Casino Job Profile: Dealer

The dealer’s job is in some ways the most important job in the casino. Table games cannot function without a dealer, and the dealers make the most contact with customers. If you’re looking for a job at a casino, you’ll probably need to get in at the ground floor unless you have relevant experience. Dealers are one ground floor entry that has room for advancement. Cashier positions don’t offer that kind of opportunity. Servers have some room for advancement, and can earn as well as dealers, but the job entails more physical labor.

Being a casino dealer requires a lot more than just knowing the rules of the game. Dealers need to know how to handle chips, how to cut and shuffle a deck, and how to spot cheaters. For roulette, dealers need to know how to handle the wheel. Most dealer schools offer each game as a separate course, with games like blackjack, roulette, and craps each requiring anywhere from 60-100 hours to achieve certification.

If you’re trying to get a job at a particular casino, it’s important to make sure that they’re looking for new dealers. Some casinos prefer to train their own dealers, and some prefer dealers trained at specific schools. Call the casino before you begin your training so that you don’t waste your time. It’s also good to find out what games they need dealers for. Start by learning two games to show that you can gain the necessary skills to work in a casino. You’ll need to add more games along the way, but often casinos will hire a dealer who can deal just two or three games well. Later on, you’ll know which games to add, and the casino may even help pay for your continuing education.

The job of a dealer is to manage the table completely. For a blackjack dealer, for example, that means handling the chips, shuffling the decks, dealing, making sure that everyone places their bets correctly, and more. For example, if there is a novice player at the table, it is the dealer’s job to instruct him or her on basic strategy. If the basic strategy is to hit, the dealer is taught to anticipate it, and to hit unless the player stops him. A dealer is also supposed to watch for suspicious behavior. If any is detected, it is not his job to interfere. Instead, he contacts the pit boss.

The dealer’s salary is usually quite low, but it is usually well-subsidized by tips from the patrons.