Q:
In a casino, a good tipper is called "George." Where did this come from? And is there a word (you can print) for someone who wins a lot, but doesn't tip?
A:
The term "George" for a big tipper comes, simply, from the George whose mug fronts the one-dollar bill: A big tipper hands out so many dollar bills that he might as well be Washington himself. There are also levels of Georges. An inordinately big tipper has always been "big George," or sometimes "super George," "monster George," or "king George." The biggest of the big? That’s "KING KONG George." Famous examples of Georges include deceased Aussie media tycoon Kerry Packer, Ben Affleck, Frank Sinatra, Richard Pryor, and Elvis.
The (printable) opposite of a George is a "stiff." ("Stiff" is also a verb, as is when you stiff a waitperson after eating.) Celebrities known to fall into this category include Pete Rose, Bill Cosby, O.J. Simpson, Bruce Willis, and Bill Gates.
Hence, the name of David McKee's blog on this site, "Stiffs and Georges."
Update 29 November 2008
This just in from out long-time casino boss, Arnie Rothstein, with a historical note:
"The term 'George' originated in the 1950s and referred to George Washington, as in a dollar bill (which was a good zuke back then). It was common for a dealer being tapped out by a relief deal to advise his replacement, 'Take care of my friend here' (the tipper), followed by, "I'm sorry, was your name George?" This passed the message on to his relief as to which player to play. It also served as a means of introducing the player to the new dealer, who could hustle them that much more (they didn't have players cards back then).
"The other code was to tell the relief, "This poor guy has been getting stiff hands all night," which advised the new dealer that this player was a stiff: a non-tipper. In this case, the dealer would try to chase the player off the game to make room for a possible George. The ways and means of chasing off a stiff are both cruel and hilarious."
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