Casino Job Profile: Pit Boss

While some movies and television shows paint the role of a casino pit boss as that of a bouncer in a suit or a form of security man, the job of a pit boss is actually much more complex than that.While a pit boss or pit manager may be forced to ask someone to leave the casino floor on rare occasions, that’s only a very small part of the job. A casino pitt boss is usually someone who has worked as a dealer for several years and knows all of the games very well. The pit boss may have also been a floor man if the casino is large enough to need those.

The basic responsibilities of a pit boss are many. They watch the opening and closing count for each table that they supervise each shift. They supervise any chips or cash brought to the table. They keep an eye out for cheating of any sort. A pit boss watches for players who are acting in a suspicious manner, signs that decks of cards could be marked, opportunities for switching cards, dice, and chips. They also oversee any dispute that arises at the tables. If a player says that a dealer misplaced his chips, gave him the wrong winnings, or made any other mistake, the pit boss is immediately called over to verify the problem and oversee the solution.

The pit boss has to motivate the dealers and keep them working on his or her team. Dealers need to know that they can count on immediate support from the pit boss, even while the pit boss must always be polite and considerate to the customer. Balancing the need to keep customer relations good and the rapport with the dealer excellent can be one of the hardest aspects of the pit boss career.

If a player is drunk or belligerent or the player appears to be cheating, it is the job of the pit manager to deal with the situation. If the player is drunk, often they will simply try to have the player escorted to their hotel room. If the player is causing a scene, the pit boss has the job of trying to calm the situation and keeping it from escalating. In rare cases, they may need to call security, but it is their job to avoid that need as much as possible.

The salary for a pit boss is good, but not incredible. Salaries tend to be $50,000-$70,000 a year in the United States, depending upon the region and type of casino. Many dealers don’t try to become a pit boss because a good dealer can make nearly as much money through his tips without taking on the same kind of responsibility.