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Tipping The Dealer
“Dealer’s In The Game” 

Another Way The Casino Shafts The Players 

Going to casinos is entertaining, and the employees are working in a service industry, relying on tips to help compensate their wages.  Dealers are very underpaid considering the work they do for the casino, and the conditions under which they must perform.  I have seen rude players intentionally blowing smoke in the dealer’s face, as well as heard them called almost every single name in the book (and we don’t mean the Bible).  Gambling, like sports, will make sane people crazy.  Every day normally calm people almost lose it in casinos.  Now to us, as spectators, it is comical.  For those poor dealers who have to put up with this stuff, oh my…they are stronger people than us.  I know Jr. would have jumped the table a few times were he a dealer.

The casinos hire dealers at a very meager wage, expecting the players to come good with the rest of the money that will make it attractive enough for the dealer to stick around.  We disagree with this, but hey, we don’t deal, nor do we own a casino.  So it is important to dealers to treat their customers well, so they tip more.  Most dealers do have the right attitude; they want you to win, for they know the more that players win, the more they are inclined to tip.  This is also fair.  When things are rough, and the cards are all going the house’s way, well…it does make it harder to tip while you are being pounded, although many good players of course still do.  They understand the dealer has no control over the outcome of play, unless they physically make a mistake. 

Some people are mighty friendly at the tables, and tip a bit too much.  Usually drunken players who are doing well.  All this is great, and I would never say “never tip”, but I must also tell it like it is.  Blackjack is a very “fine line” kind of game.  Tip yes, but don’t tip stupidly.  Of course what gets me the most is the guy who wins several $100, and follows it up with a whopping $0.50 tip.  I guess some people just have no class. 

A Good Time To Tip 

Some players wait until the end of their session to tip.  This is ok, but unfortunate for the dealer if the player just lost all his money.  A much better time is to tip as you play, by either just giving the dealer the tip or playing it.  A player can play a tip for the dealer by placing the tip beside their wager.  The dealer is now in this hand with you, and if you win, they win and of course you both lose together. 

The best times to make these tips are after a Blackjack, or a big win.  Even fifty cents at a time is better than never tipping a good dealer.  Most players don’t even think twice about giving a tip to the cocktail waitress who brings them a beer, but they forget about the dealer who is not making near as much.  That cocktail waitress is doing fine getting a fifty cent tip on every beer, delivering 60 beer in an hour.  The more you win, the more you should tip, within reason.

A great way to tip during play is to take two dollars and place one tip in the corner of the betting area, acting as a tip for the dealer, and place the other tip on your bet.  This is always my favorite.  So lets say I was betting $5.  I would bet $6 this hand, plus $1 as a tip for the dealer.  If I lose, I tried and the dealer will say “Thanks for trying”.  If I win, the dealer pays me $6, and himself $1, for a $2 dealer tip.  Since I won, I have $12 in chips in front of me.  I bet the $6 again, pulling back $5 and betting the $1 again.  Each time I win, the dealer is making a $2 tip, and when I lose, I only lose my 2 original dollars.  On countless occasions I have won over 5 hands in a row on a little hot streak, all the time keeping the dealer in.  Now that I won the dealer $10, I don’t have to tip near as much in the coming hands, and it only cost me $2.  The higher the stakes, the more fun the streak for the dealer, and they do appreciate it, trust me. 

Finally, remember that the dealer is your closest friend in the casino.  I have always found by treating the dealer fairly, they treat you well in return.  This might be something as simple as waiting to start play, after you go to the washroom.  It might also go as far as covering up your or their mistakes, in a way that benefits you.  When it happens for a $20 bet, all of a sudden all those smaller bets paid for themselves 10 fold.  Treat the dealer as you would want to be treated if you were dealing the cards.  It’s the old “Do unto others…” adage, folks.

Attention Blackjack Dealers: 

We Love Logic.

If a Player Wins More, or Plays Longer, They Have More Money or Time for Tipping.

You Get Asked More Than Anyone How To Play a Hand.

Send The Players Here 

www.playing21.com 

Thank You!