Something many people are unaware of is that if you give someone a large tip for an instance of extraordinary service, your tip will be shared with the other employees in that service group on that shift. To comply with IRS regulations, all tips must be pooled and taxes withheld by the employer before the remaining money is divided among the workers. So your big tip is first taxed and then the balance is split up evenly between all the workers in that group. Sometimes even the lowest level of supervision shares in the tip pool. This doesn’t seem to bother some people, but it bothers me.

In a restaurant, the tipping situation is well defined. The 15-percent tip has become so standardized that many patrons leave 15 percent whether the service was good, bad, or mediocre. In a casino, however, there are large gray areas. So much so that many people overtip when tipping isn’t even indicated.

Let’s start with the change attendant. Change persons are not normally tipped for making change. So the conventional wisdom is that if a change person provides a special service, a tip would be appropriate. What sort of special service could she provide? I don’t really know. Changing a hundred-dollar bill? But that’s her job, and changing a hundred is not a particularly difficult task. This is probably becoming a moot point, now that almost all machines accept paper currency.

I’ve read in some sites that you should tip a change person who directs you to a “hot” machine. Granted, that would be a special service, but how could she know which machines are hot? And if she really knows, why aren’t her friends playing them?

However, if you walked away from a game, inadvertently leaving your purse behind or some credits in the machine, and the change person chased you down, that would be worth a tip! Of course it’s much easier when you play in an online casino.

After winning a jackpot, you might tip the change person, just because you feel generous. But then, shouldn’t you also tip the person who paid you off and the security guard who accompanied this person? How about the minimum-wage person who cleaned up the coin wrappers and the ashtrays around your machine? Should you tip all these people? Remember that you will probably pay taxes on your winnings. Any tips you give out will be pooled and taxed as well.
The other service provider that you encounter while playing slots is the cocktail waitress. This is a no-brainer. You normally tip her fifty cents to a dollar per drink, depending on her efficiency and the complexity of the drink you order. If you are playing a dollar machine, I suggest you tip at least a dollar or you will look like a cheapskate.

This may be because playing slot machines is different than ordinary activities, and the casino environment is different than ordinary environments. Just so that you know what is expected, I will explain the correct approach to use for some situations that may not arise in everyday life.

When you are looking for a suitable slot machine to play, do not crowd the other slot players. Slot machine play tends to be a solitary activity, so many patrons do not like a stranger looking over their shoulder while they are spinning the reels.

Before you sit down at a machine, be certain that it is not in use. Check that the person sitting one or two seats away is not playing more than one machine. Ask, if necessary. A cup on the handle, a purse or sweater on the chair, an inserted slot club card, or a burning cigarette are all signs that someone stepped away from the machine for a moment. Yes, it is foolish to leave personal belongs at a machine to reserve it, but that is what some people do.

If you want to reserve a machine while you go to the restroom, ask an attendant who will usually accommodate you by placing a RESERVED sign on the machine. If the casino is not crowded the attendant may even agree to reserve the machine while you go to dinner. However, the casino will not be happy if you reserve one machine and then go off to play another.

Although most casinos have an overabundance of security people, don’t let that lull you into doing foolish things like placing your purse in the space between two machines. Always keep it on your shoulder or on your lap. Laying down rolls of quarters is also not a good idea; keep them in your pocket or purse. Always assume that there are opportunists hanging around in every casino waiting for you to let down your guard.

REEL GOOD ADVICE

Avoid bringing a purse when you go gambling. A fanny pack is more secure, but only if you keep it strapped securely to your body. As soon as you remove it, it is no safer than a purse. The best approach is to carry everything in your pockets.

Finally, successful players are aware that alcohol dulls a person’s judgment. Consequently, most of them never drink alcoholic beverages during a playing session. They reserve this activity to celebrate a big win or bemoan their losses.