Chips don't seem like real money. Julius 'Big Julie' Weintraub - a Vegas legend who popularized gambling junkets from the East Coast to Sin City in the '60s and '70s - said it best about casino. Easy Vegas in the News. Gaming Affiliates Guide, Sep 28, 2016; Radio Interviews. WCAP 980, Eagle Radio 1100, Sicilian Corner, interview about slot machines. (Mar 18, 2016) Gambling with an Edge, hosted by Bob Dancer & Richard Munchkin (July 28, 2015); WOGL, 98.1fm, Philadelphia PA, Morning Show, about the new Sugar House Casino. Don't bet money you can't afford to lose. Set a limit on your losses for both a table sitting and the duration of your trip. In other words apply good money management. I would propose dividing your total stake by the number of sittings you estimate to have over the course of your stay. If you're doing well and winning money, you should throw the dealer a tip between $1-5 once in a while. It's entirely up to you whether you tip during the action or when you leave the table. If you tip when you leave the table, you should tip between 2 percent to 5 percent of your winnings. If you're on a losing streak, you can tip less often. Five Interesting Facts About Las Vegas. Las Vegas was built to serve GIs passing through the Nevada desert. It was founded as a city in 1905, and gambling was legalized in 1931. The first Las Vegas casino was the Pair-O-Dice Club. Frank Detra and his wife built it in 1931. It was also a popular nightclub. The first casino on the Las Vegas.
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One of my favorite movie scenes is the scene where Mr. Pink talks about how he’s not going to tip the waitress. It’s in the movie Reservoir Dogs. The moral of that part of the story is that even thugs and criminals usually have enough class to tip a waitress.
A blackjack dealer isn’t a waitress, but Las Vegas is a place where most employees—including the blackjack dealer—make their living from the tips they get from gamblers. And this is true of both the dealers in the low rent places who are dealing $5/hand blackjack and the dealers in the high dollar casinos dealing the $100/hand blackjack games.
In fact, almost everyone in Vegas makes their living off tips, not just the blackjack dealers. Be a class act. Tip your blackjack dealer. This post explains how to tip a blackjack dealer, but I also have some tips about how to tip other casino personnel, too. And if you want to learn more about casino etiquette check our guide.
Why Would You Tip Anyone for Anything?
Tipping is (theoretically) optional, but I recommend everyone to tip no matter what. Even if you get bad service, tip. If it’s really bad service, complain to the management, but tip. After all, two wrongs don’t make a right.
Think about the economics behind tipping for a minute, too. Federal minimum wage is already a criminally low $7.25 per hour, but employees who make tips often only make $2.13 per hour plus tips. In other words, if a minimum wage employee worked 40 hours and didn’t get tips, he’d only make $85.20 for an entire week’s worth of full-time work.
Immanuel Kant, the great philosopher, once explained that when you’re deciding what you should do, consider whether it would be the right thing to do if everyone did it. I’m paraphrasing terribly, here, I know. But if everyone skipped tipping these employees, they’d all be poverty-stricken.
What’s the point of a tip? Michael Bluejay, a writer I admire, explains that you’re not tipping to ensure good service. You’re tipping to avoid bad service.
And if you’re planning on patronizing a place for any length of time, preventing bad service is something that should be on your mind. Imagine playing slots and not getting any free drinks from the cocktail waitress because you didn’t tip her. What a drag that would be.
How Much Should You Tip Your Blackjack Dealer?
It doesn’t matter how low the stakes are, if you’re gambling in a casino, you should tip your dealer about $5/hour minimum. You can do this in any number of ways, but $5 is the floor, not the ceiling. In fact, if you’re playing for higher stakes, you can (and should) tip more.
And tipping isn’t something you should do only if you’re winning. I’ve seen gamblers who do that, but that’s a low-class approach to tipping. At the same time, just because you’re getting lucky and winning a lot, it doesn’t mean that you need to give the dealer outrageous tips.
Why You Should Tip Dealers Even if They’re Doing a Bad Job
Most casinos require their employees to pool their tips during their shift. If you’re not tipping a dealer because he’s rude, you’re punishing all the casino employees working that shift. Instead of declining to tip, complain to casino management about the dealer’s rudeness.
How to Tip a Blackjack Dealer in Real Life
When you’re tipping a blackjack dealer, or any other casino game dealer, it’s customary to tip using casino chips rather than cash. You can tip a blackjack dealer in one of two ways.
