Tipping in a large casino MTT- USA (1 Viewer)

What’s your tip on a $8000 cash off $400 buyin

  • $20

    Votes: 10 24.4%
  • $100

    Votes: 24 58.5%
  • $400

    Votes: 6 14.6%
  • $1000

    Votes: 1 2.4%

  • Total voters
    41
  • Poll closed .

Frogzilla

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So, I’ve always been completely lost on what the appropriate tip amount is after cashing a casino tournament. Sorry if this poll has been up before, I don’t remember seeing one.

Here’s a hypothetical situation (and definitely not a situation I’ve been in yet). You play a large 2-day casino MTT, with a $400 buy-in. You run deep, and while you don’t win, you still cash big for $8,000.

How much do you tip when cashing out?
 
I’m dreading figuring out the tipping process when I go to America.

Wages are high in Australia, so tipping is pretty rare.

I’m going to struggle.
 
I’m dreading figuring out the tipping process when I go to America.

Wages are high in Australia, so tipping is pretty rare.

I’m going to struggle.

In a cash game, $1 per pot you drag is pretty standard. Some tip more on big pots but that's a personal choice. I personally don't tip more for big pots, but I will tip more for extremely competent dealers that keep the game moving and get more hands in.

In a tournament, it's a different thing because the casinos keep their % of the pot and often a portion is for dealers. Some tournaments will offer extra chips for a dealer tip and if they do that I'll often buy that. I've never won an $8,000 tournament prize but in smaller wins ($1,500), I think I tipped $20.
 
$1 per drink seems outrageous. Wouldn’t a bartender be making about 25-30 drinks per hour.

I wouldn’t even know who to tip in a tournament.

Cash games i will have no problem. We pay 10% rake in Perth, capped at $15. I’ve zero issue tipping when the rakes are super low.

I will feel the same about any service or product, that seems to be fairly priced.
 
$1 per drink seems outrageous. Wouldn’t a bartender be making about 25-30 drinks per hour.

I wouldn’t even know who to tip in a tournament.

Cash games i will have no problem. We pay 10% rake in Perth, capped at $15. I’ve zero issue tipping when the rakes are super low.

I will feel the same about any service or product, that seems to be fairly priced.

At the nice casinos the drinks will be free (at the poker table) and well worth the $1
 
At the nice casinos the drinks will be free (at the poker table) and well worth the $1
That’s true and I’d be happy to tip a couple of dollars in that instance.

It’s paying tips on top of a premium price that will potentially bug me.

I grew up in england and we tend to tip when service is good. I still to this day will mostly tip my hairdresser.

I’ve lived in Australia for over 10 years though. This is the land of no tipping, it’s rubbed off on me lol
 
But in seriousness - I'm an anti-tipper. I don't agree with society paying the wages of employees. Argue with me in the politics forum. I'll peel off a $100 and that's about it.

No arguments from me. I love it when traveling out of the country and you don’t have to mess with it. Lately, the prepopulated tip options on the little checkout ipads are popping up everywhere it seems. The fancy Arby’s knockoff by my work pops up with 15%, 20% or 25%...this is fast food, you order in line, you pick up your food, you clean up after. Sportsclips asks me $5, $7, or $9 after my $15 haircut. It’s bad. Uber was going so good with their no tip policy...looks like that’s gone now too. Ugh.

I wouldn’t even know who to tip in a tournament.
Whomever is giving you the payouts has a tip box usually, and will straight up ask you for a tip to go to the dealers. It’s kind of why I posted this thread, it’s obvious a tip is expected, and it’s just such an unusual situation trying to size the right amount. I think 1% is my personal amount going forward...it feels in line with the poll result above so that you all for that.
 
Just remember, servers at a restaurant (in america) only get paid about $3 an hour and limited if any benifits. This is outrageous to me but it is what it is. That is why in the US we tip at restaurants.

The drinks are free in 95% of the casinos so $1 is fine. What I do is tip $5 the first drink. Then $1 for everyone after. That way the server usually has a drink for me on their tray when they return for drink orders. (They usually come around every 1/2 hour) So I don't have to wait for them to come back. If the server knows what they are doing they will have a "heavey pour" for your drinks. (Some casinos a notorious for weak drinks. Not in Vegas but in other states) In this case I throw them $2 a drink.

As for tourneys, I will only tip when I'm in the top 3. (That is where most of the money is) Most casinos take out 3% of the total prize pool for the staff. So ask if it isn't stated some where. The tourney staff gets paid well (and gets benifits) so really no need to tip.
 
I don’t agree with the principle of the tipping system you guys have. I don’t fully understand it, but I’m sure the small guys like the servers aren’t the beneficiaries of the system, but I’m not going to be mr pink when I do go and I’ll play ball.

I’m happy when I see these threads, because the tipping protocols are confusing to me and I don’t want to get it wrong and offend people.
 
I don’t agree with the principle of the tipping system you guys have. I don’t fully understand it, but I’m sure the small guys like the servers aren’t the beneficiaries of the system, but I’m not going to be mr pink when I do go and I’ll play ball.

I’m happy when I see these threads, because the tipping protocols are confusing to me and I don’t want to get it wrong and offend people.


It kinda funked up they way we treat servers in the US. There is a push to fix it but it is going against "big money."

My wife comes from south america and still has a hard time knowing who and what to tip. She has been here for over 10 years. If you ask someone (other than an employee) they usually will help you out.
 
Ideology should not enter the equation. 3% is considered fair and is greatly appreciated. 4% or greater is being generous.
 
Ideology should not enter the equation. 3% is considered fair and is greatly appreciated. 4% or greater is being generous.
It's not a question of ideology, it's the knowledge of which companies are legally allowed to pay their staff less than minimum wage because there is an expectation that their income will be supplemented with tips.

