suicyco maniac: F#%&@ing dealers

[the_friendly_dealer]

> Actually many pit critters are former
> dealers and they even help hustle tips for
> the dealers. Also, they know that counters
> are very tight tippers.

This is not quite true. The real truth lies in table games chain of promotion. You start as a dealer, then before you can be a floor supervisor you have to serve time as a dual rate dealer/floor, which means that you're working as a supervisor sometimes and a dealer others. Often you'll find a floor who's quite happy to promote tipping dealers, and that's because they're getting part of the tokes for the hours they deal.

Also, for all of you who just want to call them pit "critters", it may be useful to know the difference between them. You already know the dealers. Next up are the floor supervisors. You'll know them because almost every time a dealer has to make a call (i.e. checks play or black action) the floor is the one to OK it. Above the floor is the pit boss. He's the one in charge of the whole pit. The floor goes to him for rulings on anything out of the ordinary (ie dealer forgets that split A's only get 1 card and lets a guy hit one... the pit boss is the only one who can decide how that hand will be played). It's easy to tell the difference between a pit boss and a floor, because the floor will walk around between 4 BJ tables that he's in charge of, and the pit boss will stroll around the entire pit. The only other person in the pit is the pit clerk. This person should mean absolutely nothing to you. They're only there to input numbers (how much people are buying in for) into a computer so comps can be calculated. Most of the time, they don't even know how to play cards. They don't even work for table games, they're part of the cage department, so fear them not.
Knowing who's who will help you to figure out if you're being figured out. Know who your table's floor is, and if he watches a lot, no big deal. But if you find that soon the pit boss is also watching a lot, they're probably on to you. Good luck kiddies. I think I might write a book on this stuff.

[Moose]

>And just an aside, while I'm posting. Many times I've seen on here that players will hope the dealer pays them wrong, or at least admit they'll take a bad payout if they get it. Please don't do this.

TFD,

it never ceases to amaze me how much the counter relies on the dealer for longevity, yet thinks nothing about short-circuiting the dealer's longevity.

God help me if I'm gambling anytime I need the money so bad that I'm willing to cheat.

As for tipping, I certainly understand that tips are an integral part of your salary, and a key to surviving. In return, I'm sure that you understand that I cannot tip $1 per hand when my expected win is $25 per 100 rounds, and that if you expect a $5 tip when I have a big $100 bet out there that only has a 4% edge, I'd be better off not playing.

My goal is to tip about 5 to 7.5% of my hourly win rate, depending on how 'helpful' the dealer is to my cause. Generally that means 50 cent pieces after the mininum bet blackjacks and a buck after big bet ones, which probably works out to more than the casino is giving you.

Not only that, as part of my tipping strategy, I like to add "treating you like a human being" and "not blaming you for all my losses". I don't know how much dollar value those have, but if it makes your 45 minute shift fly by, that's got to be worth something, right?

Thanks for posting on these boards, your feedback is very valuable!

M.

[suicyco maniac]

In case you didn't notice I listed several ways to get a tip including make me laugh. I just hate it when I play one hand and the dealer thinks he deserves 25% of that hand or like you said when I haave a black out with a 1 or 2% edge and the dealer expects a red ya right like I'm going to do that. I do in fact tip usualy after a dealer moves the cut back for me or even if they just treat me good. With the ploppys tiping like mad (just the other day I saw a guy betting a quarter on two hands and tipping 3white on each hand giving up 6 bucks EVERY SINGLE ROUND)he would need a 12%edge just to break even not to mention the money he threw on the side bet I can not compete for a dealers affection with players as stuipid as that around. One last thing I gladly accept overpayment unless the floor is nearby then I make sure to tell the dealer so I look like a good guy. just the other day I accidently slipped a higher denomination chip in my beting stack and no one pointed out my error or refunded it when it lost so WHATS GOOD 4 THE GOOSE IS GOOD 4 THE GANDER!!!!!!!

> TFD,

> it never ceases to amaze me how much the
> counter relies on the dealer for longevity,
> yet thinks nothing about short-circuiting
> the dealer's longevity.

> God help me if I'm gambling anytime I need
> the money so bad that I'm willing to cheat.

> As for tipping, I certainly understand that
> tips are an integral part of your salary,
> and a key to surviving. In return, I'm sure
> that you understand that I cannot tip $1 per
> hand when my expected win is $25 per 100
> rounds, and that if you expect a $5 tip when
> I have a big $100 bet out there that only
> has a 4% edge, I'd be better off not
> playing.

> My goal is to tip about 5 to 7.5% of my
> hourly win rate, depending on how 'helpful'
> the dealer is to my cause. Generally that
> means 50 cent pieces after the mininum bet
> blackjacks and a buck after big bet ones,
> which probably works out to more than the
> casino is giving you.

> Not only that, as part of my tipping
> strategy, I like to add "treating you
> like a human being" and "not
> blaming you for all my losses". I don't
> know how much dollar value those have, but
> if it makes your 45 minute shift fly by,
> that's got to be worth something, right?

> Thanks for posting on these boards, your
> feedback is very valuable!

> M.

[the_friendly_dealer]

Thanks for the kind words and I hope I didn't sound like some tip hustling jerk in my post. I know as a player it's tough to tip if you're there actually mathematically squeaking out a win. It just takes too much away from it. We mostly live off Georges who are playing to lose anyway.
Since I started dealing, I've developed a tipping strategy of my own, since I wouldn't want to leave the dealers serving me out in the cold. Basically, I bring an extra $20 with me to spend on my "night out" and use it for tips, but only if I'm having a good time. I consider it spent money I would have used to see a movie or go out to eat or whatever in a similar manner. But since we're talking about the entertainment field here, I won't give it to a dealer who's not showing me a good time (winning or not). I have, in the past, moved to a new table after playing at one with a not-so-friendly dealer just to find one worth tipping. I would love to see the look on MY face if someone came to my table, played $20 hands until one lost, then gave me ALL the winnings as a tip. It was fun for me as a player to do that for a guy. Too bad the streak was only 2 hands.

[Moose]

I've been to the Horseshoe. I've taken cabs in Vegas. Believe me, I've looked into the belly of the beast, I know it quite well, and you are nothing of the sort.

The problems I've encountered have been because "being a good sport" plus "nominal amounts of tips" used to actually be appreciated. Now, tipping 50 cents on the occasional hand is apparently an insult to the majority of dealers I've come across.

Maybe that's why I love the Cortez and the Western so much. They actually seem to appreciate it, for some reason. Can't think why..

M.