Tipping
You may still be wondering how to tip. Keep these few guidelines in mind when tipping:
- Think of tips like dog treats. The quantity of cheddar cheese is less important to Fido than the frequency. He’ll roll over just as enthusiastically for a sliver as he will for a chunk. So spread out your tips and make them in small amounts.
- Start off on the right foot. Making a small bet for the dealer when you first join a table is always appreciated.
- Make amends. If you’re getting bad service or you’re playing with a rude or indifferent dealer, a tip is a good way to end the cold war and get the dealer back in your corner. But if that’s not your style, or if you simply don’t think he deserves it, by all means don’t hand over a gratuity.
- Keep track of your tips. Most important of all, keep a very rough estimate in your head of how much you’ve tipped. The number may surprise you.
Tipping doesn’t have any hard-and-fast rules. A casino or dealer will never kick you out or ban you for refusing to tip. Remember that these guidelines are simply that - guidelines. Observe how more-experienced blackjack players at your table give gratuities and make note of the rapport they build with the dealers. Before long, you can develop a feel for what’s appropriate and what isn’t. Just as important, you get a feel for what kind of tipping pattern fits your personality and budget.
