Attitude Toward Dealers: Who Tips More—The Grateful Tourist or the Local Who Sees Them Every Day?
I was at a blackjack table the other night and hit a decent streak. I made sure to tip the dealer after every big hand because I was just so happy to be winning during my vacation, but I noticed the guy next to me, who seemed to know everyone by name, barely tipped at all despite winning even more. It made me feel a bit awkward, like maybe I was overdoing it or he was being cheap. Is there some unwritten rule I’m missing? Do people who play every day treat tipping differently because it’s more of a business transaction for them, or am I just being a typical over-excited tourist?
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It’s a funny dynamic to watch, for sure. As someone who lives nearby and plays a few times a week, I’ve realized my tipping style is much more about "slow and steady" rather than big splashes. Tourists often tip based on their current mood or a huge win, but locals view it as maintaining a relationship with the staff they see all the time. I actually saw a breakdown of these social differences on https://bdgovt.info/the-casino-tourist-vs-the-casino-local/ and it’s true that locals treat the casino like their neighborhood lounge. We might tip smaller amounts, but we do it consistently because we want to be welcomed back. A tourist might drop a huge tip once and never return, whereas a local knows that a little kindness and a steady stream of smaller tips goes a long way when you’re there week after week.