How Does a Professional Card Dealer Spend a Workday?

Preparations of the Professional Card Dealer

A professional card dealer's workday begins long before they ever officially clock in to work. They must look presentable and are normally required to wear a specific uniform. This applies to professional dealers who work in separate rooms, like poker and baccarat dealers. It also includes dealers who deal casino card games like blackjack, mini-baccarat, Pai Gow and others. A professional dealer works directly with the public under a spotlight and must be well groomed and dressed accordingly. A typical uniform consists of black pants (or skirt), a long-sleeved white shirt, a bow tie and a dealer's apron. Some casinos have strict policies concerning facial hair, hairstyles and hair colors allowed, amount (and location) of jewelry permitted and other such rules that must be adhered to.

Casino card dealers must arrive at work in time to clock in and they have specific duties to complete prior to dealing any cards. It is common for professional poker dealers to interact with poker players to form new poker games or to set up poker tournaments. Depending on the casino or card room, the dealers may be involved in opening new tables. This could include getting cards and chips ready or signing for them. A dealer will normally be assigned to a specific table or act as a breaker (relief dealer) for a group of tables. They may have to check a dealer lineup to get this information. It is a familiar courtesy for the dealers to relieve the previous dealers 5 minutes before scheduled, so they must be at the work area at this time.

Professional card dealers deal cards for 30 to 60 minutes before getting a break. A relief dealer will stand to the side of the dealer. The dealer will complete the hand and then must leave the gaming area. They will normally have a separate dealer's break room or employee area to go to. A break is usually 10 or 20 minutes long and this is according to the "pit time," since all dealers must arrive and leave at the same time. If they want to eat, go the restroom or smoke a cigarette, they need to do it quickly. They repeat this for their entire shift, which is usually 8 hours long.

It varies from different card rooms or casinos, but most professional card dealers must take care of their tips at the end of each shift. The majority of poker dealers do not combine their tips, but most other kinds of dealers do. A group of dealers are assigned this responsibility. They may be voted in and changed on a regular basis. All of the tips are counted, recorded and divided among the dealers. This tip money may be distributed on a daily cash basis, but is more likely combined and taxed on a weekly or biweekly schedule. The dealer would receive this tip money as a separate check or together with her hourly paycheck. If the dealer were part of this group, she would be required to stay after work to complete this task. If she's not, she can punch out and go home immediately after leaving the pit area.