Main Event Final Table Tipping
The data’s just starting to come in … as final WSOP dealer paychecks went out last week:
I picked up my toke check from the final table on Thursday. I got a grand total of $9.37 for my 8 main event downs so an extra $1.17 a down.
Hmm, OK, so if I’m doing my math right … that comes to an extra $2.34/hr (pre-tax) for WSOP main event dealers. Not sure if that’s good/bad or fair/not — but theoretically an additional $800 from the November Nine for a week’s worth of main event dealing doesn’t sound too shabby. Obviously dealers weren’t thrilled that nearly half of the remaining $32 million in main event prize pool money still to be toked out — 1st and 2nd place — went to two Euros, who come from quite the different tipping cultures. (Seriously, when Danes have to give 60 percent to their gov, can you really blame them for stiffing the pizza guy?)
But hey, the penguins dealt the turns and rivers. So clearly, it’s all in their hands: WSOP dealers reap what they sew. No?
Poker Shrink says:
December 3rd, 2008 at 10:19am
See how this fits in with the math. My information is that the “tip” from the final table amounted to $900,000.
Jimmy says:
December 3rd, 2008 at 1:51pm
How much was withheld from the prize pool for staff? Did dealers get any of that money?
zachdealer says:
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:09pm
I had 54 downs and my check was a whopping $74. But when someone told em i was gettign about a $500 check I laughed and said no way it could be over $100 with all the dealers we share it with. I was prepared!
DanM says:
December 3rd, 2008 at 4:55pm
***How much was withheld from the prize pool for staff? Did dealers get any of that money?***
I don’t have the exact percentages handy, but indeed, that money — I think like 70 percent of it — goes to dealers. I could be wrong, though.
On the surface of it, I don’t think it seems that bad if Harrah’s corporate got 4th place money, and the dealers got 9th place money.
Anyone wanna try to figure out how many downs total constitute the main event?
Ben Matlock says:
December 3rd, 2008 at 6:44pm
I’m just dumb…can anyone give the definition of a “down” please.
DanM says:
December 3rd, 2008 at 6:50pm
A down is a dealer shift at a table. So a down usually represents 30 minutes of work-time.
John Thomas says:
December 4th, 2008 at 1:22pm
A Tip is optional right? Im tired of people complaining. Good service gets Tips…Shitty dealers 0….
DanM says:
December 4th, 2008 at 1:43pm
John, let’s assume you’re right — because absolutely, dealers love to whine and complain and bitch and compulsively gamble and not pay back bloggers they owe money to.
But would you be happy if a certain percentage of your income were determined by someone else’s whim, unrelated to your own personal work performance?
YoureAnAss says:
October 5th, 2009 at 7:06pm
@John Thomas: STFU jackass.