Deciding whether or not to tip and how much to tip shouldn’t be the concern. The proper concern should be how much to tip, at least according to the customary practice in America. Knowing how to tip at a casino can make your experience more enjoyable.
Currently, only retail casinos in Massachusetts are legal. However, with the enactment of the Massachusetts sports betting bill, which includes online betting, legal casino gaming won’t be off the table for too much longer.
The world of casino tipping can be confusing. Massachusetts residents heading out for a night of live gaming at MGM Springfield, Encore Boston Harbor, or Plainridge Park Casino should be prepared to tip attendants, servers, bartenders, slot attendants, and dealers. Tipping, however, is not officially required.
Nearly all dealers pool area tokes
Most casino dealers receive a minimum wage or close to it, with the expectation that tips will make up the majority of their earnings. Taking tips into account, however, dealers can make a fairly decent living.
While tipping is not mandatory and remains at the discretion of each player, it is generally expected, especially for big winners. There’s an unspoken rule: better tips result in better service.
Encore Boston Harbor has the largest number of dealers, with over 185 table games. MGM Springfield comes next with 120 table games. Plainridge Park Casino offers electronic table games, which do not involve live dealers.
Encore Boston Harbor also features a 24-table poker room, and MGM Springfield has a 14-table poker room.
In dealer jargon, tips are referred to as “tokes.” The amount of tips that dealers receive from the pool is called the toke rate.
It’s also important to note that at most casinos, dealers are required to pool their tips. Pooling is when dealers combine all their tips and then divide the total amount evenly over a shift, a gaming day, or even a week. Poker dealers are sometimes not affected by pooling tips. This can vary from casino to casino.
Even though the amount you tip may not go directly into the dealer’s pocket, it still supports the entire crew.
The amount should you hint?
Tipping a blackjack dealer isn’t as straightforward as tipping waitstaff at a restaurant. There are two ways players can tip a blackjack dealer: giving them cash or making a bet on the dealer’s behalf.
Various industry experts suggest simply asking the dealer their preference. For those who prefer to tip with cash, there is no set amount. Some recommend tipping the dealer an hourly rate. Others suggest basing the tip on the amount you’re betting. For bets of $5 or $10, a few dollars is acceptable. A $5 tip is suitable for bets of $20 to $30, and so on.
For those who prefer to tip based on winnings, consider tipping 2% to 5%.
At the black jack table, ideal tips really are chips
At the blackjack table, tipping with cash is fine, but most people tip in cash. The dealer will convert the cash into chips. When tipping a dealer with bets, make sure to place the chip for the dealer outside of your playing circle. You can even let the dealer know before the hand that “I’m playing for you” with the tipped bet.
If it’s a winner, the dealer doubles their tip. If it’s not, they receive nothing. At most casinos, dealers will place their tips through a slot next to the table that goes into a lockbox after the hand.
Before leaving a table, don’t forget to color up. This means exchanging smaller denomination chips for larger ones. It makes it easier for the dealer to handle “change.” Additionally, you can tip any remaining smaller chips you have before leaving, or a larger amount, especially if you’ve won.
Should I in addition tip over a hand compensate jackpot?
One casino scenario that might appear less obvious in terms of tipping is hand-pay jackpots.
Winners who receive a payout exceeding what the machine can pay out at once, usually $1,200 in the US, receive their money from an attendant who also verifies the amount and processes the payment. Depending on the amount, multiple attendants may arrive to provide the winnings and handle any tax paperwork.
First, it’s important to note that if multiple people assist in completing the transaction, it’s acceptable to hand a single tip to one person and have them divide it. It’s also important to remember that, like any tipping situation, there’s no set amount to tip. The customary range nowadays is between 0.5% and 1%. As a reference, that’s a $5 or $10 tip for a $1,000 jackpot.
Another thing to keep in mind is that attendants may prefer larger bills for payment. Savvy players will want to come prepared with change for tipping situations like this by having $5 and $10 bills on hand.
Hold out: What about typically the cashiers?
Tipping rules for cashiers at “the cage” when cashing in chips after a visit can vary widely. Some say this is one place they don’t tip at a casino. Others believe that a few dollars, loose change, or even a small chip can go a long way, especially for returning customers.
To idea or not to be able to tip
Tipping in the US remains a controversial topic. Some say the practice originated from the European feudal system during the Middle Ages. Others point to post-Civil War employers using the practice to exploit formerly enslaved individuals by paying them little to nothing in hourly wages.
That being said, it’s important to remember that withholding tips only hurts those who are earning minimum wages at a casino. Knowing how to tip at a casino can make the experience more enjoyable for both them and for you.
Jules Walker has got written, modified and created words during five The state of michigan newspapers and even websites. She’ s done two activities desks, which include at The Oakland Press and the most recently on the Detroit Reports. Julie has got contributed to memories on lots of big activities moments, in the NFL’ nasiums 100th period to Very Bowls to be able to Justin Verlander’ s company to the concluding of the Building of Red Hills. Jules loves wetlands, bonfires, Dachshunds, coaching Minor League and even carrying onto her Dad’ nasiums fantasy basketball legacy he started in 1987 — just before there was the app regarding.
