67, this is exactly how you need to respond to the dealers

I've also encountered this sort of targeting by many dealers who resent the winning pros for various reasons. (Maybe they used to be the recs/whales?) You gotta stand up for yourself so they don't think they can run all over you. I have gone to the floor a few times when I've been treated unfairly or verbally harassed and I do mention who the culprit was. (My favorite: in the men's room, dealers says "What are you doing in the men's room?")

It's a matter of self-respect IMO. It also probably impacts your bottom line, from the sounds of it, since dealers are basically telling players not to get involved with you and thereby trying to influence the action.

OP is not wrong about the dealers acting unprofessionally in his examples.

But I can't help but wonder if statements like this are contributing factors.

However none of us are there, so we have no clue regarding the social dynamics.

I would talk to the dealers privately and politely ask them to stop. If they don’t I’d stop tipping them.

If the dealer flipped over my cards I’d talk to floor.

To Dumbo that’s awful and he should be fired

I wonder if OP and I play at the same venue. Sounds like Michigan poker for sure.

At a casino I play at, I once witnessed a dealer who I consider rude and unprofessional complaining to two hardcore regs at the table that a customer made a complaint against him for playing favorites with regs. (I hope everyone sees the irony there.)

Same dealer talks sports with regs excessively, to the point of never saying "thank-you" for tips if he's in the middle of talking sports. He will, however, say thank-you if X reg he's talking sports with tips him.

It boggles my mind when I see dealers not say a word when they get tipped.

Surprised they have a job.
Every dealing job I've had, a verbal thank you and eye contact is required for each tip.

Yes, I noticed this too, I'd say about 1/2 the dealers say "thank you" when they get tipped. Which casino do you play at?

It sounds pretty bad. I've been playing a long time and I'm not sure if I've ever heard a dealer comment on a players play. The worst I can remember is the occasional eye-roll or shocked face at some complete nonsense like calling with an unwinnable hand or checking back the nuts on the river, and that's usually in line with what the rest of the table does when they see it.

Put me down as a vote for talking to the floor manager, and it's up to you if you want to name names. When I managed people and got complaints, usually I'd bring it up in the next team meeting. "Hey we've had some customers complain about XYZ behavior, so try to be aware of this and avoid it at all costs" just to make it a point of emphasis. If I knew who the offenders were I may bring it up privately as well. They'll probably respond better hearing it from their bosses than a customer. But at the end of the day there's not really a whole lot you can do other than that. If the floor managers and/or dealers don't really care and want to keep making unprofessional comments, you'll have to decide if it's worth it to keep playing that room. I wouldn't like it, but wouldn't leave a soft game for it. The tips might get a little lighter for the offending dealer.

Yeah, those dealers always get $1 from me no matter how big the pot. And no tip on blinds only pots EVER.

This dealer was way out-of-line - this type of behavior/commentary that creates uncomfortable and negative player experience is a fireable offense.

First step: speak to the floor - this should mostly end the problem at a good establishment. I don't see any reason to withhold the name.

2nd step: rebuke dealer at the table when he is ool during your hand after the hand finishes - comments like "you have no business commentating on player hands, please focus on dealing the cards" coupled with withholding tips

I know some people are uncomfortable with this, but it can be worth a shot.

3rd step: point out dealer's misbehavior to other players when the down finishes.


While speaking to dealer privately about minor incidents is an option in many situations, it does not seem appropiate here

I think I may know exactly what dealer you're talking about. If it's the one I'm thinking of, he's been talked to numerous times. Nothing ever happens.

I've heard him make this comment about a specific player a couple times. The player will get up from the table and the dealer says something like, "That guy's a tight [expletive]. I can't believe anyone pays him off." It's super awkward because he is berating both the player that left as well as others that play in big pots with him, which is usually the looser players.

