How To Tip A Craps Dealer

1. There are two ways to tip craps dealers: A Hand-In. Toss your chip(s) towards the dealer and say, “For the dealers.” Bet for the dealers. You can toke the dealers by placing a wager for them.If the bet wins, then they get the toke plus the money it won.
2. Tip the dealers. Win or lose, (especially when you win), tipping the dealers is standard, and just good form. This is even more so when you are a beginning player and maybe needing a little more of a dealer’s time and assistance. While you can tip a dealer directly with cash or chips, more commonly you’ll see players making a bet for the.

Always tip the craps dealer! An important advice for a game of craps is to give tips to the dealer when you are on a winning streak. This will create a pleasant gaming environment and more people will want you to win and will be happy when you win. When you tip, the tip goes to the entire staff, not just one dealer. If you want to tip and not bet it for the dealers, just give it to the dealer handling your bets and say that it is a 'hand in for the crew'. They will just accept it and put it with other tips.

The Goddess Speaks

Tipping Can Be Rewarding

One of the most important courtesies or strategies GTC teaches advantage players is to tip dealers, and why tipping will make playing in a casino a much more pleasant experience. Tipping puts the dealers on your side. They will be much more likely to tell people to hold their bets, to keep their hands up and not to crowd the shooter for example.

One easy way for a $5 or $10 bettor to tip is to put a $1 chip on top of the pass line bet when you are the shooter. In this way, the dealers are in the game. When your pass line bet wins, you are paid the extra $1 with your pass line payout. You give this $1 to the box person saying, 'dealer money.' Your $1 chip remains on your pass line bet, so it doesn’t cost you anymore, but it reaps huge benefits in public relations with the dealers. You control that $1 chip, and the dealer cannot take it down when he/she pays you.

If I am playing with dealers who don’t know me, and aren’t aware of our tipping system, then I will say fairly loudly, 'Dealers are piggy-backed.,' and point to the $1 chip. For those who are green and higher bettors, they might place a higher bet on top of the pass line bet, as well as placing odds, and if they are in a long roll, might place point bets also. These are good bets that the dealers know they have a chance of winning.

When we first started precision shooting and tipping, we asked the dealers which they preferred, placing a bet for them, or putting the money in the toke box. Without fail, the response was always to place a bet for them.

I cringe when I hear other players call out prop bets for the dealers. These are one time bets, with very high house edges, and are a waste of money. If they really want the dealers to win a bet, why not make one of the good bets? However, I suppose any bet by a shooter for the dealers might be better than no bet at all.

When dealers know you are tipping they tend to go out of their way to be very friendly. They pay close attention to our bets, they are less likely to hassle us about anything, and the stick person is more likely to step back when we shoot.

If there are no other GTC players at the table with us, we are frequently the only players tipping the dealers. One example occurred when it was my husband Sandtrap’s turn to shoot. The stick man loudly proclaimed to everyone at the table, 'Now, we have a good shooter here folks, so keep your hands back and place your bets before he gets the dice. Watch him roll the dice!'

And this has happened on more than one occasion. Once, I didn’t place my odds bet because I was busy getting my drink from the waitress and I wasn’t aware the dice had been thrown. The point was made and I said, 'Oh no, I didn’t have my odds down.' The stickman told the box person what had happened, and that I had previously always placed odds. The box person told me to put my odds down, and then told the dealer to pay me. Perhaps that was an unusual circumstance, but is another example of how tipping can be advantageous to the player.

Another time, a 'don’t' player made hundreds of dollars on my roll by playing and pressing the horn. I have a habit of throwing several sevens and elevens on a come out roll, and then follow up with a long roll. Although the 'don’t' bettor thanked me, he didn’t tip the dealers. When I met him on the way to the restroom he thanked me again and I said, 'You’re welcome, but it’s customary to tip when you make money.' (I’m always trying to teach people to tip.) His reply was, 'But I lost a lot of money before that roll.'

'That’s because you were playing the ‘don’t’ while I was making points,' I responded. He never changed his betting routine even though he could see I was on a long roll.

The dealers’ salaries are based on the fact that they will get tips, and therefore they are dependant on tips for income. It is not their fault or responsibility if players don’t make the best bets and lose money.

Besides the dealers, at least two other employees are dependant on tips. One is the housekeeper. I will never forget Frank Scoblete saying, 'Remember who cleans the toilet.' I even mentioned that comment to our children, who stated they had never thought in those terms. They now tip when they travel.

The other person who should be tipped is the waitress who brings your drinks. According to one person, TIPS stand for 'To Insure Proper Service.' In a very busy casino, will the waitress pay more attention to the player who tips, or the player who doesn’t? =

On the other hand, in the morning there may be only one waitress for the entire floor. I like my coffee in the morning, so I make certain the waitress knows I’m tipping, and she frequently returns to ask if I want another coffee. Some of the regular waitresses know us and make a point of asking if we need anything. One time the waitress put down my drink, but I didn’t see her and was busy placing a bet. When I looked up and saw her walking away, I ran after her to give her a tip. She told me most people would not have done that, and thanked me profusely.

