tipping etiquette - sport book

Let's say I bet $200 on 15 NFL games this week against the spread, and I go 8-7, for a very small net win (~$40) relative to the outlay. When I go to back to the book, say, a few days later, I will be taking back in cash $3040...based on the amount of the cash changing hands, the book would probably want a decent tip, but a tip of any meaningful size would wipe out most of my 'winnings'... what is the protocol? Similarly, I could have gone 7-8 and actually made a loss, but still the nominal cash changing hands is a lot...would I give them all my tickets to show that I've made a small loss in that case?

I tip ticket writers the same as blackjack dealers.

$0

Tip them the same as they tip you. Without your action they wouldn't have a job.

I've had this dilemma at the window many times. You might bet $20,000 across a bunch of games, and end up losing $1000, for $19,000 in winning tickets. You go up to the window and get congratulated on your big score, but the writer doesn't know you are actually down. I always say "You should see all the losing tickets," but that usually gets a scoff as if to say "Yeah, I've heard that excuse before to not tip." When I don't tip I sometimes get the sarcastic "thanks a lot" as I leave.

My position is that it should be no more necessary to tip a ticket writer than a bank teller. If the writer is truly going above and beyond the call of duty, then it would be nice to tip. So, to answer your question, I say tip a big fat zero.

I'm a good tipper, both inside and outside of a casino. Don't feel obligated to tip them at all.

I know it's been a number of years since I was at a sports book.......but tips? Tipping a book? For what? What possible additional service might they supply in order to earn a tip? Geez...........unbelievable. Never tip.

And BTW, if they want to get upset with someone then they should direct it to their employers................or get another job.

The time to tip, if at all, would be on placing the bet, not on the winning. After all, that's how you tip the blackjack dealer.

If I was dropping 20k and had a complicated set of bets, I -might- tip $5-10. I assume you can't write a ticket for "the boys"? After all, that's the even more common way to tip.

I wouldn't tip on the winnings, as I wouldn't tip on winning a Royal on the VP machine. I don't tip winning poker pots either... I tip per half hour, regardless. Unless the dealer sucks then I don't tip. Tipping is for service, not for winning.

....and sorry if I veer off topic slightly but why, for example, do we need to tip a postman who is SUPPOSED to provide a particular service. One that I ALREADY pay for. What in the hell is this world coming to..............

Sorry. That kind of crap just sticks in my craw. Either these people need get their employers to pay them more, or they should get other jobs, which of course will end up forcing these employers to pay more.........

I tip ticket writers if I win. If I had placed a lot of bets but won only a small amount, I wouldn't tip and wouldn't worry if the writer felt stiffed. I also tip tellers at the race track...if I win.

The first time I wanted to bet on sports, the ticket writer was condescending and unhelpful. I walked away without making any bets. I didn't know how to bet, what the numbers meant, etc, etc. I know this can be related as my fault, as why should someone bet without knowing what they're doing, right?

My second attempt, I had done some research. I *kind of* understood what I was doing, but was still confused by the mass of numbers. However, this time, the ticket writer was friendly, and explained things to me, and helped me out. Because of this, what I would call, service, I tipped at the time I purchased the ticket.

If they want to make tips they should go work table games or put on a dress and high heels and be a cocktail waitress.

They are cashiers, pure and simple. No more need to tip them than the person who checks you in or a hand-pay clerk at the slots.