2004-10-02 ~ 3:43 a.m.

BlackJack Tipping Strategy

I have had some incredible ideas lately for shows, books, and movies. If only I had the talent to make ANY of them come to fruition.

Oh, speaking of which..
Hollywood Day 13: Still nothing.

Someone asked me what is proper to tip a dealer. My husband, being the funny guy he is, says "If you're winning, half, if you're losing, then everything." And, though he sounds like a pompous ass, you wouldn't believe his toke boxes. (Tokes=another word for tips, now you're all sorts of hep.)

What To Tip: The general rule of thumb would be to bet for the dealer the next lower denomination of chips you're playing.

For example: If you're playing $5 chips, you would tip with dollar coins. If you are playing $25 chips, you would tip with $5s. HOWEVER, if you manage to find a $3 table somewhere, don't tip with halves...that's just mean. And I'll also say that it's rare that a $100 player will tip with $25s. Or if they do, they don't tip as often.

How To Tip:
There are two ways to toke the dealer. One way is to "play" it for them. You set the dollar in front of your bet, and if you win your hand, the dealer wins the bet. You lose, the dealer loses. I think it's the fair way to do it. You win, I win. This way is nice because, if you win, the dealer gets double what you set out.

Another way to tip the dealer is to just hand in a few bucks. Some people just like this way better. Sometimes superstition rules and it seems like everytime you set a bet out for the dealer, you lose your own bet. And, yeah, it's almost uncanny how often that happens. (But if you win 5 in a row, you're gonna have to expect to lose at least one, so, yeah, it would happen to be the time you put a bet out.) But, I'm not really one to look a gift horse in the mouth, unless the gift is actually a horse, so this way of tipping is fine.

When To Tip:
There are a few times that I look for a tip. If you have not tipped during these times, I've written you off as a jackass and have probably stopped talking to you.

After you get a blackjack. You get extra money, and that extra money most likely involves a $1 chip. Throw that bad boy out there, stick the rest on top.

When I play blackjack, and I get a blackjack payout that involves $2.50, I usually play $1 for the dealer the first time, then $1.50 the second time.

If you really like the dealer, you can put the $1 out, put the $1.50 on top, then if you win that one, they'll most likely give you $2 for the $1.50 and take the half piece, then you put $1 in front again, keep the other dollar on top, and keep doing that for as long as your run lasts. That way you're tipping the dollar every time and, in essence, it's not really costing you anything.

Some of you probably play $10 tables, so your blackjack would be $15. You're probably not likely to break up that $5. But, if you're also getting drinks from the cocktail waitress, then you may as well break up the $5 that way you have tip money for the cocktail waitress, then you can also put a dollar out for the dealer. (See? Thinking ahead.)

Maybe you're having one of those nights where you're just not getting blackjacks. Sure. It happens. But if you're winning, nothing is stopping you from breaking up one of your chips. (And, again, the cocktail waitress is probably coming around soon, and you don't want to stiff her. After all, she is bearer of the drink. Don't piss her off.)(By the way, etiquette on cocktail waitress tipping is generally a buck a drink, unless you're that Australian millionaire gambler, Packer, then it's $10,000 a drink.)

I have no problem with not tipping dealers who are jackasses. I've stopped tipping them too. I don't go to table games to be dealt to by a statue or an asshole. I completely agree with this line of thinking. But then, I know what the industry is like, so sometimes I poke and prod to see what the dealer's issue is. Sometimes, you just have a bad night, so I tip them a little. It usually gets them at least to start talking. But if they just complain, then I stop tipping. :)

Sometimes, you don't win. Sometimes the cards just run bad. If you lose $100 real fast, then, well, just pull out another $20 and let me kick you in the nads. I don't expect anyone who loses quickly to tip me.

Now, notice I said "anyone who loses QUICKLY."

Yeah, you don't know if you're going to lose until you decide to get up and walk from the table. And using that logic, some people don't want to tip until the end.

I mentioned a little in the entry a couple of days ago, but I'll go into a little more detail as to why that pisses me off....

If I'm dealing to you for three hours and I've seen not a dime, it's just really agitating. I assume I'm not getting anything. I'm sure you're a great person, but when it comes down to it, *I*'m not at the casino because I'm on vacation. *I*'m there to work, and therefore to make money. Yeah, I'm there to make sure you have a good time, but HELP ME HELP YOU!! yes?

People that decide to wait until the end often don't actually tip. You play, you have a good time, you've made $100. YAY!! You made $100 dollars!! So, you cash out your $100 that you invested and the $100 that you won!! So now you have 2 black chips... and...awww... oh no... you just have two black chips... you can't give a dealer your black chip.. Oh, sorry, dealer.. maybe next time.

Ok... let's say.. same scenario, but now you have $1 left over.... well.. $12... it's a $10 table... I KNOW!! I'll play the $10 and maybe I can turn it into ANOTHER $100!!!! Aww.. crap.. I lost.. Ok, dealer.. here's my leftover $1 that I'll give you for dealing to me for 2 hours. Thanks a bunch!

Does that make sense? If you work for someone for 2 hours, you just expect to make more than $1. (That just made me think of a whole bunch of really racist, underpaid remarks, so I won't say them, but I was thinking them... because they're making me laugh..) Ok, I'll give you one, I'm Vietnamese but I don't live in Vietnam, knowhatI'msayin? (C-otter, I'm not a painter either.)

Now... here's the part where I lose some people, and it sucks, and I'm sure one of you are going to bring it up, so I may as well get it out of the way now. Stick with me...

We pool our tokes. Most casinos do a 24 hour split, which means every dealer that worked during that 24 hours get an equal share of the tokes that we have brought in. So, no, that particular dollar that you give me won't actually go into my pocket, but in a series of counting and paperwork I will get it... kinda....

It SOUNDS unfair, but it is necessary. It's necessary because it's a 24 hour casino. Graveyard is the absolute slowest, but we need people to work that shift. It would be really difficult to get people to work that shift if they didn't get an equal share. It would be possible that they would die of starvation and have to live on the street. Sometimes they don't flip a card all night. Also, the Pai Gow and Baccarat games aren't high tipping games, but we need people to deal them. These people could deal to a full table all night and not make a dime. (Asians are fickle people.)

Another good reason to go with the 24 hours split is because sometimes I just have really bad nights. Sometimes I'm too hot (I mean, I'm always hot, hehe, but sometimes every hand I deal myself is 21,) so I don't make very much. And, also, sometimes, there's a guy somewhere tipping the dealers $1000 a hand.

So, the 24 hour split is a circle of life, hakuna matata type of thing.

So, your next question might be, why should YOU tip ME? I mean, if I'm just getting what other dealers are making, what's the incentive of YOU giving ME money, yes?

And, the simple answer is that it makes me feel good. Ya know? It makes the night go by faster. It makes me know that I, personally, am doing a good job. It tells me that you like me either because I'm funny or just because you're getting good cards. It's just a damn affirmation, OKAY??? Is that too much??? Don't you WANT me to be HAPPY????

When it comes down to it, if you're gambling anyway, is a couple of dollars going to kill you? I don't expect your wallet, but if you're having a good time, let me know. That's all.

I gave this tipping strategy specifically for blackjack. If nothing happens tomorrow, I'll tell you how to tip on the other games. :)

Also, if you have any questions on how to play a game, or any other Vegas questions, let me know.

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