“How much should I tip?” Good question.
Players frequently ask the person they’re about to tip after winning a big tournament. But the truth is there’s no single right answer. It depends on your situation.
However, instead of giving you the tired old line, “It depends on the quality of service,” I’m going to give you some real answers today from my perspective as a tournament director.
We’ll look at tipping from three angles: the industry professional, the recreational player, and the pro.
Ask The Org: How much should I tip if I cash in a poker tournament?
Industry personnel
Let’s start here: you’re not entitled to a single dollar from any pot, no matter its size or the size of the tournament.
That may sound harsh, but it’s a crucial mindset. People who work in the industry are, in a sense, playing a numbers game too. Over time, great customer service earns more than poor customer service ever will.
For example, if someone wins a $100 pot and tips you $25, you’d never say, “Whoa, that’s too much, here’s $22 back, since $3 is the average.”
The flip side? You can’t complain if someone tips less than expected. It’s the same concept in the other direction. Play the long game. Deliver consistently excellent service, that’s the mindset that will serve you best.
Smiling costs nothing, but often pays better.
The recreational player
Again, no set number here, no magic percentage or formula. Tipping, for you, is all about your particular mindset.
If poker isn’t your livelihood, it’s perfectly fine to handle tipping case by case: trip by trip, day by day, or pot by pot, as you see fit.
Here’s something to consider: Every dollar you bring to the casino usually ends up going to one of three places — the other players, the house, or the staff.
Let's face it, most recs are expecting to leave with less than they came with anyway. But what I’ve never heard a person say is, "My God, I wish I could go and get back that tip that I gave to the staff."
And when a player says, "I don’t want to tip the staff because a pro once told me not to," and you know you’re not a winning player, then what you’re really saying is, ‘I’d rather give it to the house or another player.’
Recreational players often win a big pot and then head to higher-stakes slots, a blackjack table, or jump into a bigger poker game. That’s just what happens.
If you planned your trip with a certain budget and went home ahead, it’s great. Perhaps share a little of that with the people who made your experience better. When you have a good night, tip what feels right, especially if you’ve received the type of service I described above. Pick a number and go with it. I’m sure that will be fine.
The professional player
Now this one’s tricky. Honestly? I have no idea what the 'right' number is. You’d probably be better off asking a full-time pro like Faraz Jaka, Doug Polk, or Daniel Negreanu. They’ve built systems for this. But whatever you decide, approach tipping with consistency.
Negreanu's good with numbers: ask him.I often hear pros say, “They already take enough for the staff, I’m not tipping.” And then when I ask them, “How much do you think we take for the staff?” The response is usually silence. Why? Because they don’t really know. They’re just repeating something they’ve heard.
If you’ve done your homework and decided, 'I’ll tip only if the staff share is below a certain amount,' that’s fine, I respect that. But if you just assume every casino takes too much without knowing how much it is or what constitutes 'too much,' that’s where I’d hope there’s a change of action.
My suggestion: Have a system, and stick to it. And if you wouldn’t mind during payouts, don’t try to influence the actions of the ones who might be in a different position. There’s no need to convince others to tip less in order to justify your own choices, because they don’t need justification. You’re playing for a living. They’re playing for fun. Let everyone do their own thing.
Wrapping it up
Whatever you decide to tip or not tip, I’ll always hold myself to a higher standard.
If it’s my lucky day and I happen to win a tournament or a big pot, I’ll tip more than anything I’ve suggested here.
At the end of the day, let’s all enjoy the game.
Thanks for reading my annual public service tipping announcement. I hope you had a good experience reading my thoughts on tipping. And if you need my Zelle, cash app, Swedish bank account number or my BTC address to send a tip my way, don’t be shy. Just ask. And of course, I’m kidding. Sort of.
A tipping story from me
I can tell you as somebody in this industry, I have almost never been upset with any kind of tip that I've gotten.
But there was one exception where a player won a very large sum of money, and they left zero dollars. It was fine, whatever. I didn't care at all in the moment until I found out a few months later that he was arrested.
He was sent to jail for embezzling millions and millions of dollars from his company. At that point I thought to myself, ‘Why couldn't he have pulled a Robin Hood my way just that one time? Just that one time. Come on!’
It’s the only time I've ever been upset with a tip.
Got a tricky ruling you’d like my take on? Drop it in the comments and I’ll feature some of the best ones in future columns.
Justin Hammer is the Live Events Director for PokerAtlas, online Tournament Director for the Texas-based poker app Hijack, and a Tournament Director for Thunder Valley Casino Resort.
He also brings his expertise as a consultant and minority owner of Desert Bluffs Casino in Kennewick, Washington. With years of experience across live, online, and casino operations, Justin has established himself as a trusted leader in the poker world.
For more info visit PokerAtlas, HijackPoker, and bluffs.poker. Follow Justin on X.
