Seems like everyone is prepping in some way or another for the WSOP. And that includes a lot of Dallas dealers. About a dozen or so of our favorite hometown card-flingers will be working the Series this year … so expect some quality pitches at the Rio this time-around, along with a strong understanding of poker rules and maybe even extra suckouts. Tell me if you disagree: When it comes to passion and professionalism, Dallas dealers are better than most. Right? At least the ones I know who will be working the Series are. After all, some of them are Pokerati\’s Myspace friends.
Dealers from Dallas and all across the country have been auditioning in Las Vegas for the past month (and will continue to do so through May 8. Some will be returning next week for additional training (on games such as Badugi and triple-draw). Very cool … because the qualification process alone suggests that Harrah\’s has taken last year\’s disgruntled dealer problems to heart, and overhauled its dealer operations, which should be good for players and dealers alike.
ALT HED: Thinking inside the Box
OK, I know this makes me such a homer, but I gotta say I feel pretty good about seeing at least one Dallas pokerer at the final table of Event #1 — the $500 Casino Employees tournament.
I just had a look at the dealer info, is there no minimum wage over there? I know that a lot’s made in tips, but $6 odd an hour is awful.
I was going to ask if UK dealers can take part, but last audition is on the 8th, so there’s not much time left.
I’ll stick to my random betting.
StalkerB – http://crazypunts.blogspot.com
I am almost positive it will come out to way more than $6 an hour in the form of tips. (this year the dealers will not be pooling their cash-game tips, which is a good thing.)
waitresses in the us get paid a token sub-minimum wage here, too … but that is just a supplement to the bulk of their income, which is made via tips.
you know there’s kinda a stereotype here that you Euros aren’t exactly the best tippers around.
p.s. (unrelated) Go Liverpool!
It’s not that they’re bad tippers, it’s that they’re employers pay better making workers less reliant on tips.
Not to mention the higher rakes over there.
And shouldn’t it be… go Texans! I’m feeling excluded.
I would much rather see dealers paid a fair wage from the house and a no tipping policy put in place. Increase the entry fees appropriately, document where the money goes, and problem solved.
It seems that would make everything much simpler, and it would keep any wage disputes where they should be: between employer and employee, keeping the customer out of the loop entirely.
THANKS FOR THE LOVE DAN! I’LL SEE YOU ON THE TABLE!
Yes, Jimmy, and hiring robots would also simplify things. By your logic — which indeed, seems sensible on the surface — waitresses and bartenders should also be paid this way. But shouldn’t I be able to reward for above-and-beyond service?
Last year the dealers shared their cash game tips, and this made us tip less … which made the dealers less pleasant … which made us tip less …
Don’t get me wrong, the Las Vegas “service” industry has gotten carried away with their beliefs on who should get tipped what. But in general, I’m not so sure the service industry in general should be overhauled to the point where we can’t reward based on merit.
I don’t want to reward someone for above and beyond service. I want his employer to do so. I don’t want to be put in the middle of the employer-employee issue of wages.
Jimmy, not to be a jerk … but have you ever worked for tips? I am getting the sense that you are simply “cheap” — as I will guess some of your dates in the past have also noticed.
Only semi-related, I gotta think poker dealing, kinda like porn, is one of the few jobs where women generally make more than men.
Just the other night I was playing in a 1-2-5 game … and my standard tip for the guy dealer was $1. For the cute chick dealer(s) it was $2.
ya it sucks
wish I had boobs
oh and Dan, Nice Zing! on Jimmy there… high five!
In fairness, it should be noted that I was one of the
cheapest bastardssmaller tippers in that game. But hey, what can ya do … I may make a terrible play here and there, but I understand the challenge of beating the rake(s). And I was stuck!