Do You Tip When You Play Live Poker?

RidersFan

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I play 1/2 and 2/5 mostly 1/2 thou. Ive seen player not tip at all but the majority of the players tip $1 to $2 regardless of the size of the pot.

I always tip well dealers don't make enough for what the do. The size of tip varies form pot to pot but generally if I win a $40 pot I'll tip around $4-$6. $300 pots tip is around $15 to $23. I like tipping well, people sometimes ask why I tip so much and my answer is always the same, when I win in the game i don't care how much I've tipped,like if I have a profit of $700 I probably had $717 - $738 and tipped out so I had an even $700,so in the game I probably tipped somewhere between $100-$175 (I also tip down to nearest $50 when I leave a game, I just like to cash out $100 and $50 dollar bills). If I lose in game tipping big mitigates loses, would rather the extra tip money go to the dealers than lose it to other players. I guess I don't always say the same thing, I do say "I'm buying luck" a lot. I also sometimes tip out the cage instead of the dealers, If I've won a lot of big pots and because no one tips the cage.
 
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DougPkrMonsta

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I don't tip anywhere near this much but I play live low stakes limit games mostly. I think a couple of dollars for pots you win is standard, even at the biggest stakes. Also I do try to tip 10 percent on any promo or bad beat winnings.

All very subjective really - if you can afford to tip more than others go for it... I personally am more likely to tip above average dealers better, since there are so many poor dealers just going through the motions and making mistake after mistake.

Good luck to you!
 
S

subsinind

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I always tip well dealers don't make enough for what the do. The size of tip varies form pot to pot but generally if I win a $40 pot I'll tip around $4-$6. $300 pots tip is around $15 to $23.


Nothing wrong with what you tip because it depends on person to person. I used to tip well before but now just 1-3 bucks depending on the pot.

The thing I see is :
They deal about 25 hands in a hour. Whether you or someone is always a winner each hand. If they make a minimum of 2 bucks a hand, 25 hands * 2 bucks = 50 bucks + their 5 bucks hourly rate = 55/hour.

This is just for sitting there, talking and dealing. A server cannot make more than 12 bucks/hour.

Even middle level programmers don't make more than 50/hour. Its an awesome job. If players tip 5+ bucks every hand, the dealers might well make 130+/hour. This is ridiculous. No amount of work has that much pay rate for what they do.

Some dealers are good but others just gossip and cheat. I just sitout when such dealers come to my table.
 
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nittany182

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I figured 30 hands an hour $1/hand in enough, unless it is a big pot then $2.

Between the $5/hand house rake and leader board $1-2/hand rake, how much money do you want to give away?
 
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SweatPea

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I'm pretty frugal with my tips but yeah i do tip just not much..
 
Lerts

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When im playing live and im up quite a considerable amount i do tip the dealer. Just think its good etiquette.However when im on a bad run and seem to be struggling in a live session i wont normally tip.
 
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BreakTheBeard

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I tip but definitely not that much. There's really no rhyme or reason to how much or what I tip. If I'm losing I tip much less that I do if I were winning. I know it's not the dealer's fault, but I need that money back.
 
U

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What about tipping at the end of the session? It seems like that would be a more appropriate time to tip. I don't tip a waitress after he/she brings my drinks then tip after he/she brings my appetizers, then tip after he/she brings my food, etc.

I'm guessing tipping at each hand comes from superstition--that if you are nice to the poker god and his minion the dealer, you'll get more good hands.

I agree that they probably don't make much and have no problems tipping but why should you tip every hand? You'd feel pretty stupid if you've been tipping a dealer each hand you win and they later make a mistake that costs you $. Tipping should be an indicator of how well the person is doing their job, not based on your winnings. (Although we all would feel generous if we left a table after winning big.)
 
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E

earthling11

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Tip Allways tip

Its good "ju Ju.
geting in good with the dealer won't help ou get better cards!


But when you win, it feels better. ! tip your bartenders too, drink strong@!!:p
 
firstcrack

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Interesting topic given that I am headed to Reno for a few days next month.
 
sSAINTSs

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Cheap

If you don't tip, you look cheap. I always tip 10%.
:)
 
Four Dogs

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A dealer should be able to expect to average a buck a hand at $1/$2 that's it. Not 5% or 10% or any % for that matter. You, as a serious recreational player have the right to be able to play a beatable game and it's hard a enough as it is with $5 being taken out of almost every pot for the rake and bad beat jackpots without adding another 10% on top.

Now for those of you who think a dealer should be able to make $30-$50/hr consider this.
•The faster they deal, the more they make.
•They are also getting paid an hourly rate on top of their tips, small as it may be.
• They rotate out every 1/2 hour so yes they might only make a $1/hand at $1/$2 but more (alot more sometimes) at the higher limits.