We give her a dollar a drink as a tip. If I order two coffees or sodas at one time, I give her a two dollar tip. My drinks are taking up space on her tray that might have been given to someone else, and the waitress would lose that tip.

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I think we should always remember that the drinks are complementary, or 'free.' If you have a coupon or a gift certificate to a restaurant, you are still expected to tip based on the total cost of the meal, whether you paid for it or not. Casino waitresses also have to tip their bartenders.

Waitresses, dealers, and housekeepers have salaries based on the fact that they will also get tips, and they pay taxes on that assumption. Unless the service is terrible, you wouldn’t dream of not tipping in a restaurant. We owe it to the employees in a casino and hotel to also tip them.

On a recent work trip to Las Vegas, a co-worker and I decided to hit the craps tables for a bit to enjoy a brief amount of downtime that we had. While playing that evening, it felt like we were possibly on some form of hidden camera show. It seemed like every few minutes, a player was making a mistake that should have been avoided. What’s crazy is that it wasn’t even the same player messing up. Instead, it was several different players at our table.

Over the course of an hour or so of playing, we practically saw it all. From a player constantly mentioning the number seven out loud, to players taking their sweet time shooting the dice, we watched constant etiquette errors being made by our fellow players. On the flight home, it got me thinking that perhaps I should compile a blog about craps etiquette tips in an effort to help educate craps players everywhere.

These tips are super helpful if you’re new to craps. You’ll want to study each of these and keep them in mind while you’re at a casino craps table. For those of you that are not new to craps, it’s probably worth a quick scan to refresh your memory. Sometimes we get caught up in the excitement of the game and we forget about some of the basics.

Top 10 Craps Etiquette Tips

Below, you’ll find my top 10 craps etiquette tips. I’ve compiled these from two decades of craps experience. If you’re able to follow these simple etiquette tips, you’ll blend right in at the table, and you won’t cause any issues for your dealer or your tablemates.

Follow Instructions

If you’ve never played craps before, you should know that things get a bit nutty around the table. I’m assuming many of you have at least witnessed the excitement around a craps game in a casino. While craps is fun to play, there are many moving parts. Due to all of these moving parts and the general buzz around a casino, it can get confusing on when to take actions such as placing your bets and shooting the dice.

Your best bet is to follow the instructions of the table dealer. Be sure to watch their verbal and physical cues. If you’re ever unsure what to do, it is okay to ask for clarification from the dealer. The biggest thing to keep in mind is to always follow the instructions at the table. By doing this, you’ll keep yourself from angering the dealer and your fellow tablemates.

Join at the Right Time

All too many times, I’ve seen someone join at a craps table at the wrong time. What you should know is that you should never try to buy chips while a game is currently underway. The biggest thing that you’ll want to avoid is putting your money on the table when a player is about to roll the dice. If you don’t see dice on the table, don’t put your money out there!

You’ll want to buy in once the dice are in the middle of the table. Have your money out in your hand and look for the dealer to acknowledge when it is time to join. When it is time for you to buy in for chips, make sure that you place your money directly on the table. Craps dealers are not allowed to have money handed directly to them. Keep in mind that you can always ask the dealer for help if you’re unsure. If you’re ever unsure about an action, don’t take it until you know for sure that it is okay.

Tip Your Dealers

Tipping the dealer is pretty customary in the game of craps. You should be prepared to tip the dealer regardless of if you walk away a winner or a loser. The only difference between the two is how much you should tip.

If you’ve had a monster session and you’re walking away with a large amount of cash, you should be sure to tip your dealer well. My general rule of thumb is to tip the dealer 5% of my winnings from a session. For example, if I won $2,000 on the craps table one night, I would generally consider tipping the dealer $100.

On the flip side, if you’ve lost some money at the craps table that night, you should still consider tipping the dealer something before leaving the table. Depending on the stakes that you were playing, even something in the $2 to $5 range per hour will be greatly appreciated by your dealer.

In craps, you can also tip your dealer by making bets on their behalf. This is a great alternative to just tipping as you go. There are many different ways to go about this. Ultimately, you’ll place your own bets and then let the dealer know what you’d like to place on their behalf. What’s nice about doing it this way is that your tip amount will grow substantially if your wager is right.

Shoot the Dice Quickly

When your turn comes to shoot the dice at the craps table, make sure that you do it quickly. Craps players and dealers don’t like it when someone takes too long to toss the dice. You’ll want to keep this in mind so that you don’t anger your fellow tablemates.

I understand that many players have different strategies or good luck things that they like to do with the dice before shooting them. That being said, you’ll want to get through your routine quickly. If you take too long to go through your pre-shooting bit, you will draw the ire from the dealer and your tablemates.

If you’re unsure how much is too much, just take note of roughly how long everyone else at the table is taking when it is their turn. You can always just follow suit with what they have done. Ultimately, you may have to speed up or shorten your routine if it is too long.

Don’t Put Things on the Table

Something that you’ll want to avoid doing is setting things on the top of the craps table. While there is a nice railing there, that should only be used for your hands and arms. You never should put anything else on the top of the table.

