How to get preferred treatment in a poker room?

[Rick Nebiolo]

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After reading numerous posts over the last few months on "regulars" receiving preferential treatment in a room, I am starting to rethink my approach, which has always been low-key.

Here is what I would imagine one needs to do to become a regular who has the floorman and most dealers giving them small but significant edges (such as quietly putting them in a game when there is a long wait, siding with them on grey area table decisions, etc.) :

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I like a low key approach and your reference to using good manners; good manners are rare and under-appreciated these days. But I have a problem with your motivation, especially regarding getting preferential seating.

Yeah, the reality is tipping/being friendly with staff/etc. will get you preferential seating in many cardrooms. But that isn't true in some clubs or with some floor (I wish I could use the word "many" instead of "some" here but I've been around).

Backstory: I worked the floor for five years in the late nineties and as a host/lead prop a few years back. I may work again someday for a variety of reasons I don't want to discuss here. I'm human, I always treated the good customers (those who were nice, not necessarily those who tipped better) with a higher level of courtesy, but it never extended to preferential seating.

My view is you should treat people by default with respect simply because it is the right thing to do. Of course some people over time demonstrate that they don't deserve your respect. Even then you should treat them reasonably well; but because we are human it is understandable if we treat them a little less well than the nicer people.

If I was the floor and you had my respect for the reasons mentioned above you would have an advantage. You would get one of the first listens in a dispute over facts before a ruling and perhaps more credibility. I might work harder to get you a requested table change (without slipping you ahead of someone else that I was aware of). Or I might let you know where the "action" tables are when you ask for a seat among many. But don't expect a seat ahead of someone else ahead of you on a list.

Then again, maybe a person like me shouldn't work the floor if they have bills to pay.

~ Rick

[BigBuffet]

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I just spent the last weekend playing at Caesar's AC and not only did I rarely get thanked for tokes...

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If a dealer doesn't thank me or knock the chip on the box or something, I don't tip him or her again that session.

[vhawk01]

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I just spent the last weekend playing at Caesar's AC and not only did I rarely get thanked for tokes...

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If a dealer doesn't thank me or knock the chip on the box or something, I don't tip him or her again that session.

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Don't worry, this dealer is on my "no tip ever at any session" list. In fact, she became only the second member of that list.

[poker327]

I stopped playing at Caesars AC because the dealers there are too slow and too chatty, resulting in few hands per hour and putting me on tilt.

[otter]

I can't understand why somebody would tip the cage?

[vhawk01]

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I stopped playing at Caesars AC because the dealers there are too slow and too chatty, resulting in few hands per hour and putting me on tilt.

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Last weekend was my first visit there ever. I would agree with both of your criticisms, thats exactly their problem, and some of them are pretty surly too. However, the room itself is nice, the floor seemed competent and friendly, and the players were...awesome. I'll be going back this weekend, we'll see how it goes. It has the potential to become my new room.

[vhawk01]

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I can't understand why somebody would tip the cage?

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I tip them pretty much every time I cash out an odd amount. Its not to get any special treatment, just to show appreciation.

[*TT*]

A nice personality that the staff can relate to goes a LONG way. If your personality sucks start tipping. Big. And even then expect to get ignored because your personality sucks.

[Maliant]

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From a purely EV standpoint, I can't see how tipping the cage is going to be any benefit whatsoever. How would you get preferred treatment from them, except for the possibility of outright stealing?

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Good strategy to save money is never have chips to cash out so u dont need to tip people at cage.

Not to turn this into a tipping thread (ew!) but I've never tipped at the cage. I will also say that the folks at the cage generally recognize me, and are always pleasant, even though I've never tipped them.

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[tommy2]

I tip the cage mostly because it looks like a thankless job. I never have received anything from it, nor do I expect to. I only mention it to show that I am willing to tip beyond just the dealers.