I still remember the time when I was in Vegas and saw a man tip $5000 of his winnings to the dealer. I was dumbfounded at this until I got to know that this was considered a common courtesy if you’re having a good day at a table.
The point of tipping the dealer in WSOP is to disburse a fraction of the chips won by the winner as a good gesture to the dealer. It is also a poker tradition to tip the dealer when you win at a table. However, it is not mandatory to tip the dealer in WSOP.
In this article, I’ll answer your questions revolving around the dealings at WSOP and whether they involve real money, and how much money dealers make. I’ll tell you if tipping the dealer helps you win and whether WSOP is rigged or not.
Does Tipping the Dealer in a WSOP App Help You Win Money?
The interface of most online poker websites, including the WSOP, entices players to put all their money in chips. Many of these players end up losing significant amounts of their money, which misleads them into thinking that the dealer has something to do with it.
They think tipping the dealer can save them from losing their money. But this is not true for WSOP. The data transfer at WSOP is administered at the backend to ensure the game is played fairly.
Although generous tips tend to please the dealer, who in return deals with the right attitude and makes the game more enjoyable, it does not help any player win money.
Do Professional Poker Players Tip the Dealers in WSOP?
It is a common practice in poker to tip the dealers at the end of the tournament, but there are no specific rules about tipping the dealer. It is just a tradition that most poker players follow.
In some poker events, however, dealers are guaranteed a tip from the prize pool or as an add-on fee paid by the players. In the case of the latter, the fee is usually announced before the start of play to avoid any inconveniences later on.
In events like WSOP, a small percentage of the prize money is taken out as a dealer’s tip. The tipping percentage is announced at the event table before starting the game. The percentage of the tip depends on the type of event and the amount of the prize money.
At the WSOP main event, the players are charged a total of 3% as the tournament staff fee. Out of this fee, 60% is given to the dealers, and the WSOP company keeps the remaining. Since the dealers are already paid an extra amount other than their daily wages, players are not bound to tip them additionally.
The exact amount that players tip the dealer varies depending on multiple factors. If you’re interested in learning more about these factors, read my guide on how much WSOP winners tip.
How Much Do WSOP Dealers Make?
This year, WSOP will be hosted by Paris Las Vegas and Bally’s, who are offering around 600 tables for poker and other WSOP events. It also announced an updated pay scale for its dealers before the 53rd Annual WSOP event.
The minimum pay for dealers will be $12.5 per hour, and they will also be paid a bonus of $100 when they complete their first shift. The new pay structure also states that all dealers will be paid $15 per down for all the Hold’em and side events at the WSOP. For all the non-Hold’em events, $20 per down will be paid.
Bonuses will also be announced at the end of the tournament, depending on the total number of downs made by a dealer. Any remaining funds would also be paid as bonuses at the end of each event. Dealers also get the tip left by any player at their table.
It is estimated that the dealers make at least $5000 every season of the WSOP.
Does WSOP Use Real Money?
The only gaming offered by the WSOP that uses real money is in the states of Nevada and New Jersey. All other games use digital currency. Moreover, you need the right software to play with real money, which adds to the overall hassle.
Even though gaming using real money isn’t possible at WSOP, it is possible to deposit and withdraw funds as real money from anywhere in the world using the payment methods provided by the WSOP.
Players who wish to play for real money need to keep a few things in mind:
- They should physically be in Nevada or New Jersey to play for real money on the WSOP website.
- The players should remember that the games on WSOP.com can only be played on computers. You cannot access any games through your mobile phone. Along with being present at the right locations, players must ensure their laptops or computers fulfill the minimum specifications required to play WSOP games.
- The players playing for real money need to learn how to deposit and withdraw funds from gaming accounts to their bank accounts. The procedure to make these transactions is mentioned on the WSOP website.
I’ve written a more comprehensive article on the topic of real money in WSOP. Don’t miss it if you want a more detailed answer.
Is WSOP Rigged?
When playing online poker in tournaments on websites such as WSOP.com, a question often arises: are the dealings rigged or not? Players who lose their money often blame the website they’re playing at or the event host (in this case, WSOP) for being unfair. However, this is not true.
The WSOP is a large-scale poker event, and security agencies constantly monitor the transfer of data between the player and the host. The games also undergo a checking process to make sure all dealings are done fairly.
That’s why it is ensured that none of the games played at WSOP online are rigged.
If you still have your doubts, check out my full article on whether WSOP online is rigged.
Conclusion
One does not necessarily need to tip the dealer at the WSOP. It certainly won’t influence your dealings. It is only done by professionals if they like the dealer’s service.
The dealers make a handsome amount of money working fairly at the WSOP and are least likely to cheat for small amounts.