Okay, I guess I have heard enough misinformation about our compensation at the WSOP. I was a poker dealer there this year. First of all, I will say I took home about $10K after taxes. For six weeks of work, that wasn't so bad. It was actually a little more than I made in my previous life as a computer programmer. But I did work more hours than most of the other dealers and I only had about 4 days off. I heard that last year, most of the dealers took home $15K or more and one actually make $35K. But last year, the dealers got to keep their own tips and weren't taxed on most of that. We had to share our tips were taxed on them just like income. For the first three weeks of the series, we shared 25 percent of our tokes with the chip runners and cage persons. Our tokes were also calculated on an hourly basis, i.e. between the time we clocked in and clocked out(plus we did get a whole $5.25 per hour salary). If you only dealt six 30-minute downs in eight hours, you were paid the same as someone who dealt 14 downs in eight hours. After some of the dealers revolted, Harrah's changed things a bit for the better. The last three weeks, we were paid by the down and we kept 90 percent of the tokes instead of 75.
Before I go on, I want to mention some other things about the first three weeks. Our hourly toke rate during that time was very low. Many of the dealers were clocking in early and wandering off. Many of the dealers would take extended breaks, go eat, and others would just go home without being told to do so. Because of this, the dealer coordinators were forced to bring in more dealers during each shift. Some dealers even complained that they weren't getting enough breaks, so they put in more break tables(a table where when the dealer pushes in, they then go on break when the hal hour is up), which also required more dealers.
Now, let me try to explain how they figured out the toke rate for the final three weeks. Here is where we got paid for the time that we actually dealt. So the people how took extra breaks or went home early were penalized, as is should be. But again some people complained about not getting enough breaks, which meant that more dealers were brought in. Also, some dealers were sent home once they reached a certain number of downs in a week. Yes, Harrah's took out a certain percentage from every tournament. For the $50,000 HORSE event, the fee for the dealers, chip runners and cage was 0.75 percent. For the $5,000 - $10,000 events, the fee was 1.5 percent. For the events less than $5,000, the fee was 2.25 percent. So, for the main event, we got $150.00 from each player, even the one who won $12,000,000.00. But we split that with about 500 other dealers and over a two week period. I also heard that not one af the players who cashed tipped anything extra. They all probably heard that we were getting so much we didn't need any more. It would have been really nice if the people who worked in the department that paid the winners with a check (which meant that they may not have had any extra cash to tip with) had mentioned that anything they could do for the dealers would be greatly appreciated. This was done every time someone won a satellite tournament. Speaking of which, all satellites added $20.00 to the tokes. Some took 3 hours and the winner tipped any where from $0 to $50.00. For the $1030.00 satellites, occasionally there was a $100.00 tip. I am not sure how the mega- and super-satellites worked but I heard that many of those winners didn't tip anything extra.
For the live cash games, the casino of course took out their share (the rake) from every pot, but we relied only on the player tips. Some of the high limit games had a built-in $15.00 toke, but most of them had a timed fee that went totally into the rake box. The high limit players almost never tipped, especially the crotchety old $75-$150 stud eight or better players. I heard at my tables, player complaining about tipping because the good dealers would have to share their tips with the bad dealers. That feeling certainly didn't help.
So, Doug, you are welcome to try your hand at dealing the series next year. First you need to pay to go to dealing school and get a dealing certificate. Then you need to be able to get through the audition process and obtain a gaming card. If the conditions are the same, once you start working, you will get to take your breaks in the lovely dealers' tent behind the pavillion. They keep the temperature in there at a cozy 45 degrees. But to get there, you need to walk from the tournament area, go outside in the over 100 degree weather, walk through a thick cloud of smoke from all the smoking dealers and then freeze in the tent. I am surprised it took me a week before I got a terrible chest cold, so I was popping claritins for the next 10 days. We were allowed to use the employee parking lot until some brilliant dealers decide to take a break in their car and smoke pot. After that we had to park in the C lot which was about a half mile walk to the tent. So we would have to walk in 105 degree temperatures, get all sweaty, and then sit through a half hour dealer meeting in the 45-degree tent. I may be exaggerating a bit about that, but not much. They did supply the tent with two coolers filled with bottled water and melted ice. After a few days, they added two fridges to store stuff, but you were lucky if anything didn't get stolen. During the last couple of weeks they brought in soda and snack machines that you had to pay for. We were allowed to eat in the employee dining room, if you were willing to make the one mile walk there. They only gave us half hour breaks, so you had to eat before or after your shift. At first we were able to eat in the poker kitchen that was set up behind the tournament (had to pay for that too) but some dealers were caught drinking on duty there.
And then there was the whole Jamie Gold thing. Apparently he stated in an ESPN interview that he would be tipping the dealers one million dollars if he won. After that there was a buzz in the room with the dealers. Of course we were all rooting for him and hoped that it would rub off on some of the other players. When he made it to the final table, there were many dealers screaming their heads off for him. Well, he won and we haven't seen any tip. We calculated that it would mean about $2,000 for each dealer.
All-in-all it was actually a great experience. Me personally, I was just happy to be working. It was exciting to be dealing to the likes of Annie Duke, Joe Hachem, etc. I am not sure I would do it again, maybe if things changed a bit, but hopefully I will have a full time job by then. Actually I think I could have made more money on the other side of the table. I saw a lot of strange plays, especially in the 2-5 no-limit games.
I know I rambled on, but hopefully some things were made a little clearer.
···
In a message dated 9/10/06 8:33:07 AM US Mountain Standard Time,
omnibibulous1@comcast.net writes:
> Guess Joe didn't want to "pass the sugah." I've read that 3% was lifted off
> the top of entry fees for tokes to tournament staff for the 2006 WSOP. Half
> of that reserved for dealers. If that is correct, essentially everyone who
> paid the $10K entry gave a $300 tip.
>
> Chandler
>
***
Finding out the history of the WSOP vig would be interesting. Also
interesting would be the amount of revenue HET gets for all the sponsorship deals and
TV rights. I started keeping "Milwaukee's Best" beer in my fridge to make me a
better player.
===================
In a message dated 10/09/2006 10:43:40 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
vegasstl@charter.net writes:
Harrahs took $5.6 MILLION out of the prize pool for expenses and dealer
tokes.
So it was a mandatory toke .. well better than last year when it was
voluntary and they got stiffed.
Karen
From Toronto
From my friend who worked at the WSOP (actually in the department that paid
the winners).
.......I think that the dealer's share of the tournament fees collected
was 0.75% of $10,000 x # of entrants ( if this number is incorrect, then it
was 1.5% of all monies collected ). So, if you won $12,000,000.00, you have
already paid $90,000 ( or $180,000 ) in dealer tips. There is another 5.25% ( or
4.5% ) in fees that also is deducted from your winnings. So, in theory, a
$12,000,000.00 winner has already paid in tournament fees and tokes 6%...so,
any additional funds? I do not know, did not hear and do not .......... <<
Karen
From Toronto
It looks like the dealers have a better deal than the players. The
dealers have a big payday whoever wins. Put my name in for the next
tournament.
Doug
