First, I didn't mean to belittle. I apologize for my tone.
No offense taken. I think I understand your argument and although we happen to be speaking in first person voices, the issues are played out on a much larger scale. I have no idea why I got into this discussion, other than to lay out a few scattered thoughts.
where we were talking about how profit from the company should return to those whose "hard" work" made the company happen
I've been on many sides of this equation. I've put intense effort into products that I poured sweat and blood into, was paid a decent wage, but ended up not sharing in any of the substantial amount of wealth generated. I've also been involved in development where I was paid a decent wage, but the companies ended up going broke in a big way but I didn't have to declare bankruptcy.
The side bettors have no say (unless, of course, the player allows them to) in how the hand is played. They (the side bettors) simply go where the hand is hot, place their money down, and reap their rewards (or suffer their losses). Nobody makes them place a side bet (the players, of course, must make a bet, or they lose their position at the table); they can come and go as they please, and if they don't like hou you play your hands, they vote with their feet. Now, the money they make doing this spends just like any other money they make doing any other endeavor, but is it the same as the money they make actually sitting at the table?
A good analogy, but the point where it breaks down is that the players at the table are being bankrolled. Sure there is a certain amount of side-betting that goes on once the player is given a stack of chips to play with, but those chips he's playing with are not his own - nor are they in control of the dealer (i.e. the employees). The game couldn't be played without the aide of a dealer donating his time and attention, but the dealer doesn't really have a say on either how much the players or side-betters should risk, nor does he share in the winnings (though some players are prone to leave a tip after a successful round).