Tipping Inside Casinos (always an interesting subject).

What's your take on tipping, at the tables and for machine players?

I just play machines, and while I receive numerous hand pays each year and am constantly cashing in TITO's, I've reversed my tipping philosophy 100% 2 years ago after reading and seriously pondering what someone else in the gaming community had to say. Boy was I stupid for the previous 18 years! I used to tip a $4000 royal a hundred bucks, a $1000 royal $40, and always hand over a ten or a twenty to anybody who hand paid anything at the machine. On top of that, I always gave a five or ten or more to the cashier whenever they cashed out a ticket or in the old days, cashed out my bucket of coins. I must have given away several thousand of my own money to these people.

That all came to a screeching halt a little over 2 years ago. Since then, I've re-evaluated why I'm just handing this cash out so freely, and for what. I no longer tip for any hand pays, even when I hit a $5 royal (which has only been once unfortunately). I no longer tip the cashiers or any of the crew that appears out of nowhere when handpays occur. It no longer makes sense to, that's for sure. Why do these people deserve my money anyway? Were they ever going to hand me anything whenever I walked out a loser? All they're doing is their jobs, and if anyone says the usual rant about how they are poorly paid and they "rely on tips" then I say too bad, get a job you can live on. Their only service is paying me after risking my money and winning something, and I may or may not even be ahead at that point. Man have I been misled and intimidated for so many years. These days they pay me, I say thank you, and they walk away grumbling. Tough. I can use that money to buy groceries or medicine for my family.

Well, since I have such a hatred for slot machines, I'm never faced with giving tips to the machine or to the attendant. I do tip the cocktail waitress when I'm sitting with my companion who plays the slots. She has never had a hand pay, not ever.

I don't think you should over tip... but its a way of life in Vegas to tip. You give a tip for the free drink, the free valet parking, the free luggage service, the free this and the free that. You don't have to over tip though.

Its good sometimes when a valet guy is taking bags for one room and he has the initiative to step across the hallway and ask me if I want my bags attended to as well. He makes that trip back down the elevator anyway and he might as well earn a few bucks doing it. I was happy to tip him since he showed some initiative.

I tip waitresses even if they interrupt me when I'm shooting. I tip dealers even if I'm losing. Dealers have helped me and have reminded me of bets on the table that I've lost track of. Dealers usually earn their tips. Waitresses walk miles for them and probably are cold most of the time due to their skimpy outfits.

But tip a slot machine guy? Nah. I wouldn't. Others do, I understand, but I wouldn't.

Flea, I always tip for drinks, food, and parking too. But I've never left a tip for the housekeeping grunts.

A hundred bucks is ridiculous and depending on the size of the place they might get anywhere from 1-5 of these a day? If this number is correct, which there is a high probability that it isn't, I would expect (something) during a hand pay. Maybe $5-10 if you get paid in reds or a green if you're feeling generous. My mom was a waitress so I grew up with a very tip-friendly attitude, but in my opinion it would be nice if you handed over something.

Quote: JerryLogan

What's your take on tipping, at the tables and for machine players?
...I used to tip a $4000 royal a hundred bucks, a $1000 royal $40, and always hand over a ten or a twenty to anybody who hand paid anything at the machine. On top of that, I always gave a five or ten or more to the cashier whenever they cashed out a ticket or in the old days, cashed out my bucket of coins. I must have given away several thousand of my own money to these people. ...

Tough. I can use that money to buy groceries or medicine for my family.

My take is that you used to overtip and now if you are using tip money to buy "groceries or medicine" then you shouldn't be playing slot machines.

Never tip more than a few percentage points if you're winning. I'd tip on a long shot win or a cashout assuming I'm up. If I'm down, you're out of luck. Waitresses should be tipped. I'm starting to get in the mood that if the dealers are nasty and I'm up, I will not tip. Poor service should not warrant it. Never had a big handpay but I might toss them a small percentage point. Really depends on your mood I suppose.

I remember a pit of dealers making fun of players at a craps table. Instead of coloring up, I just walked with my chips. No tips. Insulting players I feel is a big "NO NO".

if a slot attendant helped me in someway such as showing me how the free slotplay worked or came by to fix a bill jammed in the machine or was just friendly asking how i was doing this evening, id probably tip them. if they just randomly show up after i hit a big payout and ive never seen them before, i see no reason to tip them.

Quote: JerryLogan

Flea, I always tip for drinks, food, and parking too. But I've never left a tip for the housekeeping grunts.

I never used to tip the housekeeping, but my wife flipped me on that. If you tip a few bucks each night, like $5, you get better service, the room gets cared for better. Not that it isn't cleaned anyhow, but there's more care.

You don't have to do it; like I said, I didn't do it for years. But now I think I get better value by tipping housekeeping.

Tipping the hand-pay stuff, eh. I have to agree with you. I got a $4k pay last year, my first big one, and I tipped $100. I've had a couple hand pays since, I tipped $20 and the attendant was happy. After seeing that, I know I tipped too much on the first one. But really, if it wasn't a local casino, and I have a medium profile in the community, I'd be grumbling about what value was added by standing there smiling with the hand out.

I've never tipped at the cash-out window. That's their job, IMO, changing my money and chips.

I hate tipping the handpay gal. Between that and the taxes, it's enough to put me off high-denomination slots for good. I recently hit a $4000 royal. I tipped the girl $10. Before I did, though, I asked her how many royals she sees per day. She said more than 10. You figure she gets tipped on each of those pays, probably generously. It just seems like such a sucker play to tip for doing absolutely nothing besides filling out some forms as required by law -- I don't tip the person who prepares my license form at the DMV, do I? Shame on these places for not paying the people an honest wage. Cocktail waitress is a different story.

I totally agree that dealers should not be tipped. They are just doing their job! Nobody tips me when I do my job. If they don't like their jobs they can try to apply elsewhere. And like it was stated before they don't help me out when I am on the losing end. Besides it's my money, my risk, not theirs.