To tip or not to tip? This is always the question visitors ponder when the dreaded subject comes up. With tourism driving the economy in Vegas and over 38 million people visiting every year, the entertainment and service industry are the largest employers in Las Vegas. Naturally, these workers depend on tips in order to protect their lifestyle. Most, including cocktail waitresses and dealers are paid just the minimum wage by their employers.
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- In Nevada, it's left to the casino to determine the tip/gift policies for hosts. At some casinos, hosts aren't allowed to take any gifts at all; it's a strict rule and hosts can be fired if they violate it. Other casinos forbid their hosts to take cash gifts, a policy that avoids the problem, at least partially, of hosts being bribed for comps.
- ▶ Concierge: A tip isn’t necessary to get pointed in the right direction, but “ Tips on Tipping, ” compiled by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, suggests '$2 to $5 for getting a.
- 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.
So how much do you tip? And must you tip everyone? Keep in mind that in the end, it’s important to tip on what you believe is appropriate based on your actual experience.
The Casino Cocktail Waitress:
No matter where you go in Las Vegas, you will find a cocktail waitress at any time of the day or night serving those guests that are busy gambling. While the drinks are free, it’s easy to think that she is providing a complimentary service and you are expected to give nothing in return. However, it is recommended that you tip, on average, one dollar per drink. The bartender received 20 percent tip-out at the end of the evening, so the more you tip, chances are, she will come around more often and make your order a priority.
Verdict: $1 is ok, but $2-$5 is much better depending on the casino and how often you want the waitress to bring you more drinks.
Dealers:
Even the top casinos in town rarely pay their dealers more than minimum wage, so tips are important. Standard tipping etiquette says dealers should receive at the minimum, $5 dollars per hour yet there is no official rule. However, if winning big, a five to ten percent tip is expected, after all, the dealer did produce the winning hand. For an added dose of good luck, many visitors say they tip their dealer a few dollars before they even begin.
Show Usher:
Are you seeing the show of your dreams in Vegas, but disappointed with your seats? It’s a good idea to bring anywhere from $20 to $100 dollars and politely ask if any better seats, closer to the stage, are available. Chances are, you will be moved. With more expensive shows, like Elton John or Celine Dion, be prepared to pay closer to the $100 tip.
Concierge:
If your hotel concierge went above what you requested, such as finding tickets to a sold out show, or making dinner reservations at a top restaurant during peak dining hours, then a tip should be forthcoming. Depending on the situation, a minimum of $20 would be satisfactory.
Valet:
When it’s the middle of summer and the temperature is over 100 degrees, valets continue to run back and forth to bring the endless stream of cars to the hotel guests. Again, tips are what valets work for since most earn minimum wage. Because parking is free in Vegas, and hotels offer free valet service, a tip from two to five dollars seems appropriate when you consider how much you are saving on parking fees. If you have special requirements, such as you want your car parked in a certain location, then it’s suggested to tip more.
Maid:
Perhaps one of the more thankless jobs in Las Vegas, there is no doubt maid service is a nice benefit whenever you stay in a hotel. The average stay in Las Vegas is 3.6 nights and depending on the condition you leave the room, tipping the maid should be expected. The general amount can range anywhere from two to five dollars per day.
The Bellman:
If you decide to depend on a bellman to bring up your luggage, plan to tip anywhere from one to five dollars per bag depending on the weight or if you have a special request. If you have a large group, a porterage fee may apply. Even if you are not in a group but use an entire bell cart, this fee may still be attached.
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?
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.
Las Vegas Tips And Secrets
$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.
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.
Las Vegas Gambling Tips Tricks
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.