Good dealers, definitely.

Don’t forget the time they work but are not dealing cash. Dead spreads, brushing, tournaments, etc. all can cut into what dealer is really making.

Don't underestimate the value of earning say $30 an hour but only being taxed on $18-$22 an hour.

If they get paid time off that may also be paid at a much lower rate. I also know of a few part time dealers that have to find their own medical plan but I suppose a lot of people in all jobs have that issue.

In an 8 hour shift plan on 3-5 breaks. Maybe more if you're working mornings or early afternoon. Another 1 or 2 downs as a deadspread or host. And if you break a table 5 minutes into a down that's 25 more minutes of idle time.

I've only worked in rooms where all tips are counted and taxed. I suppose if you work in Vegas and pocket your tips that can be a nice bonus but it makes it harder to prove your income when you want to rent a nice apartment or apply for a home loan.

My time off is paid at minimum wage so it's a big bite out of my check when I go on vacation. My benefits are pretty mediocre and aren't cheap, but this is more room specific. Other casinos have offered more robust benefit plans (but were still pricey).

Hopefully a dealer will chime in here and correct me if I'm wrong, but...


unlike a waiter who might receive and pocket cash tips which could go unclaimed for tax purposes, the poker room dealer has his tips collected in a locked box. I don't think he even gets to count his own box. I think he gets his tips paid by paycheck so all of his tips are reported for tax purposes.

That is likely true for dealers who have locked tip boxes. There are rooms where dealers put tips into a shirt pocket. There are rooms where dealers carry their own trays and put tips in there. These types of rooms have the opportunity to work on tip compliance or similar.

I've worked in 2 rooms where we had locked tip boxes but were still on tip compliance. So that isn't a good indication.

Huh, cool. So when they were unlocked, was it all just given to you, or did the cage count it (for color up maybe)?

Supervisor has a key, we get it unlocked and there is a place in the back where we rack it up and bring it to the cage. In both rooms the boxes were clear, so I guess it's so the cameras can see what's going in.

In my current room we don't even have pockets so I'm not sure how else we'd store them during our shift. There's no documentation on how much we cash out, or even a requirement to actually cash the chips in. When I get a $2.50 chip I save it until I have another one so the cashier doesn't have to crack open a roll of quarters.

What is the point of locking the boxes then?

To keep sticky fingered dealers from getting into them when we're on break and the boxes are in the back, I guess. Also to extend the embarrassment when we accidentally drop an all in or missed blind button. Not that I have ever done that personally...

I've just discovered the secret to poker riches. I'm going to start tipping with the seat move token

What is standard here? Is it a certain percent of winnings? 5%?

Please use the tipping thread

https://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/2...hread-1045503/

I get the sentiment Crazy Duck, but that thread is 300 pages long almost entirely about the general concept of tipping and the rest cash game related. I think it's a good question here because I'd like to know. I play about 2 tournaments a year mostly because I don't like losing and even good tourny players lose 70% or more of the time.

The 2nd to last tourny I played we chopped I was in 2nd place (about $5 cashout in a $250 buyin). They asked me how much I wanted to tip and had no idea how that worked. I know dealers get a specific cut per down from the entry but not sure how much.

So if any tourny grinders out there without this devolving into the metaphysical aspects of tipping (in which case go to https://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/2...hread-1045503/) want to share, what is usual?

What is the standard tip amount, %, or formula to tip when you cash, win a live bird?

thanks mate

Problem is tipping way too controversial. It will become an argument. But honest answer is simply there is no answer. So do what you feel is right.

Strongly recommend anything more post in containment thread. You will get plenty of responses. You don’t need to read all the history.

I've used 3%.

flat percentages on tournament payouts are not smart. you can’t say “I’ll tip 5% no matter what” because the work involved doesn’t go up just because there is more money on the line. also some structures take money out for the dealers/floor anyway.

At my home casino I'd tip a good chunk. Wsop near zero.

Several years back played at a 9 table room in Sacramento. Surfer looking player tipped all of his winnings to the dealer over the course of his play. He started with a handful, no real structure and when he was done playing he just shoved all of his chips to the dealer.

Wut?

The truly player-ran mixed game is a dream that I've not gotten to partake in directly myself. A coworker of mine broke in @ WSOP years and years ago, and the 100/200 or 150/300 OE he dealt there was just like this but even better. The table captain handled paying the time charge & giving players their change. They all knew who action was on and how the pot would be split, the dealer just pitched cards and dropped a lot of redbirds.