Bellagio poker question: tips

[KPrather]

Something I was wondering when I played at Bellagio last month, but didn't think to ask. Do the dealers in the Bellagio poker room keep their own tips or pool?

It seems like with stakes varying like they do, they would pool, but the dealers put their tips in their shirt pockets rather than a toke box. That seems highly unusual if they are pooling. (I also wonder how they get all of their tips to fit in their pocket.)

Anyone in the know?

[Martini]

I don't know about pooling. You're right that putting chips in their pockets would complicate the pooling process but the amount could easily be audited via cameras and the risk of losing one's job would likely far outweigh shaving off some chips to keep so it doesn't seem impossible that they would pool. As far as their pockets go since each shift at a table is relatively short I'm sure they can just empty out tips before moving to their next table.

[stooks99]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Bellagio+poker+room+phone+number

[Jambine]

I believe they do keep their own (as do most poker dealers in Vegas)

[William]

They keep their own tips. Dealers rotate through all tables, including the high stakes and Bobby's Room. And the dealers tip the chiprunners.

Using security cameras to keep track of tips would be way too time consuming considering all the tables out there (not just poker, but also blackjack and roulette).

Dealer's are paid minimum wages, but the tables I've sat at ($1/$2 NL and $4/$8 FL) they make at least an additional $6-$8 per rotation. I haven't kept track of how long each rotation lasts, but I think it's about 30 minutes. I could be wrong though, but I don't remember a dealer dealing all the games at HORSE.

[KPrather]

30 minutes sounds about right. I played for an hour and change and had three dealers.

Very interesting that the dealers would keep their own given the vast difference in table stakes.

[William]

That's why they rotate to a new table every 30 minutes. Every dealer spends an equal amount of time at $1/$2 tables and an equal amount of time at $500/$1,000 tables.

[Casivegas]

There are casino's in Vegas where the dealers split theire tips with other dealers from the same shift.