[RecentlyRetired]

Last week I won $1,000 on the dollar Wheel of Fortune at one of the Casinos off the Strip. I expected that the pay-out would be in the form of a ticket, but instead a “pay-out by attendant” message flashed on the screen.

After a moment, a slot attendant came over, looked at the machine and said she would be right back. She arrived back moments later with another attendant who watched her count out nine one hundred dollar bills and five twenties. I sensed when she gave me the twenties; she expected at least one back as her tip. I thought a $20 tip was quite a bit for only a thousand dollar win, but since I had no other change on me, I gave her one of the twenties.

My questions…should I have tipped the other attendant also? What is the proper etiquette for tipping slot attendants? Should tips be a certain percentage of the winnings? I don’t understand why tips are expected for winning payouts…..No one tips me when I lose.

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by brosati

Last week I won $1,000 on the dollar Wheel of Fortune at one of the Casinos off the Strip. I expected that the pay-out would be in the form of a ticket, but instead a “pay-out by attendant” message flashed on the screen.

After a moment, a slot attendant came over, looked at the machine and said she would be right back. She arrived back moments later with another attendant who watched her count out nine one hundred dollar bills and five twenties. I sensed when she gave me the twenties; she expected at least one back as her tip. I thought a $20 tip was quite a bit for only a thousand dollar win, but since I had no other change on me, I gave her one of the twenties.

My questions…should I have tipped the other attendant also? What is the proper etiquette for tipping slot attendants? Should tips be a certain percentage of the winnings? I don’t understand why tips are expected for winning payouts…..No one tips me when I lose.

Years ago when I was "between gigs" and going to school, I decided on a lark to take a job as a slot change person because a friend who worked there told me about all the money she was making in tips. It didn't take me long to realize that she must have better legs than I did or something because I was getting stiffed all the time. Even when I would point out the "hot" machines to people and give them good, friendly service, when I would end up paying them off for big jackpots, they wouldn't even say thank you. Change persons are not needed as much now as they were then because the machines now take paper money and payout in paper too; but whenever a large jackpot is hit, someone has to verify it. That's the real reason the attendant has to pay it off and a "key person" (the guy with the key that opens the machine) has to verify the win was legit and witness the payoff. The attendant is responsible for the money that they hold during their shift. If they come up short it comes out of their pay. People such as quick change artists are always trying to con them out of the casino's money. It looks to me like an easier job now, but that may be just because they don't carry a heavy change belt like in the old days. I'm sure it is a hard a job as ever, and it ain't easy. It's still eight hours on your feet dealing with drunks, people who take it out on you when they lose, and other just plain obnoxious tourists, as well as those who try to cheat you. As far as tips, yes she gave you twenties in hopes of getting a tip. Most people in casinos don't make much of a salary and depend on tips for their livings. The $20.00 was minimum on that big of a jackpot. I probably would have at least doubled that. But it depends on how much you lost before you hit too. And whether you were getting any service from her before you hit the jackpot, and whether it was good service, and was she friendly. Gamblers are superstitious, so do you feel that she brought you luck? Seriously.

No it wasn't necessary to tip the floor man, but if the jackpot had been much bigger you should have at least given him a $20 too; and, of course, you would have given her more. In fact if it's a really big win, say $25,000.00, you should tip the whole shift. That's what we used to call around here, CLASS.

[Needaplace]

god it pisses me so much about the tipping thing, I usually play low limit poker and if I win I tip the dealer a dollar maybe more depending on the size of the pot, whenever I leave the table and go to cash out regardless of how big or how small I won or lost, I always get the sense the cage attendant is expecing me to give them something and I always just walk away feeling slightly bad/guilty

I mean I could understand tipping the poker dealer a few dollars who gave me a good hand on a win, or tipping the cocktail waitress $1 on the free drink, but tipping the cage cashier a dollar or 2 dollars on my $32 cash out on the 18 dollars I just lost?

Jesus Christ put the tip jar away and get rid of those dollars right under where you hand me back my money, you are a ****ing cashier, it is your job to give me my money, at least the idiots at starbucks make my coffee, you just give me my money!

And to answer your question, NO on slots or cage cashiers they deserve none of your money, like I said table games may deserve a tip if they give you a good hand(even though like you said they dont pay you when you lose) but the cage cashier or slot attendant played no role in your fortune(or misfortune) and the fact they expect a hand out is pathetic and leechy

[RecentlyRetired]

Originally Posted by Buzz123

Most people in casinos don't make much of a salary and depend on tips for their livings.

With all the millions of dollars the Casinos are pulling in, why can’t they pay their worker enough so that they wouldn’t have to depend on tips to make a decent living?

[yellowsnow]

I do 99% of my gambling at Main Street Station. Mostly because I like the people there and I get great comps. They have long term employees and I feel like I almost know some of them. I have been talking to them for years. I'm always kind, friendly, and I tip well. I think of it as a sort of gamblers karma. If I'm winning, everyone should be winning.

Last time I was there, I won 5K on VP. I invested $100 total. That was my gambling money and it's all I had with me! I gave $100 bills to the change person, the cocktail waitress, and the guy who had been emptying my ashtray all night. Then I played quarter poker and hit the royal again so I tipped everyone again! It was a great night in March and I haven't been back since except for dinner now and then. It's about time for another gambling night!

Because I'm kind and tip well, the employees like me and I get great service. I never wait for drinks or change. Quite often they even give me tips on what to play. They know if I win, they win too!

[PinkString]

Now I know where to apply for work. Main street station. I want to work when yellowsnow is there. With those kinds of tips, I can just work part time. lol

[jenn0816]

Originally Posted by brosati

With all the millions of dollars the Casinos are pulling in, why can’t they pay their worker enough so that they wouldn’t have to depend on tips to make a decent living?

Because casino owners are cheap. Dealers make between $5.15-6.15 per hour. Basically minimum wage. Do you know anywhere in Las Vegas you can live on that? I don't. We depend on our generous players. You should tip me if I made your game entertaining. If you lost a hundred bucks, and still had a good time doing it- don't I deserve something? While certain owners over the years have tried out non-tipping houses, the fact remains that they are not willing to pay us enough to keep me smiling and flirting with every drunk player that comes up and wants to know if I am going to pour out my rack to them and "help" them win. Remember, you tip for service, not necessarily for the win. I don't know what the change people make, but the fact remains, that if they give you good service and help you out, why not reward the service?

[ParkTwain]

Because there is actually a surplus of uneducated and unskillled workers in this part of the country. Vegas attracts 'em like a big greenback magnet. There will always be lots of these people coming into Vegas, so the casinos know they have it going their way. And the casinos will always fight against a true diversification of the Vegas local economy because they will always want the prevailing wage rate to continue to be LOW.

[jfkIII]

I just wish I could tip a dealer directly, rather than it going into the mass general tipping pool. If a dealer is great and has personality...why shouldn't that deal get to keep the tip, rather than having to share it with the grouchy dealers?

[yellowsnow]

Originally Posted by PinkString

Now I know where to apply for work. Main street station. I want to work when yellowsnow is there. With those kinds of tips, I can just work part time. lol

You would be mighty poor because I only gamble 10 or 12 times a year!