For what it's worth, the dealer says it kind of under his breath, so I've wondered if it's an involuntary tick of sorts. Also the player I've heard him say it about has controlling his temper after a bad beat and tends to get very personal in his "feedback" to the dealer after the hand. Either way it's totally unprofessional and awkward for everyone else at the table.

Also as a side note, this dealer is a poker player and used to play "professionally" back in the early 2000's, so a lot of the old school regs and him have a history.

I have a sneaking suspicion who said #4 too. If it's who I'm thinking of, she has a weird thing against dealing to people who are racking up even though you can technically play 2 hands out of the rack before leaving at this casino. She has definitely skipped dealing to me even though I told her I wanted a hand when I was racking up. She's well known for her "I told you so" comments.

All of these are incredibly out of line, how you want to handle them is your choice.

If you can't talk to someone face to face when they're out of line then maybe live poker isn't the best option

Can't believe people are getting upset at a dealer who is trying to save them from the Curse of the Rack. Just sayin'.

Thank you very much for the responses everyone. I'm gonna talk to the head of the room whenever he's in next.

You probably do know the two dealers, but I will say that I did not recognize the guy who the dealer was complaining about, so he may just habitually do this.

Without personally knowing the OP, and not having the dealers side of the stories... I tend to infer the OP has a bit of a reputation as a nit at this casino, or isn't the best customer for some reason or two.

So, give that statement... In general I think you should reflect on your perceived persona, then proceed to either speak to management, or work on self...

It doesn't matter if he is the nittiness nit there ever was. If players are talking smack that's one thing, but the dealers should just do their job without talkingshit

Anyway point is op should learn to deal with people face to face instead of keeping his feelings built up and then spewing them online

Agree there is little that dealers should ever comment about any players. Nothing described by Op is amount those few items. As noted if players want needle or bait, that is one thing but dealers should stick to what is their biz and controlling the game.

I have yet to find many dealers whose issue is saying too little about the game.

Grunching a bit. But it seems like its becoming more a trend lately. I've been playing live for 10 years and I would say its def gotten worse.

Where I play there's a dealer who always wishes the all-in players good luck. To me this obviously terrible form cause it implies bad luck to the non-allin players. Straddling is pretty common and sometimes he says "no straddle". Both way out of line. Crazy part is that otherwise the dealer is pretty decent (fast, efficient etc). I don't really waste the energy on it. But yes unprofessionalism among dealers does seem to be on the rise. I don't even know what we should be doing if anything as players. Im pretty apathetic at this point. So many bigger problems than this in the poker room.

Since you're adamant about getting a response out of me - I have no problem talking to people face to face, just wanted to ask people who have prior experience with this issue what the best way to go about handling this is

Had a new player sit down last night at a casino I was not used to. He played nearly an orbit with his chips still in the rack and it was really bothering me. lol. Dealer did not say anything and since I was new here I did not want to bring it up.

I ended up getting up and using the restroom and when I noticed his chips was still in the rack when I was returning I stopped by the floor and asked the rules on racks on table. The floor then walks over and lets the dealer and player know he can not play from the rack.

No reason for it to bother me as much as it did but I cringed every time he pulled chips from the rack.

I know it is superstitions about the rack thing, but it bugs me and I make sure I never do it.

I'm not superstitious about it, but it would bug the hell out of me because of the potential arguments about what's in play.

Not sure but I find it very common for dealers to say good luck when sitting down to the table. Even the waitresses, cashier, and security in most places says good luck when dealing with customers. This could be a regional thing maybe.

For the straddle I myself will let players know if they normally straddle and they haven't yet and sitting near me. I like when players straddle even if I it takes my big blind sometimes as it normally implies the game is better. I admit I never straddle but I will pick a table with straddles over a table without any day.

I don't have a problem with generic "good lucks" from the staff. Wishing a player all-in good luck though is a pretty important distinction. Do you not see the difference?

You realize just being social? Also that when the dealer makes that comment the outcome between you and the all in player is already fixed? Both of these should tell you the comment has no meaning