Service tips are nothing new. Here, in our Ultimate Guide to Casino Tipping. We genuinely believe good service deserves good tips.
Outside the casino, tipping at the end of a meal is the report card of how your server took care of you. Attentiveness and friendliness are critical factors in my book. Take a taxi, and tip at the end. Get help with your bags at the hotel, and tip at the end. I soon learned that tipping at the casino is a little different.
Tips are a service provider’s majority of their income. Tips, not their base wage, actually earn up to sixty-six percent. It is the same for casino employees.
Related Post – Casino Job Salaries – How Much Do Jobs at Casinos Pay?
Casino Tipping Takes a Different Approach
Approach tipping on the casino floor differently. Tip big with the first drink, whatever game you’re playing. Further smaller tips continue depending on the attentiveness, friendliness, and quality of drinks. Tipping bigger at the beginning of service tends to grease the service wheels.
Gambling Tips For the Recreational Gambler
Here are my suggestions for the recreational table game player based on personal experience and networking with other players:
- Greet the dealer, and ask how his/her day has been as you lay (not throw) your money on the table.
- When the pit boss comes over, address them the same way you give him/her your player’s card.
- Tip the dealer during play – better yet, play for the dealer. Put a smaller bet down with yours. Many dealers look forward to being part of the action. Now that you and the dealer are a team, notice a positive reaction and appreciation. If none, no more play for the dealer. However, I’m yet to see that. If they appreciate it, occasionally repeat, or more depending on your bankroll’s progress.
- Dealers at tables such as Pai Gow Poker may appreciate it. With such a slow game that doesn’t bring many tips their way, dealers may mainly take notice.
- Back to that pit boss – remember they were dealers once. When they see you tip or play for the dealers, pit bosses may bump up your bet-per-play rating. Tipping isn’t automatically included as part of your wager amount, but it could mean a bump to a higher denomination.
Table Game Tipping From the Ultimate Guide to Casino Tipping
Part of the dealer’s service responsibility is providing a reasonable time or efficient game run. I don’t tip “Debbie” or “Donald” Downers. But, if the dealer is professional and pleasant, it is appropriate to tip your dealer periodically regardless of whether you’re winning or losing. Besides, having the dealer on your side can certainly help. Many dealers will look out for your bets if you even place a bet for them, including them in the game. Here are more specific suggestions from the Ultimate Guide to Casino Tipping.
Tipping Specific Table Games
Blackjack – A good rule of thumb and proper tip etiquette is to tip the dealer about one chip worth five dollars during each session. A session is the time a dealer works the table before their replacement. Some blackjack players set aside as much as ten percent before starting gambling.
Craps – Again, like blackjack, it is custom to give the dealer a minimum of one chip worth five dollars during the session. The player can add a side bet to the ante for the dealer to be “in play.” Craps is a challenging game for dealers and takes a particular person to follow all the actions, especially on a busy table. A “two-way hard way” bet, even at a $1 denomination, is always appreciated, including the dealer. Dealers at the craps table will take care of you more if you forget a typical wager or forget to pick up a winner. That should weigh in on your tip considerations.
Poker – Tipping etiquette is much like blackjack and craps in that most players give their dealer a minimum of one chip worth five dollars during the session they deal. Then, depending on the amount you win, you can give the dealer an extra ten percent but do not tip more than twenty-five dollars.
Roulette – The tipping rules are pretty simple at the roulette table. Keep your tip around one chip worth five dollars for each session.
Tipping after a Jackpot – Ultimate Guide to Casino Tipping
You are not required to tip the staff employee who pays you your jackpot. On the other hand, they must follow a process before that moolah gets into your sweaty little hands. If you tip, only tip the person paying you – the others can divvy it. Here are some typical jackpot/tip amounts:
Typical Tips for Slot Jackpots
$1250 gets $10 or $5. Some will give $20 off the top.
$1000 gets $5 on hand pay, and that’s generous. Frankly, it shouldn’t even be a hand pay. I don’t tip at this amount.
$2000 gets $20 or $10
$4000 gets $40
$10,000 up to $20,000 gets $100
If you win more than $20,000, tip no more than 1 percent.
Final Thought
Tip ahead, be friendly, and good things will happen. Remember, the pandemic caused many employees to lose their patronage and jobs. So welcome them back with a shot in the arm – no pun intended – with a little extra generosity this month.
Binbin