Tips on Tips, please
 

I was in AC at the Taj yesterday and played (and won) a ten person 50 + 15 sit and go (I know the rake is absolutely awful but I was just playing for fun). Anyway, this was my first tournament money of any kind in a casino. The game took an hour to deal. Before I was paid a poker room employee came to collect some information. She asked for my drivers license and social security number. When I told her I was reluctant to give out my ssn she assured me it wasn't for the IRS but she did not know why the information was collected (I wouldn't have had a problem if it were for the IRS). Then she was very aggressive and pressured me to tip the dealer, and said the average tip for such a game is $40. I was obviously going to tip the dealer but is $40 a little much for such a game? My questions are:

1) Why do they collect social security numbers if they are not for tax purposes?

and

2) What is a typical tip for tournament play as a % of your winnings and/or time spent dealing?


Any help or guidlines are greatly appreciated!

Re: Tips on Tips, please
 

I can't imagine that it WOULDN'T be for tax purposes, or at least that they wouldn't also have to collect it for tax purposes, if your winnings were over $600 (I think that's the threshold). But it sounds like you won about $250, no?, so that wouldn't make it to that threshold, so I have no idea.

I think 3-5% is usually considered a reasonable tip for a multi-table tournament, and I see no reason why that wouldn't apply to a sit-and-go. 8% would be a bit high IIRC.

Re: Tips on Tips, please
 

The 'recommended' tip -- $40 is 16%.

That sounds a bit steep to me.

Re: Tips on Tips, please
 

These are winner-take-all, no? So you get $500, minus your $65 buy in, or $435. You're tipping about 9%?

I honestly don't know if that is too high or not, but I want to frame the question.

Another way to look at it is foregone tips by a dealer. If the SnG took an hour, figure that he missed 30 hands had this been a ring game. That'd be about $25-35 in tips, and you should aim around there.

Re: Tips on Tips, please
 

Yes, these are winner take all so $500. Still below the $600 threshold you spoke of, so the social security number thing is still a mystery. She explicitly said "This is not for the IRS."

So 3%-5% of your net winnings (winnings minus buy-in, minus casino rake) is typical?

Re: Tips on Tips, please
 

I hope you gave a fake number....preferably something with 14 or more digits, including at least one "niner".

Martin

Re: Tips on Tips, please
 

I've been told by dealers they consider 10% a good tip in larger tournaments, not sure how that would apply to a $50 buy in single table. However if I won $500 I'd probably give around $40-$50.

Re: Tips on Tips, please
 

Gave a fake number (123-45-6789 to be exact).

Thanks all for the advice.

~Rob

Re: Tips on Tips, please
 

So let me get this straight.

30% rake
Winner take all.
And dealer expects 10% rake? So out of the 435 you just won, they want 40? So you're only up $395?

Um.
[censored] that.

Seriously, [censored] them in the eye. Poker players get [censored] for comps while slot players WHO DON'T TIP AT ALL make infinite in comps.

If dealers want a 10% tip, tell them that they need to lower the rake to 10-15% percent.

If they're going to charge the rake at 30%, tell them that the sng's need to be $50+10+5 (10 for house and 5 for dealers).

I would never tip more than 2% in this game.

Seriously, if greg raymer had to tip the dealers 10% for his WSOP win, I bet you INFINITE that he would have told them to [censored] off.

Dealers do nothing besides doing their JOBS.

People should not get tips for doing their JOBS.

When was the last time you tipped a fast food employee?

In closing, [censored] tipping.

Re: Tips on Tips, please
 

The last time I won a 500.00 winner take all, I gave up 40 bucks for it. That rake is extremely high as well. But I can't see penalizing the dealer because the house is greedy.