Hello. This is my first post. If you prefer me to give an introduction, I will if there's a new member intro section. Regardless, I hope you enjoy the post.
I've been in Vegas now for over 15 years. In my time here, I've hit numerous jackpots requiring a handpay and have heard many opinions about tipping the dealer, slot attendant, bartender or whoever pays out your jackpot. I recently hit my largest jackpot ever. All this tipping business has been on my mind since then. I'd like to share some tipping stories with you and read your response.
When I first moved to town back in 2003, I was at a bar and overheard the bartender telling someone that the standard tip for any jackpot is supposed to be 10%. At the time, that seemed like a ridiculous amount of money to be tipping. My opinion has not changed since. A couple years later I hear another bartender telling the same 10% story. I guess this is some BS tipping standard that a bunch of service industry people think is normal.
In late 2003 I went to the Suncoast with my Mom and Dad to play Bingo (Bingo is awesome!). We arrived early, so I told my parents that I was going to meet them in the Bingo hall after playing some VP. My parents however had no idea that I had graduated to betting max on $1 vp.
I hit a royal. $4000. It was incredible. It was actually my 2nd royal because I hit one for $1000 a few months earlier, but never had I won this kind of money. I couldn't wait to tell Mom and Dad. They were so happy for me.
The slot attendant takes my ID and social, then comes back with the W2 and 40 $100 bills. Knowing that I'm supposed to tip something, I just couldn't cough up the 10% / $100. So I tipped her $50 and lemme tell ya....she was not happy about it. She went silent. Didn't thank me and spoke few words before departing. I thing the only thing she made sure of was to have me play one more hand just to make the royal disappear.
The next time I came into the Suncoast, I saw this woman and she saw me. I waved hi and all I got was a glare. I was the cheap guy who tipped $50 on $4000.
A month or so later I'm at a nearby bar called The Outside Inn. Some guy at the bar hits a royal for $10,000. He tips the bartender $1000. By the look on his face he clearly was regretting it as the money left his hand.
Later that year I was at Palace playing $1 VP. This time I hit aces kicked for $2000. At the time I was a car salesman making pretty good money, so I was a lot more generous with my tipping. This time however, my generosity got the best of me.
After the hand pay, I passed the lady $100. She said, "Well thank you very much!" She left and moments later I decided to count the money one more time. Guess what? I had only $1800. How did that happen if I tipped her $100?? I realized that she had miscounted the handpay on purpose....taking $100 from my jackpot and the $100 tip. She was gonna get her money regardless if I tipped or not.
I marched the casino floor tracking her down. When I found her I told her what happened. She said, "I'm sorry, but I put the tip in the drop already. We have no way of knowing if the handpay was correct." That crunchy lady stole my money. I went home. Lesson learned.
A couple years later I was at GVR playing $1 VP yet again. I was in the high roller room sitting at the bar. The bartender at the time was a very attractive blonde gal who was always real nice to me. I'm deal the Queen of clubs and the 10 of clubs with 3 other cards. Normally I would not actually hold the 10 with the Queen just because it's suited, but for whatever reason I choose to.
Boom! Out comes the other royal clubs. $4000. Since then I have always held the 10....but never hit another royal that way.
The blonde gal gives me the handpay and thanks me for the $100 tip. I was kinda nervous because she was cute, so I asked her if it was an okay tip. She said, "Oh yeah. Your good. $100 on $4000 is fine." She then says, "Get this. the other day some guy was in here who won $65,000 and tipped me $40." Now that's bad. Seriously. $40 on $65,000??? C'mon man. At least give the girl $100.
A week later I'm at the same bar. The guy to my right hits a royal for $100,000. Tips nothing....
That same month I'm in the same casino playing Texas no-limit in the poker room and the bad-beat jackpot hits. Straight flush over quads. We all win money. At some point the conversation starts about the proper amount to tip if you win the bad-beat jackpot. Some guy says that he was here last year when it was hit in this poker room. The guy tipped $3000 and the other guy tipped $1500. I was sitting near the dealer when he said this. She looks at me and says, "That's an obscene tip. Obscene." Too high I asked? She nodded yes and said to never tip like that.
A couple years ago I started going to this bar not far from my house. On my 2nd or 3rd visit I hit a royal for $1000. At the time I really needed the money. So I explained to the bartender that I'm not an obscene tipper (Remembering the GVR dealer from years ago). I gave her $40 and I could tell she thought it was shitty. I kept going into the bar over the years and eventually her and I got pretty cool with each other. Since then I have tipped her stupid amounts of money that were clearly obscene. I think I gave her $60 on $200 the other day. Whatever....
Last month I'm at Dottys betting $1.50 on a 7-spot. I hit the button and 3 of the numbers hit, then 5 and then the 6th. I'm so happy because now I know I'm going to get $600. Before the numbers finish coming out, the 7th number hits.....#42.
I've hit my largest jackpot ever! $10,500. I'm totally stoked and everyone is hovering around to see the win. My credit card bills were about $10k, so the timing was perfect. I paid everything off and smiled about it.
A manager must show up to handle the pay. She says they don't have enough cash on hand to pay me. She offers $2000 in cash and $8000 on a check. I accept the offer. She hands me the check and the guy behind the counter slaps down 20 $100 bills.
And now the tip....
There's no way in hell I'm giving this guy $1000. He served me a Perrier and asked me if I wanted another. There's waiters in this town that slave away all night long over 10-20 tables who are lucky to walk home with $200. I'm not giving this guy $1000. I just can't do it. I can't even give him $500. No way. Then I remembered that I have over $500 still in the machine. So......I tipped the guy $300 and he says thank you. I then cash out the machine for about $550 and tip nothing on that. I just gave the guy $300!!!
The next time I go in there, I say hello to the guy. He basically ignores me. I guess my $300 tip just wasn't good enough for him. I was supposed to tip at least $500 in order to get good service I guess.
A few days later I'm back in the same place but a different guy is behind the counter. We get to talking a little bit and I tell him about my $10,500 jackpot and that I thought the $300 tip was pretty good. He informs me that it was not a great tip. He then proceeded to explain to me the expected tipping etiquette for jackpots in Las Vegas.
He says it's 10%. I say, "Oh, really??" like I've never heard that one before.....
Wow!!! All these years later, these people are still trying to hammer away at this supposed 10% Vegas tipping standard. And listen to his excuse why it's appropriate.
"We get excited when A jackpot hits." LOL
I said, "Well, what about the taxes?? I have to pay taxes on that."
He says, "Well, in that case you would just subtract the expected taxes from the total payout and then tip 10% off of that."
Sorry, but that's not going to happen wither buddy.
Moments later, I hit 6 out of 7 on one of their newer machines for over $800. I switch to some stupid Keno game with a horrible pay schedule that I've never played before. I hit 6 out of 7 with a 5x multiplier. = $1000. I get bored and switch to some ridiculous VP game that has a bonus section. In the bonus, I hit a flush for $75, a full house for $150 and quads for $600. So now, I got $2600 in this machine. Never in my life have I ever got a machine that high without having to pay taxes. I'm sure it will never happen again.
I cash out and give the guy $150 and he's just fine with it. Honestly, I kinda liked the guy because like me, he had spent his life playing golf.
From now on I think I'll just stick with 1% or keep the whole dame thing. They can take whatever I give them and be happy about it. Or don't be happy. I really don't care. If they're gonna complain about a $300 tip, then I'll give 'em something to complain about......nothing.
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I view it like an ATM....I don't like paying a fee (or tip) to get my own money. 
