How Much to Tip the Dealer at the Casino

Tipping is a part of casino culture, but how much do you tip the dealer for each casino game? Our helpful guide can show you the way.

Tipping at casinos is more than just good etiquette—it’s an economic lifeline for dealers who rely on gratuities for up to 70% of their total income. Like so much of the service industry, the dealers rarely get a living wage from their employers and rely on tips to pay their bills.

It’s less of a thing in Europe, where casinos tend to pay their employees more, and tipping culture hasn’t taken over to the same extent it has in the USA. So, the attitude to tipping varies depending on where you’re gambling, but in the USA, it’s just good manners to tip everyone from the dealer to the coat check staff.

“Casino dealers don’t just deal cards – they enhance the player experience. Tipping is an acknowledgment of their role in making the game enjoyable.”
— Antony, Las Vegas Blackjack Dealer

How much do Casino Dealers earn anyway?

A comprehensive study by the University of Nevada found that casino dealers earn an average base salary of just $14,700-$19,000 annually, with tips bringing their actual earnings to $35,000-$60,000, depending on the venue and location.

Some dealers earn as little as $2.15 an hour. The American Gaming Association reports that the casino industry employs over 730,000 people nationwide, with approximately 100,000 working as dealers who depend on tipping culture to survive.

So that gives us an idea of how the dealers earn, but it doesn’t quite answer the critical question: how much to tip a casino dealer and how much to tip after winning jackpot? We’ve broken it down into a rough cheat sheet that should help you through.

How Much Should You Tip a Casino Dealer?

Use our quick links above to jump straight to the dealer you would like more tipping information on. If you’re just after a quick guideline, below is our summary of how much to tip each one:

• Blackjack: $5 chip for every 30 minutes or tip the dealer when you leave the table
• Craps: 5% of winnings or $1-$5 per winning roll
• Roulette: $1-$5 chip when you win
• Poker: 5% of pot for tournament wins, $1-$5 per winning hand for cash games
• Baccarat: Bets are often large so tip after a win.
• Big Wins: 1-3$ of jackpots or significant wins is pretty standard.

Tipping on the Casino Floor: Dealers and Pit Bosses

If you’re heading to the tables, then the dealers and croupiers are the heartbeat of the floor. They’re often highly skilled, and the most experienced dealers can make a world of difference to your gaming experience. So, it might surprise you to know the average wage for a casino dealer in North America is just $18.38 an hour.

Of course, the top dealers on the Las Vegas strip make more, and dealers in California make more than in Ohio, but the basic facts remain that casino dealer is not a highly-paid profession. They’re essentially working for minimum wage, and tips make all the difference.

So you need to know how much to tip a dealer or croupier at the casino, and how to go about casino tipping. You can tip a few ways, and the dealer’s favorite might surprise you.

A Las Vegas dealer survey revealed 60% of dealers actually prefer the dealer bets over flat tips, because they add an element of excitement and camaraderie. You’re on the same team, and psychologically, that’s a big boost for both of you, although it doesn’t actually change the game’s odds.

How Much to Tip Blackjack Dealers

• Flat Tip: Give the dealer $5-25, depending on the session length, and a small tip after every natural blackjack win. Keep it proportional to the win.
• Progressive Tipping: Tip more as your winnings increase, with 2-5% considered average, 5-10% if you win $500-$1000, and up to 15% of a big win if you had a great time.
• Dealer Bets: Make an occasional $25 bet for the dealer. If they win, they get the original stake and the winnings. Just make everything clear when you do this to avoid confusion and potential issues for the dealer

How Much to Tip Roulette Croupiers

Each game has its own specific etiquette and choices, and Roulette has its own systems and times to tip.

• Every single number win: Single number bets give you a 35:1 win, so it’s become the social norm to tip $5-25 if your number hits.
• Progressive tipping: This follows the standard practice of 2-5% for small wins, or a minimum $5 tip, 5-10% of your winnings if you have a great session but don’t break $1000, or 10-15% if you do.
• Dealer Bets: Place a bet on the dealer’s behalf and make it absolutely clear.

How Much to Tip Baccarat Dealers

Baccarat generally involves larger wagers, so it has become the standard to tip after a big win. There are options, though, and the two main tipping methods in Baccarat are:

• Big Win Percentage: 3-10% of a big win will be more than enough.
• Dealer Bets: Place an occasional side bet on the dealer’s behalf.

How Much to Tip Poker Dealers

Poker runs the whole gamut, from low stakes 3 card poker through to Texas Hold’Em with life-changing money on the table. So you have to read the room to an extent, but the simple rules are:

• $1-$5 per winning hand in cash games.
• 3-5% of big tournament cashouts or major wins.

