Blackjack Dealer Job Description
Blackjack dealers shuffle and deal cards for the play of the popular blackjack table casino game, according to CasinoCareers. Blackjack is a card game in which the goal is to accumulate cards with a higher count than that of the dealer but not higher than 21, according to TheFreeDictionary. Blackjack dealers must understand dealing procedures to keep games secure and fair.
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Duties
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Blackjack dealers are responsible for giving players gaming chips or coin money after receiving paper currency, according to CareerPlanner. They must deal cards to house hands and compare them with players' hands to determine winners. They maintain chip trays and pay out winning bets while collecting losing bets. In addition, blackjack dealers field questions from game players and make supervisors aware of any game issues. These individuals additionally must inspect cards and equipment to make sure they remain in usable condition. Blackjack dealers also might have to shuffle and deal cards for the play of other casino games played on a blackjack table such as Mini-Baccarat or Caribbean Stud Poker. They can train new dealers or prepare collection reports for supervisors as well.
Skills
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Blackjack dealers must have strong verbal communication skills as well as solid interpersonal communication, customer service and public speaking skills for working with large groups of game patrons. They also should have strong reading skills, as they must be able to review and interpret documents that cover game procedures, operating/maintenance rules and safety standards. In addition, blackjack dealers should have strong written communication skills for drafting correspondence and reports. Blackjack dealers must have strong mathematical and reasoning skills as well. These professionals additionally should have good close and distance vision as well as color vision.
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Environment
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Blackjack dealers must be able to stand or sit for long periods of time. They also should have good manual and finger dexterity to handle cards, chips and money. They must be willing to endure cigarette, cigar or pipe smoke, which often is allowed at gaming sites as well. In addition, they should be willing to handle sometimes noisy situations because of loud gaming tables, slot machines or money counting machinery. These professionals typically work nights, weekends and holidays.
Education
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Employers usually look for blackjack dealers who have gaming industry experience. Some employers also require job candidates to have a license by a regulatory agency such as a state casino control board or commission, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. Some vocational/technical schools offer casino blackjack dealer training programs that teach students the correct mannerisms, methods and techniques for this field, according to Gatlin Education Services. Courses in these programs cover topics such as card deck shuffling, opening the game and body position. These programs, which also are available online, usually require applicants to have a high school diploma or GED. Casino and gaming courses usually last no more than six weeks and are preferred by employers, according to Education-Portal.
Outlook
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Employment of gaming services occupations, which includes blackjack dealers, is projected to increase by 14 percent from 2008 to 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This can be attributed in particular to the growing popularity of Indian casinos. The average salary of blackjack dealers in 2010 was $41,000, according to Indeed.
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References
- Photo Credit Blackjack image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com
