Blackjack Dealers

Blackjack is one of the most comfortable casino games for players. On the other hand, dealers have to stand on their feet during their entire shift while wearing the casino uniform, which can be anything from fancy western wear or another theme costume to a plain white shirt, black pants, and an apron.

Dealers have control of the game, and must not only shuffle and deal the cards, but also take losing bets, pay winning hands, change cash into house chips (the round disks that casinos prefer players to bet with instead of cash), “change color” (changing the chips into larger or smaller denominations) and often help players by giving tips or answering questions. Blackjack dealers decide when to reshuffle the cards or break a new deck, which does have an effect on a game.
Reshuffling is often credited with ending a favorable streak of cards. In addition the dealer controls the speed of the deal, which can aid or hinder a player concentrating on making a decision. The position of blackjack dealer requires good communication skills, especially when handling troublesome customers, general manual dexterity, and the ability to count quickly.

While some more experienced players may go their entire stay at a table without one word, blackjack is usually a social game during which players chat with those around them or with the dealer in between hands. This can be a blessing or a curse. It seems that the less a player knows about how to play blackjack the more talking they do! Players may fixate on the thought of the dealer as their personal friend or worst enemy. It’s not uncommon for players to yell at the dealer when they lose, but tipping the dealer is the rule unless a player is very inexperienced. Dealers earn an hourly wage, usually around $10, plus tips. Their tips usually make up a large portion of their income.

Here is a list of casino dealer schools.