If you’ve played craps in a casino before, I’m sure that you’ve seen it all. I’ve come across people placing drinks, ashtrays, purses, and more on the table. The problem with putting things on the table is that there is a potential for these items to get knocked down into the play area. If this happens, your fellow players and your dealer won’t be happy campers.

A better option for you is to use the shelf under the table. There, you can safely store any item that you might have considered for the table itself. This shelf is great for ashtrays, drinks, and anything else. By storing things under the table, you won’t have any chance of them getting knocked into the play area and disturbing the game.

Tip Your Servers

This particular tip is not just craps-specific. Instead, this is a good casino-wide tip. If you’re going to order a drink from one of the casino cocktail servers, make sure that you’re prepared to tip them when they bring you your drink. Like all servers, casino cocktail servers work for tips, and tips make up the majority of their income. Since you’re getting the drink for free from the casino, make sure that you tip the server for their service. My general rule of thumb is to tip the servers at least $1 for each drink that they bring me. Keep in mind that players that tip their servers will often see the servers more frequently than those that don’t.

Be Considerate of Your Fellow Players

At a craps table, you’ll want to make sure that you’re considerate of your fellow players. In general, I’d suggest two main things that you need to be aware of. Those two things are space and smoking. I’ll cover each of these in more detail below so that you can learn how to be thoughtful of your fellow players at the craps table.

The first thing that you’ll want to do to be considerate of your fellow players is to make sure that you give them some room. If you’ve ever played craps at a casino before, you know how packed it can get around a full table. It’s not the most comfortable by any means. To help ease things a bit, consider turning yourself sideways as opposed to facing the table full-on. By doing this, you’ll make more room for your fellow players around the table. Something else that you can consider doing is taking a slight step back from the table if you’re a taller person that can see well.

Another thing that you need to be considerate with is smoking. My suggestion would be that you don’t smoke while at the craps table. In general, the vast majority of your tablemates probably don’t care to be around the smoke. With as packed as craps tables often are, there is no way for you to avoid bothering at least some of your fellow players.

If you feel like you have to smoke while at the craps table, I’d recommend that you keep a couple of things in mind. First, make sure that you don’t blow the smoke towards any of your fellow players. Instead, be sure to blow the smoke directly up, as opposed to blowing it to the sides. Secondly, be careful with your ashes. Make sure that they end up in an ashtray and not on the playing table or the casino floor. Once again, I’d suggest that you try to avoid smoking at the table if at all possible, as that keeps you from bothering any of your fellow players.

Avoid the Dreaded ‘S’ Word

For those of you that are new to craps, you should know that there is an ‘S’ word that you should avoid saying at all costs when at the craps table. The dreaded ‘S’ word that you should never speak at a craps table is ‘seven.’ If you mention that word out loud at the table, expect your fellow players to give you some dirty looks and potentially some choice words.

You’ll want to avoid using this word, as the vast majority of craps players bet the pass line. People betting the pass line will lose their wager if a seven is rolled. Therefore, speaking the word ‘seven’ at the craps table is considered bad luck, and it should be avoided completely.

If you’ve decided to wager on the don’t pass option, you still should avoid speaking the number seven out loud. Players making the don’t pass bet are looking for a seven to be rolled to win the bet. However, you need to keep in mind that the rest of the players at the table will lose if a seven is rolled. Therefore, it is best to keep the sevens unspoken.

Keep Your Arms and Hands Out of the Playing Area

How To Tip A Craps Dealer

One thing that you’ll want to make sure of is that you keep your hands and arms out of the table playing area. This is especially true if you’re at the opposite end of the table from the shooter. From time to time, the dice can take a crazy bounce and end up heading towards the walls. Your goal is to make sure that you’re never in the playing area where the dice might hit you.

While the dice hitting someone doesn’t kill the play, it can cause issues with your fellow players. As we’ve covered earlier, craps players are some of the most superstitious casino players. If the dice were to hit another player and then end up being a seven, the table wouldn’t be happy.

To help avoid any issues, simply remember to keep your arms and hands out of the playing areas at all times. Often, players do this by accident when they are not paying attention to the game at the moment. They might be chatting with a fellow player and lose track of what they are doing with their body. Just make sure to keep track of your hands and arms at all times so that there is no way for the dice to hit you.

Bet on Time and Quickly

At a casino craps table, players are not fans of waiting. When it is your turn to make a bet, make sure that you act on time and quickly. While I’m not saying that you have to toss your chips on the table the first second available, you also shouldn’t be standing around deciding what to do when it is time to bet.

Be sure to think ahead about the next bet that you want to place. Also, consider how much you’d like to wager on that bet. By thinking ahead, you’ll be able to quickly place your next wager when the table opens for bets. Your fellow tablemates and the dealer will be thankful that you acted quickly.

If you’re not sure when to bet, look to the dealer for guidance. It’s better to ask the dealer as opposed to assuming something. When in doubt, don’t place a wager. You don’t want to try placing a wager when it is not yet time to bet.

Summary

Hopefully you learned something new from my blog on craps etiquette. If you’re new to playing craps, do your best to keep all of this in mind at the table. If you can perfect these etiquette tips, you’ll blend right in with the others and not piss off your fellow players or the dealer. Best of luck to you in your future craps adventures!

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