No Tip for You!
Defending champ Jamie Gold’s first reported not-good: He supposedly promised the dealers a $1 million tip if he won, and he did, but he didn’t deliver. First, we have reports from a WSOP dealer on Pokerati, and now “coonie” has put up his first-person account of stiffage on PokerBlog.
Bad form, to say the least. But a complete final-table snubbing? Either poker players are assholes as a race, or they are making collective commentary. When “the house” (Harrah’s) is already taking an over-substantial vig … and selling the shit out of everything in the near vicinity, it’s understandable — not necessarily right, but understandable — that the players decide, you know what, we’ve given enough … I earned this money.
With dealers reporting a huge pay decrease and veterans declaring their disinterest in returning and players already complaining about the quality (and quantity) of dealer scabs … this is probably one of the very first issues Pollack & Co. will have to look at. And how they handle it … well 2007 will be the real test of corporate poker influence, and whether it will improve or corrupt the game.
My suggestion: Go to a “no tipping” vig. Take out enough from the prize pool to adequately compensate dealers by the hour. Then, if a player wants to personally reward a specific dealer, it’s on them — appreciated, but not expected — to find that dealer and thank them with a tip.
And if the WSOP institutes a dealer toke for extra chips … then you’ll really know the sanctity of poker is gone, or at least irrelevant.
Tulsa says:
August 19th, 2006 at 6:06pm
Dan: Me=curious. Who reported it before you?
DanM says:
August 19th, 2006 at 8:29pm
eric, i don’t understand your question. who reported what before whom? that dealers got stiffed? not sure … it’s been all over the internet.
Tulsa says:
August 19th, 2006 at 10:50pm
Who reported that he would give one million as a tip. Near as I can tell, it was you.
DanM says:
August 19th, 2006 at 10:58pm
I reported what some dealers reported to me. But when I made a mention of it in the media room, the others acted like it was old news … like everyone knows that already. someone (i’m not sure who) said ESPN captured the pledge, but I have no confirmation of it.
the dealers definitely believed they had a million coming their way if he won. i’ll see if we can’t figure out where they got that idea.
DanM says:
August 20th, 2006 at 12:51pm
eric, i checked with one of the vociferous dealers, and here’s what he says about where/how the rumor got started:
http://www.pokerblog.com/frustrated-circuit-dealer.html#new
(scroll down to about the 10th comment.)
by the way, i also heard that TBR promised a $1 million tip if he won. i heard it from a little voice in my head. granted he is a liar whenever the need fits, but still … let’s just pretend it’s true — meaning he disappointed not only the batfaces and his family, but also the WSOP dealers.