Poker Dealers
Poker is usually played either in a private room, or in an area somehow separated from the rest of the playing areas. The only employee involved in a poker game is the dealer, who is responsible for changing cash into casino chips, shuffling the cards, making sure all antes have been added, dealing the cards at the start of the game and between betting rounds, double-checking that all bets are correct, indicating which player bets first, and examining the hands to determine the winner. Since the patrons play against each other and not the house, players rarely harass the dealer. Poker also has a reputation as a “thinking person’s game” due to its many variations and betting methods.
As with other dealer positions, applicants should possess not only technical skills and knowledge of the game, but also good communication skills, general manual dexterity, and the ability to add and count out chips and cash quickly. Dealers earn an hourly wage, usually a bit more than minimum wage, with tips making up a large portion of their income. Tips for poker dealers are often quite good because the odds of winning big are somewhat better at this game than others. The game attracts plenty of high rollers as well, with generous tips from winners.