I agree with others that standards of professionalism are a bit different in the poker room than they are in most other professions. People are looking to have a good time, and this lighthearted joke isn't meant to offend anyone. I think OP is more upset that he has heard the joke multiple times and that he lost a big pot and or folded the best hand.

As a side note a good joke to hit the dealer with is to toss them a $1 chip after raking a pot then look at them directly and ask in a serious voice, "You have change for a dollar?"

I would think that, after hearing the same lame response a few times, most people would think of something new to say, like what I say - "I'm going to need a moment."

But, instead, you listen to it one thousand times. And then you come here to tell us about it.

I thought you say time when another player is taking too long?

On a scale of 1 to 10, this is about a 1.2 on the unprofessional scale. If this bothers you then I don't know what to tell you.

Also find it kinda funny that some people ITT are complaining about dealers making bad jokes. If I got tipped for every terrible joke I heard for the 1000th time instead of every pot I push, I'd make about 10x as much as I do now.

You're using "time" wrong. "Time" is for when the player after you acts out of turn and you are letting the table and the dealer know that you haven't acted yet. I've heard players use it the way you describe several times and there's nothing wrong with it. Thanks for the heads up that you're going to take a minute but who cares about the joke. If it tilts you that much then say something to the dealer and I would expect him to appologize and stop. Why not just say "I need a minute" next time. I wish I could expect everyone to stop using the same lame jokes all day every day too.

"what would you do if it was on you?"
Player in the BB says "i'll raise it to $2 in the dark"
"i got 3 pair, I hear that beats 3 of a kind in canada"
"everyone likes to be straddled once in a while"
Guy that keeps rolling chips across the table "better get the square chips out"
"give me a hand please" and someone starts to clap
"that's a string call"


None of these are funny yet we hear them every day

calling time started out in California lowball games where you were rushed to play fast as the games were time games rather than raked.
so you had to call time or the whole table would start yelling at you to act.

No.

using "time" in this manner is mostly a cali thing, both from what i've heard myself at commerce and from what a bunch of people have told me. rarely hear it elsewhere

Not to beat that dead horse, but this is a giant overreaction. Also your analogy to your job is wrong, because the dealer made a joke about what was said not about the player. But whatever.

Also I use the phrase "time" as well. Usually its when my opponent catches me off guard with a move, usually a shove and I need a minute to re evaluate everything. I have never heard a dealer make a joke like this, but to be honest I wouldnt let it bother me in the slightest

CA here, but I don't think I've heard people call time any way other than, "Time."

I agree with venice10 that any corny jokes are a breach of etiquette, although I disagree to the degree I would pursue it.

I also disagree with the dealers who think that venice10 is bad for being unreasonable. He can do what he wants, include being unreasonable.

Most dealers have the good sense not to joke around when people are playing higher stakes or someone's on tilt. If your table is a Friday night drunken 1/2 donkfest, go ahead and make all the stupid jokes you want. If it's a CTR-worthy pot with the timecaller stuck an SAR ... shut the **** up.

Well said.

That's what I always figured too. "Time" means Time Out, pausing the action because one person folded out of turn and that always seems to lead to a chain reaction.

Ive never heard a dealer make that joke before. If I ever do, I'll likely find it to be hilarious.

calling time means-- that i know its on me and i need some time to act--.

It amazes me that some dealers don't know this. I've told this story before but at MD Live, action came around to me, I needed to think about it, so I said Time. Dealer got all offended and defensive, saying he wasn't rushing me, etc. He'd never heard of the use of the word time or how it was meant to be used.

I USED to not say anything - but then the dealer would get my attention - so I decided to say time to let him know I was awake, and got yelled at.

So now I just say, "On me? " like I didn't know, which lets the dealer know I'm aware.

From RRoP...

If only more dealers would RRRoP.

Never heard that joke, would laugh if I did

OP specifically said "bind" as in a dilemma; facing a difficult decision.

A long time ago I played in a donkament where this old guy took 30 seconds to a minute on every action-- including preflop in unraised pots. He did say TIME frim his big blind when the dealer started dragging in chips assuming the guy was checking his option.

Thankfully someone shoved a pot and he got his AA cracked by KK. He cursed the dealer and left.

Not sure what his problem was.

Saying "time" in this situation is ******ed.

I don't suppose you care to explain?

I've heard someone call for "time" on maybe 5 or 6 occasions in my entire poker playing life, and never heard the above joke once.

I believe you meant to say "Saying "time" in this situation is something I don't understand."

Incidentally, calling something "******ed" is something I don't understand. Especially in this case where a reading of this small thread would show that calling "time" is explicitly mentioned in RRoP, without needing to actually go read RRoP unless desired for confirmation.

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I agree. If no one after you has acted out of turn, then there is no need to say anything. If you feel the need to say something, "I need a minute" will do. "******ed" is a bit harsh, but yeah.

The rule says that you should say time when people start acting out of turn. He just said time because it was on him and people were waiting.