One easy way to tip the dealer is just to push a chip toward the dealer and say, “This is for you.” But it’s more fun to place a bet for the dealer. That way they’re rooting for you to win, too.
You can explain to the dealer that you want to place a bet for them, and they’ll tell you where to put the chip. I’ll tell you now, but if you forget, just ask. You place the bet for the dealer next to your bet. If you win, the dealer wins, too.
You can also tip dealers at other table games, too, especially at the craps and roulette tables. Tell the employees what you want to do, and they’ll explain the correct etiquette for you.
What About Other Casino Employees? How Much and How Do I Tip Them?
Golden dragon mobile game. I’m a big believer in generously tipping the cocktail waitresses, and I have two reasons for this:
- The first is that I like to keep the drinks coming while I’m playing. If you’re not tipping well, the cocktail waitresses will ignore you.
- The second is that the cocktail waitresses work really hard and deal with a lot of nonsense. And they usually have to deal with boorish customers. So, I recommend tipping cocktail waitresses generally.
This means I always give them at least $5 the first time they bring me a drink, and I give them $2 for every subsequent drink. Every couple of hours, I try to give another $5 tip. This has the added benefit of improving the service I’m getting.
Waiters, waitresses, and bartenders should get the standard 15% to 25% tip at most restaurants and bars. I’ve never tipped anyone 15% in my life, always opting to go for 20% or more. I suggest you do the same, especially if you’re going to be a regular at any of these places. Besides, good karma won’t hurt.
20% is also a good rule of thumb for a cab driver, but I always offer a minimum tip of $5, no matter how short the trip is.
I make an exception for buffets. Since all the waitstaff does there is refill your drinks, you don’t need to leave even 15%. I tend to leave $2 for each person in my party. In other words, if five of us are dining, I would tip $10, regardless of the price of the meal.
If you’re tipping a valet for parking your car, you should tip $5. I’ve been known to tip $20 if I’m in a good mood. I’ve seen people suggest that a dollar or two is sufficient, but I’d never tip less than $5 to someone whom I’ve entrusted my car to.
$2 per is the standard rule for most everything, too. If you have a bellman help you with your luggage, you should tip him $2 per bag. If you’re staying in a hotel, you should leave $2 in tip money for housekeeping. That applies to the guy at the airport handling your luggage, too.
If someone is busking, performing on the street for tips, you should probably be willing to tip them $5, too. You can get away with tipping less, like $2, but it depends on how long you watch them perform.
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Getting an Upgrade When You Check Into Your Hotel Room
I’ve seen multiple reports that said you could get a room upgrade by tipping the front desk person $20 when you check in. Don’t just hand the front desk person a $20 and say, hey, can I get a room upgrade for that $20.
Be a little cool about it. When you hand the front desk person your credit card, fold the $20 and include it. Ask if they have any availability in a nicer room at all. You’ll be surprised at how often this works.
Conclusion
Learning how to tip a blackjack dealer is one of the first things you should do in Vegas. For one thing, it means you’re playing the right game. It also means you’ve got a little bit of class.
In fact, you should know how to tip just about anyone in the service industry in Las Vegas. If you can remember to tip 20% for some things and $2 (or $5) for others, you should be fine.
A little common sense goes a long way here. What kind of tipping do you do while you’re in Las Vegas playing blackjack?
Let me know in the comments.
Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.There’s a first time for everything, but that doesn’t mean you need to feel like a total newbie!
If you’re visiting downtown Las Vegas, here’s your first piece of insider information: No, you’re not just seeing things and, yes, that really did just happen.
Aside from that, here are eight tips to keep in mind when visiting downtown Las Vegas for the first time:
1. Feel Free to Drink Outside
Dreams really do come true. As long as you’re of legal age, drinking outside is allowed. However, before you grab that bottle of booze and dance your way through the city like it’s nobody’s business, take note: Cans and bottles aren’t allowed. Hey, even dreams have rules sometimes.
It’s illegal to drink from cans or glass bottles while strolling down Fremont Street. This is primarily for the safety of guests, and is a common policy at large venues like sports arenas and concert venues.
Most casinos, bars and restaurants in the city serve alcoholic beverages in plastic containers so you can bring them with you when you step out of the establishment toward your next destination.
