Dealers Salary

I'm just curious. I go to Reno every weekend, and play at JANugget. In getting to know some of the dealers, I've asked how much they made and they told me they gross 50k a year.
Now, I've found out they DO have health benefits, so this means they're making $7.25 an hour.
So that means they're grossing 13920 per year on wage alone.
NOW, to get to 50k, they have to make 36080 per year in TIPS.
This equates out to 3006 per MONTH, which boils down to making $150 per SHIFT in tips.
I'm there during the BUSY times (fri/sat evening), and I'd say in a SHIFT the crap table (4 dealers remember) made $150 TOTAL.
I just can't figure out how they can possibly be making $150 in tips PER PERSON PER SHIFT.
OR, tell me they're lying...?

I would have guessed J.A.'s Nugget was less than $150 average, but that is still in range. I addressed daily tip averages in my Mar. 3, 2009 Ask the Wizard column.

Quote: TIMSPEED

I'm just curious. I go to Reno every weekend, and play at JANugget. In getting to know some of the dealers, I've asked how much they made and they told me they gross 50k a year.
Now, I've found out they DO have health benefits, so this means they're making $7.25 an hour.
So that means they're grossing 13920 per year on wage alone.
NOW, to get to 50k, they have to make 36080 per year in TIPS.
This equates out to 3006 per MONTH, which boils down to making $150 per SHIFT in tips.
I'm there during the BUSY times (fri/sat evening), and I'd say in a SHIFT the crap table (4 dealers remember) made $150 TOTAL.
I just can't figure out how they can possibly be making $150 in tips PER PERSON PER SHIFT.
OR, tell me they're lying...?

Craps tables are probably tougher because you have 4 dealers, but blackjack tables only have one, and 150+ (to make up for the craps) seems reasonable. Also, I assume you are playing at a more low limit craps table? Even a couple of big tippers a shift on a higher limit table can make a difference.

Every now and then there seem to be tip compilations but I'm told that one major source of such data also runs a school and a temp-service for dealers and is therefore suspected of being a bit on the high side.
Certainly such tip income fluctuates and depends on shift, hours-worked, etc.

Quote: TIMSPEED

Now, I've found out they DO have health benefits, so this means they're making $7.25 an hour.

I can't see the connection. Why does having health benefits mean minimum wage?

Quote: TIMSPEED

I'm just curious. I go to Reno every weekend, and play at JANugget. In getting to know some of the dealers, I've asked how much they made and they told me they gross 50k a year.
Now, I've found out they DO have health benefits, so this means they're making $7.25 an hour.
So that means they're grossing 13920 per year on wage alone.
NOW, to get to 50k, they have to make 36080 per year in TIPS.
This equates out to 3006 per MONTH, which boils down to making $150 per SHIFT in tips.
I'm there during the BUSY times (fri/sat evening), and I'd say in a SHIFT the crap table (4 dealers remember) made $150 TOTAL.
I just can't figure out how they can possibly be making $150 in tips PER PERSON PER SHIFT.
OR, tell me they're lying...?

When I was accepted to dealer school at Rivers in Pittsburgh they said they were going to target a toke rate of $20/hr. So farf my sources say they are closer to $15 but climbing and touching $20 on weekends. Add in $4.50 in base and you are at near $50K/yr.

Break it down, $20/hr is one $5 tip every 15 mins. Seven players at a full table with some turnover, it is easily doable.

You guys could be right. However, I've sat and watched on a saturday night, swing shift (5pm-1am), and kept a close eye on the tokes being "dropped" and I can almost say it wasn't more than $300...and there's only 1 crap table open on the weekends (SOMETIMES 2 tables, if it's a big event; both $5)
I guess the tips on BJ and Pai-Gow just make up for it...

Quote: weaselman

I can't see the connection. Why does having health benefits mean minimum wage?

Nevada has two min wages - one if they provide health benefits, one if they don't.

Quote: cclub79

Nevada has two min wages - one if they provide health benefits, one if they don't.

I see ... But why can't they still be making more than the minimum wage?

where I work we average about $960 a week.

I'm also curious about what dealers in Sydney make because dealers are not allowed to get a tip in Australia. And I'm applying to become a trainee dealer.