how to figure tips for tourney dealers

[orbie]

I've heard there is a formula to figuring tips for tournament dealers.

does anyone know what the formula is?

does it vary with the size of the tournament?

Thanks Orbie

[Apathy]

3% of your prize (assuming money finish) is usually standard
4-5% is generous but not uncommon.

You are not usually expected to tip if you do not finish in the money.

[orbie]

and this is expected of everyone who places in the money?

[Greg (FossilMan)]

There is no standard, or formula, that is commonly accepted.

I like to figure out the number of dealer-hours that went into the event, multiply that by an amount that I think the dealers should get in tips per hour, and then pay my portion of that total "deserved" tip.

I consider paying a fixed percentage of your win to be fuzzy thinking. A dealer in a cheap tourney still deserves a decent amount of money for their efforts, and a dealer in a $10,000 buyin event does not deserve to make $100/hour. So, I tip by my method.

Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

[deacsoft]

As far as I know, 1st place tips he dealers. I certainly don't see why other players shouldn't, but I would guess that it would be up to the individual. I'm not certain this is correct, but again, I think it is customary only of the 1st place finisher.

[cferejohn]

[ QUOTE ]
As far as I know, 1st place tips he dealers. I certainly don't see why other players shouldn't, but I would guess that it would be up to the individual. I'm not certain this is correct, but again, I think it is customary only of the 1st place finisher.

[/ QUOTE ]

At every tournament I've ever been to, *all* finishers are asked to consider tipping, and most do. I've never heard anything about "only first place". Obviously if a low money finish barely covers your buy-in, you shouldn't feel obligated.

[deacsoft]

I'll take your word for it. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[VarlosZ]

At my cardroom in New York, tipping anything less than 5% of your prize is frowned upon -- perhaps seriously depending on the floorperson at the time.

Then again, New Yorkers are notoriously good tippers, I'm proud to say.

[ZootMurph]

I'm glad someone asked this question. I play 2 tournaments a week in Atlantic City. I have finished at the final table in three straight.... thanks, please hold the applause... anyway, I just started playing tournaments for a little changeup, so I had no clue. One tournament is a $30+5 buyin (8 pay), and I came in 7th one week ($97) and 3rd the next ($267). Both times I asked the floorperson what she thought I should tip, and she said 'whatever you want'. I hate that answer, LOL. So, I tipped $7 the first week and $27 the next. I thought I was under-tipping. Now, the next Monday I play in a $50+10 (20 pay), and finish 4th for $1200. I ask this floorperson what I should tip, and he says at least 5%, so I tip $75.

I'm thinking about this, and the two 30+5 tournaments have 81 players (9 tables, 9 per table). The tournaments generally go for 4-5 hours. $2430 prize money, and with 5% tip that is about $120. For 9 dealers averaging 3 hours each. That's not even $6 an hour. Just doesn't seem right, somehow.

BTW, I'm not, never have been, nor will I ever be a New Yorker, and I'm a notoriously good tipper as well [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[VarlosZ]

[ QUOTE ]
BTW, I'm not, never have been, nor will I ever be a New Yorker, and I'm a notoriously good tipper as well [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]
Just for the record, I didn't mean to disparage implicitly those living in the hinterlands (that is, outside New York City). It's just that the cost of living here is so high that I have to squeeze as much value out of the city as I can, and sometimes that involves being passively snobbish; it's one of the perks we get. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]