Don't be cheap but its not your job to insure that the dealers make a living wage. Here's how I manage tipping at $1/$2.
$1/hand unless there's no flop.
$2 for $100+ pots and $5 for huge pots where I suck out.

I apologise if this formatting is a little off. I'm typing this out with my thumbs on my smartphone.
 
andreigabor

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I really like to give tips to the dealers because when i was younger i was working in a casino and i know how hard it is to work with nervous customers :D
 
detroitjunkie

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What about tipping at the end of the session? It seems like that would be a more appropriate time to tip. I don't tip a waitress after he/she brings my drinks then tip after he/she brings my appetizers, then tip after he/she brings my food, etc.

I'm guessing tipping at each hand comes from superstition--that if you are nice to the poker god and his minion the dealer, you'll get more good hands.

I agree that they probably don't make much and have no problems tipping but why should you tip every hand? You'd feel pretty stupid if you've been tipping a dealer each hand you win and they later make a mistake that costs you $. Tipping should be an indicator of how well the person is doing their job, not based on your winnings. (Although we all would feel generous if we left a table after winning big.)
By the time your session is over you could have had many dealers deal to you...why should the last one get the tip and not the others.

If at the dealer push you tip each dealer accordingly that is fine.
 
leshausa03

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I don't think tips help "buy success" )
 
CullinanPoker

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I play 1/2 and 2/5 mostly 1/2 thou. Ive seen player not tip at all but the majority of the players tip $1 to $2 regardless of the size of the pot.

I always tip well dealers don't make enough for what the do. The size of tip varies form pot to pot but generally if I win a $40 pot I'll tip around $4-$6. $300 pots tip is around $15 to $23. I like tipping well, people sometimes ask why I tip so much and my answer is always the same, when I win in the game i don't care how much I've tipped,like if I have a profit of $700 I probably had $717 - $738 and tipped out so I had an even $700,so in the game I probably tipped somewhere between $100-$175 (I also tip down to nearest $50 when I leave a game, I just like to cash out $100 and $50 dollar bills). If I lose in game tipping big mitigates loses, would rather the extra tip money go to the dealers than lose it to other players. I guess I don't always say the same thing, I do say "I'm buying luck" a lot. I also sometimes tip out the cage instead of the dealers, If I've won a lot of big pots and because no one tips the cage.

I feel thats far too generous, but nice of you none the less. Im like most $1 on most pots $2 if its a monster. Dealers get paid good money and make out well in tips.
 
L

lizz

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i don;t like to tip... the dealer has his part from the % taken from each pot.. so..
 
Pauliefromgoodfellas

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I play 1/2 and 2/5 mostly 1/2 thou. Ive seen player not tip at all but the majority of the players tip $1 to $2 regardless of the size of the pot.

I always tip well dealers don't make enough for what the do. The size of tip varies form pot to pot but generally if I win a $40 pot I'll tip around $4-$6. $300 pots tip is around $15 to $23. I like tipping well, people sometimes ask why I tip so much and my answer is always the same, when I win in the game i don't care how much I've tipped,like if I have a profit of $700 I probably had $717 - $738 and tipped out so I had an even $700,so in the game I probably tipped somewhere between $100-$175 (I also tip down to nearest $50 when I leave a game, I just like to cash out $100 and $50 dollar bills). If I lose in game tipping big mitigates loses, would rather the extra tip money go to the dealers than lose it to other players. I guess I don't always say the same thing, I do say "I'm buying luck" a lot. I also sometimes tip out the cage instead of the dealers, If I've won a lot of big pots and because no one tips the cage.
A couple dollars a hand is standard. I'll toss them a fiver if I doubled up.
 
J

Jeremy Laninger

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I don't tip every time I win but usually every 3 wins I will tip. Unless I hit a huge pot and it big win. Then I will tip 5 dollars.
 
smerald

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It's interesting how different everyone views tipping dealers in this chat and something I've wondered about also. I usually just tip 1$ for some medium pots, and 1-5$ on huge pots depending on the dealer so I am more on the frugal side of the people here.
 
C

colbear

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If I'm at 1/2 table I usually tip $2 or $5 on larger pots If in at 2/5 I usually tip $5 or $20 on larger pots
 
elitenuts

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Seems like a strange question - Not tipping (in any appropriate situation) is a sign of true ignorance - People in the service industry count on these tips for a living and if you can afford to play cards you have absolutely no excuse -

Like David Negreanu said, as poker players, we have a responsibility to give back where we can and this starts at the table -

I will admit though after playing a lot of tournament poker it may take me a few hands to remember - there have been many times that I have tipped more than I have won and even after a losing session -

Karma is a bitch
 
Doubledunk

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usually if i win a hand in 1/2 , i tip $1
 
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