How Much to Tip the Craps Dealers

There’s a lot going on at the craps table, and you’ll normally find two dealers, a boxman and a stickman working the table. So you have to account for that when it comes to the tips. Because there are so many of them, laying bets for the dealers can be the cost-effective way to deal with the tipping. Here are some suggestions:

• Pass line tip: Put a $5 bet on the pass line for the crew.
• Hardways tip: Bet $1 on a hard number for the dealer crew.
• Big wins: Sling them 2%–5% of the total profit if you feel generous.

How Much to Tip Slot Attendants

Unless you’re doing something wrong or score a big win requiring a hand pay, you won’t have much to do with the slot attendants. If you do win big enough to meet them, though, then tipping is customary.

A Nevada Gaming Commission Survey revealed that 90% of jackpot winners tip their slot attendant, and with wins exceeding $10,000, the standard tip was $50-$100. So how much do you tip slot attendant? We recommend you stick to this simple formula.

• Minor Hand Pays of $500-$1000: $10-$20 tip, depending on the location and your mood.
• Jackpot payouts $1200+: $20 minimum, or 1-2%% of your win, again depending on the location and your own generosity.
• Machine assistance and minor help: Minimum $5

“Jackpot tipping isn’t required, but it’s appreciated. A $20 tip on a $1,200 win is standard, and high rollers often tip based on personal preference.”
— Karen, Slots Supervisor, Atlantic City Casino

How Much to Tip Cocktail Waitresses and Bar Staff

You quite often get complimentary drinks, but like most servers, casino waitresses and bar staff make most of their money from tips. So remember that and tip accordingly.

It’s not complete altruism, either, as Casino Player Magazine found that frequent tippers receive 35% more drink refills than non-tippers.

That can be a bad thing, as heavy drinking and gambling can be a dangerous combination. But if you’re out to have a good time, then the tips count for you as well.

• Standard tip: $1-$2 per drink.
• High-end Casinos and premium drinks: $5+ per drink.

Tipping at Restaurants, Buffets, and the Cage

If you’re at the casino for any length of time, you’ll probably eat something at some stage. The universal tipping rules apply, but to clear up any doubt:

• Sit-down service: 15%–20% on top of the bill as a gratuity, unless there’s a service charge and then it’s at your discretion.
• Buffet servers: $1–$3 per diner

The cashier’s cage is a strange one, and you might not think tipping is allowed, but generally it’s good form to give a small tip if you’re cashing out a big win. A simple $5-10 tip if you’re cashing out anything over $1000 will do nicely. You don’t have to go crazy here.

Common Casino Tipping Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Not Tipping at All: Some players don’t even think about tipping. They might think it’s unnecessary, or even against the rules. Neither is true and it’s a standard courtesy.

❌ Over-Tipping on Small Wins: You don’t need to tip on every hand, or even every win. Keep it sensible and tip at logical intervals. 

❌ Assuming Dealers Keep all Their Tips: Most casinos pool dealer tips to keep things fair and give everybody a chance to get some money, even if they’re working the less popular daytime shift.

❌ Expecting Special Treatment: Casinos are highly-regulated environments and a tip cannot buy you special treatment or influence the odds. It can make the whole experience more fun, however.

When to Tip More

There are special occasions when it’s just the done thing to give a higher tip to the dealer or croupier. They include:

💵 A $5000+ win: When you win big, the suggested tip is 5-10% of your winnings. Yes that’s a lot, but when you’re having a great day then it’s easier to be generous.

💵 Exceptional Service: Some dealers go above and beyond to give you the ultimate gaming experience. Let them know that with an additional $5-10.

💵 Private High Limit Games: if you’re heading into this rarefied world, raise your minimum tip to $50.

💵 Frequent Casino Visits: if you’re going to be a regular customer at a particular casino then it pays to build a rapport with the team that runs it. A little extra can go a long way here.

Regional Differences in Casino Tipping

American tipping culture is unique. If you’re gambling in London, Prague, Macau, or Sydney, the social norms and even the rules are very different.

In the UK, tipping dealers was banned until 2002, and that culture has continued to this day. Tipping is exceptionally rare in British casinos and normally only happens after a major win. In Macau, tipping is discouraged, and casino managers will often collect all the tips, as they believe tipping could corrupt the dealers.

Due to strict gambling regulations, many Australian casinos still prohibit casino dealer tips completely. So, before you start throwing notes and chips at dealers, it’s good to find out the local customs. A quiet word with the dealer will clear up any confusion before it creates an issue.