2. Visit Multiple Casinos
One of the best things about downtown Las Vegas is how close all the casinos are. On The Strip, while a neighboring casino may appear close, they’re often great distances apart. Walking time is time better spent drinking, gambling and carousing.
If your lucky streak ends at one casino, a change of scenery can change your luck!
Check out some of our favorite Las Vegas casinos (they make up the Fremont Street Experience).
3. Get Free Drinks While You’re Gambling
There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but there are free drinks when you’re in downtown Vegas and you’re gambling! Casinos downtown serve drinks to gamblers free of charge.
![Vegas Vegas](https://www.legitgamblingsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/How-To-Las-Vegas1-1024x499.jpg)
Different casinos have different policies about free drinks, so make sure to ask a bartender or cocktail waitress about the policies. In some cases, such as video poker bars, you’ll have to play a certain period of time at a certain rate to receive a free, or “comped,” drink. Typically, a $20 buy-in and $1 per hand of play will keep the free booze flowing.
Keep an eye out for the cocktail servers circling the casino floors for a complimentary cocktail or beer, which brings us to our next point.
Related: Most Popular Slushy Drinks on Fremont Street
4. Always Tip Your Cocktail Waitresses and Dealers
Tipping is customary in Las Vegas, but with so many people providing service, things can get downright confusing. When in doubt, tip! It’s always great to reward good service. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Cocktail Servers
The drinks may be on the house, but your server is still working to take your order and bring them to you. Tipping a dollar or two per drink is perfect and very much appreciated. The more generous you are, the more you’ll see the cocktail servers around.
Dealers
If the dealer is making your experience enjoyable (especially if you’re winning), consider tipping. Actually, tip whether you’re winning or not!
A common myth is dealers, because they work for the casino, root against players. That’s far from the truth. Dealers are rooting for players to win and win big because winners tip more than those who are on the outs with Lady Luck.
You can tip either while you’re playing (dealers love when players make bets on their behalf!) or as you “color up” and leave the table.
Other people you’ll want to keep in mind when it comes to tipping are bellmen, taxi and rideshare drivers, restaurants servers and bartenders (flair and otherwise), spa workers and your concierge.
5. Watch for Special Events
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We have a number of special events throughout the year, and those events can bring tens of thousands of people downtown. Take events, such as our free concerts, into account to avoid disappointment, and make sure to leave additional time for parking and other activities. Special events tend to mean SlotZilla zipline tickets could be scarce, so purchase your ticket ahead of time.
Check our calendar of events for details.
![Las Las](https://www.lasvegasjaunt.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Vegas-Guide-Beginner-Slot-Machine-Gambling-Tips.jpg)
6. Pace Yourself
Vegas is a 24-hour town, meaning entertainment is available all day and all night. Day drinking, for the win! This can be both exciting and overwhelming.
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One of the biggest mistakes people make when visiting downtown is peaking too early!
Take it easy and enjoy responsibly. You have a long night ahead of you, especially if you’re planning an epic bar crawl in downtown Las Vegas!
7. Learn Gambling Basics
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Vegas is known for many things, and gambling is definitely one of them. However, before you start betting money (especially if it’s your first time), do learn the gambling basics. Know the game, know the odds and learn the strategies likely to help you whoop the house.
A few casinos, like the Golden Nugget, offer free gambling lessons, such as for craps.
Related: Five Ways to Improve Your Mojo Before Gambling in a Las Vegas Casino
8. Take Advantage of Free Diversions
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No need to stay cooped up in your hotel if you’re on a tight budget. There are so many exciting things to do in downtown Las Vegas, and many of them are free!
Our Viva Vision light shows are one of the best free things to do in Las Vegas. We’ve also got tons of free entertainment on three stages, every night of the year.
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And don’t forget about the epic people-watching on Fremont Street. That’s a free spectacle you can’t unsee!
You’ll also want to grab a free photo with a million dollars at Binion’s, try your hand at free slot machine spins at Binion’s and Four Queens, kiss the Blarney Stone at The D and explore the treasures at Main Street Station (including Winston Churchill’s snooker table).
Go out, explore, take lots of pictures and enjoy all the free action and entertainment the city has to offer. If you share photos on Instagram, make sure to use #FremontStreet and your photos could end up on the Viva Vision screen!
If you’ve blown through your gambling budget, here’s a list of 25 things to do on Fremont Street.
Keep these tips in mind and you’re sure to have a fantastic time, and we can’t wait to see you downtown.