tips large, that creates downward pressure on wages. Conversely, if everyone is stingy with tips, that creates pressure on employers to provide higher wages.

The tipping system is archaic and appear to me to have its origin in the days of the very rich and very poor with little in between. Tipping really should be related to how much a person can afford to tip, more so than how great the service was. I can understand the predicament that waiters are in and personally view tipping as a part of the bill. But even there, last week I overheard a conversation between a food manager and a prospective waitress: He said he would guarantee her $150 a day if her tips fell short. So I like putting the pressure on employers to increase wages (although the food industry is the last place I would do it), and wish we never had a tipping system, sporadic and uneven as it is, in the first place.

Oh, one more thing. At my dry cleaners they have tip jars. My wife discovered that the management takes all the tips for itself and distributes none of it to their workers. I make a point of tipping the girls that work there directly and shunning the tip jars. I have thought of posting a sign on their window that states, "Management assumes all tips. No money goes to the workers. Please do not report this sign." :eek: It would probably only last a few hours, but it would be worth doing I think. :laugh:
 
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