Insider Term: Dealer Tokes

^{Insider Term: Dealer Tokes}

Dealer tokes, also called tips, are gratuities that are given to dealers as "tokens of appreciation" for the service they provide, much like a waitress.  

Dealers are paid minimum wage and rely on tips to make a living. 

A toke can be given to a dealer in a couple of different ways.

The Toke Bet 

The most common way for a player or guest to tip a dealer is to make a "toke" bet for the dealer by placing an additional bet, directly in the front of the player's bet. This is the preferred method for most dealers, or at least this dealer anyway.i

The Hand In Tip

You may also just lay a chip on the felt and tell the dealer “this is for you”.

Why tip a dealer?

There are a variety of reasons why a guest might tip the dealer. One reason would be that they are winning, but that is not the only reason a guest may tip.

Guests do not need to be winning to tip, you could also tip because the dealer...

-Deals the game noting some of your preferences.

-Is engaging and entertaining

-Is Good natured when you are either winning or losing

-Is someone you enjoy spending time with

-Meets your needs or preferences consistently

-Maintains table etiquette

-Advises the guests when another player has either added a hand or taken one out

-Mindful of keeping your area clean and your glass full

In other words, guests may tip the dealer, or bet for the dealer, when they are either winning, or losing, if the dealer gives great customer service.

Dealer Tokes: "Go For Your Own" Vs. "Pooled" or "Shared" Tips

"Go for your own" houses:

Generally speaking, blackjack/cal games dealers in a cardroom "go for their own" tips, as well as some Nevada casinos.  

"Go for their own" means:

whatever tips the dealer generates that day are theirs to keep and they do not need to share or pool with other dealers. 

(In most instances they are required to give the Table/Cal Games Floor person a percentage)

Card Room dealers who "go for their own", can sometimes let their tips ride too, meaning they can let all or a portion of the winning toke bet ride on the next hand, resulting in a larger tip.

Pooling Tips:

Many of California’s Tribal gaming casinos and many Nevada Casinos “pool” or "share" dealers tokes, in one of the following ways:

Splitting tips by the day:

In this method all of the tips generated by all dealers in a 24 hour period are marshaled together and then divided by the number of dealer hours on the floor that day. This gives you an hourly toke rate. The casino will pay the dealer the tokes earned on their checks for every hour the dealer worked that day.

Splitting tips by the shift:

The three classified shifts that casinos dealers work are Day shift, Swing shift or Graveyard shift. When casino's use the "split tips by shift" method, the tips generated by dealers are kept separate, by shift. At the end of each shift, tokes are counted, divided between only those dealers that worked that day and on that shift.

The tokes earned are put on the dealers paychecks.

Dealers who pool tips are not allowed to let tips ride, in effect they would be wagering other dealers money, so the casino doesn't allow that.

If you place a toke bet for a dealer who shares tips, they will pick up the winning toke bet and place it in the toke box at the conclusion of each hand.

Casinos that pool tips, can also be required dealers to share their tokes with Floor Persons.

Do guests receive better service with the “go for your own” method or the “pooling” method?

This is the million dollar question and is up for debate. 

In regards to customer service, there are some pros and cons for each.

The tip pooling method can reward dealers who might not give the best customer service because the dealers receive the same amount, regardless of the amount of tokes they generate. The motivation to provide great customer service may be compromised using this method.

Card room dealers who "go for their own", try and give the customers who tip individual and personalized and generally provide a richer experience for those who tip. But do the customers who do not tip well, receive the same great customer service?

The next time you play Blackjack:

Try it out, and if your dealers are helpful and provide a favorable experience for you, be sure and hand them a tip or place a "toke" bet for them.