Charles Barkley Says He Only Tipped $25,000 After Winning $700,000 on Blackjack and There’s a Reason for That

Most people have a set amount in mind when tipping, and sometimes that amount varies depending on whether the service is exceptional or terrible. On the other hand, there are some people who are just always generous when tipping, while others are not.

Former basketball star and current NBA analyst, Charles Barkley, is known as one of those generous tippers. But Barkley didn’t follow his usual tipping etiquette after a huge win at a casino several years back. Thanks to the internet and social media, that story has resurfaced again with Barkley explaining why he didn’t give more.

Back in 2014, the Hall of Famer sat down with Conan O’Brien and shared one of his famous, or infamous, gambling stories. After the host mentioned that Barkley is known for being a great tipper, he replied, “The waiters, the waitresses, the blackjack dealers, they work extremely hard. They don’t get a great salary. The more successful you are, the more you should tip.”

Barkley then explained that during one weekend in Vegas, he hit big, really big, at the blackjack table and tipped the dealer $25,000 after he won $700,000.

When O’Brien and Andy Richter teased Barkley that given how much he won, the amount he tipped made him seem like a “cheapskate.” Barkley admitted, “I probably should have tipped more. I thought that was pretty generous,” before adding, “[But] when you lose money, they don’t give you any back.”

So just how much has Barkley won and lost over the years?

During an appearance on the Club Shay Shay podcast, he revealed, “There’s probably been seven times where I won $1 million. There’s probably been 25 [times] where I lost $1 million.”