Quote:
Originally Posted by Stein
Today's tournament rake also includes a piece for staff. The Venetian for example takes $65 from a $600 tournament for the rake and another $30 for "staff." Dealers are included in this staff take. 400 entrants = $12,000 for staff. This is the very reason tournament players have been less inclined to tip after cashing.
It’s hard to know how much of the “staff” take goes to dealers. Way back in the day many venues called it “taking out a percentage for dealers”. Then they changed it to “staff” because it came to light that very little actually went to dealers in some of these events. I think if the venues made it clear how much actually went to dealers, this would be less of an issue.
Anyhow, I can’t speak as to whether the Venetian dealers make decent money in tournaments compared to cash. But the fact of the matter is the majority of dealers across the country make a lot less in tournaments. And that is simply because you cannot usually take enough money out of the prizepool in many buy-in levels to both pay the dealers a decent amount and also have an event anyone would want to play.
Of course, this all has nothing to do with the question of why it has become the norm for players to be responsible for the majority of dealers’ compensation. Sure there are good dealers and bad dealers, but it all sort of evens out in the end and nobody is exactly getting the sort of personal service one would expect to be part of a tipping paradigm. Basically making it so dealers (in all games) are beholden to player generosity is just a other way the casino industry takes advantage. Of course, they seem hell bent on getting rid of dealers altogether, so I don’t see that changing any time soon.