How to Give a Tip to a Dealer

Last Updated: July 24, 2019

When playing table games at a casino, it is courteous to offer the dealer a tip. Like restaurant servers, most dealers make most of their money from tips. There are a few widely-known, creative ways to offer your dealer a tip.

Steps

1
Just slide the dealer a chip and say "thanks". The dealer will then tap the chip and put it into a transparent tip box. The dealer will appreciate this, but it's not very exciting. In most games you can just slide the chip across the table to the dealer, but in craps you should toss the chip anywhere on the table and say "for the crew" or something to that effect.
2
Place a bet for the dealers. In craps, you make a small second bet next to whatever bet you're making and you say "for the dealers". In card games, you place a small chip in front of your own chip, facing toward the dealer.
- Craps: There are a few popular ways to get the "boys" (the house crew of either gender) in on the action by placing a bet for them. The way to give them the best odds is to bet exactly how a shrewd player bets for himself: on the pass line, with maximum odds played once the point is set. To do this, place a chip of lower value next to your pass line bet and say "dealer money". This dealer bet can be lower than the table minimum. Then, when the point is established, put a few chips behind the dealer's chip. If the shooter makes his point, the dealers win and get a nice little payout.
- Craps: Another traditional bet is the "two-way yo". ("Yo" is craps slang for 11). Throw two low-value chips on the table, say "two-way yo", and the dealer will place two yo bets: one for you and one for the dealers. A yo bet is a long shot at 18:1 odds, but it pays out at 15:1, so if you ever hit a yo for the dealers they will get a nice tip from you.
- Card games: In table games with cards, you can also make a wager for the dealer on the next hand. Simply place a low-value chip toward the dealer, in front of the spot where your own chip goes. If you win the hand, the dealer will pay both your bet and his bet and then tap his winnings into the tip box. If you lose, the house gets it all back.
- Roulette: The expected value playing Roulette is so awful that you should just give the tip to the dealer directly. Better yet, you should get up and play craps or blackjack. When played with a basic knowledge of proper wagers and decisions, craps and blackjack have about a 1% house edge. Roulette will always have at LEAST a 5-6% house edge on you.
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3
Know how much to tip. Traditionally, not very much. Most casino gamblers, especially at low limit tables, tip nothing at all. Most dealers will thank you earnestly for any tip. It's up to you. When playing for the house it is quite customary to use $1 or $2.50 chips, while you are playing with $5 or $10 or more. Don't be afraid to play for them with even only $1, that is quite common.
4
Tip whenever you feel generous. Some people like to throw a $1 bet for the house pretty frequently, some will play all night and then hand their dealer a more substantial tip at the end. It is much more customary to tip when winning than when losing.
5
Tip whoever you want. Most people who do tip at all tend to tip any dealer who is courteous and competent. A dealer who is fun to chat with, pays good attention to you, saves you from forgetting to place a bet, or helps you refresh your memory as to the optimal move to make in your situation is a good dealer. A dealer who does most or all of these things is a great dealer. Tip quite a bit more if your dealer is making your time more fun or saving me from committing errors in a fast-paced game. Of course, you are not obligated to tip anyone. If a dealer is rude or screws up placing your bet, that's bad news. If you have to call his pit boss over because he insists you waved "stay" when you were showing a 3 and a 4, he definitely does not get a tip!

Warnings

Don't forget to tip your drink server. $1 a drink is a good rule, although if the server somehow went to an extraordinary length to get your drink, more would be appropriate. Of course, you should also never forget to keep a relaxed drinking pace when you're gambling.

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There is a danger in waiting too long to tip: The dealer may switch, and by the time a new dealer taps in for him it is too late to tip the old one. So if you want to tip a good dealer, do it before he or she leaves. It helps to semi-regularly make very small wagers for the dealer as you play. That way all the dealers who deal for you get a tip.

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Don't put a dealer's tip money on a bad wager. Always look for the most mathematically favorable bet on the table to put your dealer's bet on. And always know the math of the games you play before you play them!

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