For example:
- Uber started without allowing tips and plenty of people were happy driving for Uber. When tips were allowed in Uber, did the price go down?
- Tips are expected at curbside check-in, are those staff paid less than minimum wage?
- Some states do not allow businesses to pay their staff less than minimum wage, irrespective of whether they get income from tips. Which states are these?
- Seasonal workers don't have to be paid minimum wage (e.g. summer only amusement parks). Do we know if the worker is seasonal or not?

My problem is that I don't know the answer to any of the above so I don't know if I should tip or not! Is ignorance a good excuse to not tip or should we just tip on regardless? If you're a multi-millionaire, then perhaps a couple bucks here and there is no problem but if you've saved for a year to go to Vegas on vacation, every dollar may matter!
 
$1 per drink seems outrageous. Wouldn’t a bartender be making about 25-30 drinks per hour.

Last time I bartended, quite a few years ago, pay was only $2.01 per hour. On a Tuesday night, nobody's making 25-30 drinks per hour. And what's wrong with a bartender (usually a skilled, trained professional) making $25-30 per hour?
 
It's not a question of ideology, it's the knowledge of which companies are legally allowed to pay their staff less than minimum wage because there is an expectation that their income will be supplemented with tips.

For example:
- Uber started without allowing tips and plenty of people were happy driving for Uber. When tips were allowed in Uber, did the price go down?
- Tips are expected at curbside check-in, are those staff paid less than minimum wage?
- Some states do not allow businesses to pay their staff less than minimum wage, irrespective of whether they get income from tips. Which states are these?
- Seasonal workers don't have to be paid minimum wage (e.g. summer only amusement parks). Do we know if the worker is seasonal or not?

My problem is that I don't know the answer to any of the above so I don't know if I should tip or not! Is ignorance a good excuse to not tip or should we just tip on regardless? If you're a multi-millionaire, then perhaps a couple bucks here and there is no problem but if you've saved for a year to go to Vegas on vacation, every dollar may matter!

^^ All great points, although it was Craig's libertarian post that prompted my response:

But in seriousness - I'm an anti-tipper. I don't agree with society paying the wages of employees. Argue with me in the politics forum. I'll peel off a $100 and that's about it.

Service employees in the state of Maine are paid $5 an hour. Dealer's put in hundreds of hours during these events. To not appreciate the hand they play by tipping them 3% of the winnings is rude and isn't how we as members of the same community should conduct ourselves.
 
Service employees in the state of Maine are paid $5 an hour. Dealer's put in hundreds of hours during these events. To not appreciate the hand they play by tipping them 3% of the winnings is rude and isn't how we as members of the same community should conduct ourselves.

Dealers choose to work for the wage paid and understand tips are not guranteed. Casino management chooses to allow this model to exist when they could easily raise the take. Why should the moral obligation fall on players to tip when other parties have chosen the model? I’m not arguing against tipping but I am pointing out why I don’t see it as a moral obligation.

I also think there is plenty of room for different views and standards within the chipping community when it comes to things like this. Discussion is healthy.
 
- Some states do not allow businesses to pay their staff less than minimum wage, irrespective of whether they get income from tips. Which states are these?
All 50, sort of. At the federal level if tips do not exceed the federal minimum wage ($7.25/hr currently) then the employer must make up the difference. That's the law of the land. However many states have minimum wages higher than $7.25 and federal law doesn't (can't?) make the employer cover up to those states' minimum wage. The states can require them to do so, however.

I'm with @CraigT78 in that I think having to tip is shoddy. However I'm also well aware that if we could snap our fingers and outlaw tipping then prices of the underlying products and goods would rise to rise meet whatever the minimum wage is. Customers pay a business for its employees whether they do so directly or indirectly.

At the same time I know some part time tipped employees who would never want to work at a "service included" business. One lady in particular works part time as a server. She hustles and gives the guests a great experience by anticipating their needs and adjusting her approach to the dynamics of each table. She gladly volunteers for the slow shifts during the week, and unlike most fellow Millennials she doesn't ask to be cut at the first opportunity. She doesn't call off with BS excuses and generally does a good job. In turn, management lets her work every busy shift in the section she wants and she always gets choice assignments for large parties. Last year she averaged 25 hours a week and pulled down close to $50k. Not bad for a high school education and bubbling personality. No way in hell would she want to work somewhere for $8.25 or even $15 an hour earning the same as some mumbling schmuck who does just enough to not get fired.
 
To not appreciate the hand they play by tipping them 3% of the winnings is rude and isn't how we as members of the same community should conduct ourselves.
I could not disagree any more strongly. Dealers work hard. Casinos are huge and profitable. Pay your employees better. It's not "rude" to not give MY money to someone who should be compensated by their employer. I don't expect tips for my job, my employer pays me.
 
The tough part is how to go against tipping culture. If there was a sizeable restaurant population with a no-tip model, I would value that and patron those more frequently, but it’s so rare. I don’t know that I’ve ever been in one.

There was a resort in Cancun that was tip free and I would go back there, even if a bit pricier.

Uber used to be no tip and I would pick that over Lyft, for that reason.

However, I draw the line at refusing to participate in tips for strongly implied tip places (like a restaurant, or a poker table). In my opinion, the effects to the employer are negligible. I don’t think it’s right to deny the employee a tip
 
The tough part is how to go against tipping culture.
I don't. That's why I'd peel off $100. I was posting my ideology. I tip, but I hate it. One of my biggest cultural pet peeves in the US. Why we enable companies to be fitly rich, but pay dirt wages, on the back of the consumer, is beyond me.
 

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