Tipping a blackjack dealer

When playing in a casino, there are many players who like to tip their blackjack dealer. There are just as many players who’d like to tip the dealer but they’re not really sure how to do it. As we have seen in other articles, blackjack has its own etiquette that players need to be aware of and stick to. Getting things wrong is not only seen as impolite but it can also make you come across as a bit of an amateur. We’re here to help so that you can go about tipping a blackjack dealer with confidence.

We’re going to share ways that you can do this as well as give an insight into our favorite method. Want to know more? Then keep on reading.

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Tipping a Blackjack dealer

Tipping a blackjack dealer – Why tip in the first place?

While there are plenty of players who are looking for ways to tip their dealer, there are also those who are left wondering why they should. After all, the dealer is simply in the casino doing their job for which they’re getting paid. The truth is that there’s no requirement to tip a dealer, but you just may want to.

Let’s stop and think about the likes of barbers, waitresses and taxi drivers. There’s certainly no rules in Blackjack that says that they must be tipped but many of us do anyway. That’s because those who work in the service industry do a great job and their wages don’t always reflect this. Tipping, when you’ve had great service, can make a huge difference to these dealers. 

Tipping a blackjack dealer – Should you always do it?

Certainly not! There are some dealers who certainly aren’t worth tipping. You’ve no doubt come across the type. The ones that simply stare at you and possibly make the occasional grunt. They’re certainly not helpful and it feels as if they’re going out of their way to make you that much more uncomfortable. Dealers like this really shouldn’t be tipped.

If, on the other hand, a dealer is friendly, cheerful and goes out of their way to help you, why shouldn’t you give them a tip? 

Tipping a blackjack dealer – How can you do it?

There’s more than one way to tip your blackjack dealer. The simplest way is to place a chip on the layout and make sure that the dealer knows that it’s for them. players who opt for this method will usually do it at the end of their playing session just before they stand up and leave the table.

An alternative way to tip is to actually make an additional bet on your hand. If you go on to win, the dealer also wins based on the extra wager that you’ve placed. Let’s have a look at how this works:

  • You wager a green chip worth $25 on your hand
  • As well as the green chip, you also place a red chip ($5) outside your betting circle
  • You play the hand and you go on to win
  • The dealer then places another green chip next to your original one and that makes up your winnings
  • Another red chip is placed next to the original one and this becomes the winnings for the tip that you placed for the dealer
  • By betting $5 for the dealer you have effectively gone on to give a $10 tip

An alternative method

We’re not huge fans of placing a bet outside of the betting circle. That’s because you lose control over the bet. Instead, we much prefer to make the bet within the circle by placing the extra chip on top of the one that we’ve already wagered. If the hand wins, we will then give the dealer a single red chip. The original red chip is still ours as it’s within the betting circle and so we keep control of it.

It makes sense to let the red chip ride for a few hands. If you’re on a winning streak it makes you look like a steady tipper and the dealer will certainly like you for this. Of course, there’s always the chance that your hand will lose. When that’s the case your chips are simply scooped up with everyone else’s who have lost the hand.

Other suggestions when it comes to tipping

There are other approaches that you could consider if you want to tip a blackjack dealer. Here’s a look at just three:

  1. When you take your place at the table and exchange your cash for chips, take say a $25 chip and ask to change this for lower denominations. Maybe have some red and white chips worth $5 and $1 respectively. Use these smaller chips and make a bet for the dealer very early on in your session. This gives the right signal to the dealer as they’re left knowing that if they’re helpful, you’re more than happy to tip
  2. Base your tips on how much you’re betting. It’s more than acceptable to do this and a dealer won’t expect a similar tip from you as they would from a high roller. Let’s say that you’re someone that bets $5 or $10, you should only be tipping a few dollars. If you wager $25 then a $5 tip is more acceptable 
  3. Be careful if you’re card counting. Many card counters won’t tip a dealer because the edge that they gain is on the small side. A tip could quickly wipe out any gains. However, card counters need to make the effort to come across as normal, average, players. This means giving the odd tip here and there is a great thing to do as it’ll keep you under the radar 

Final thoughts

While many blackjack players tip the dealer just remember that there is no rule that says you must. This is true both for when you are playing at a land-based casino, as well as when you play online with a live casino dealer. However, if you receive great service it makes sense to show your appreciation and a tip is the best way to do this. No one expects you to try and compete with high rollers: simply tip in line with the amount that you’re wagering and the dealer will be more than happy. 

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