A Black Jack Dealer's Salary
Blackjack is a card game in which the the player tries to accumulate a hand of cards that have a higher value than that of the dealer but does not exceed twenty-one. A blackjack dealer is responsible for giving players chips, dispensing cards and comparing them to determine winners, and paying out on successful bets. His salary is commensurate with other gaming dealers and, indeed, gaming dealers are often trained to operate gaming tables for a number of games. The salary of a gaming dealer varies according to where and for whom he works.
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Average Salary
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In 2009 the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics published a survey of wage levels for a variety of occupations. It concluded that the average annual salary for a gaming dealer, such as a blackjack dealer, was $20,290. This is equivalent to an hourly pay rate of $9.76 and a monthly income of $1,691. The average among the top 10 percent of earners was $31,960 while their contemporaries in the bottom 10 percent received an average of $14,660.
Salary by Industry
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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' data the majority of gaming dealers work in casino hotels. It reports that the average annual salary for this sector of the gaming industry is $16,920, among the lowest of any sector. Positions within the gambling industries paid an average of $24,040 while other amusement and recreation industries were listed at $26,830.
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Salary by Geography
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Location also impacts a blackjack dealer's salary. The Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2009 survey showed that, across all industry sectors, the state in which dealers earned the most was Minnesota, averaging $31,510. In contrast, Mississippi was listed at $19,970. The Fort Worth, Arlington district of Texas was the metropolitan area with the best pay--$37,360--while the Las Vegas, Paradise district of Nevada had average wages of just $15,820. Pay comparison website SalaryExpert.com analyzed gaming dealer salaries in some major cities. It listed Orlando and Miami in Florida as locations in which dealers earned high average wages--$36,234 and $31,221 respectively. In contrast, Phoenix, Arizona was listed at $21,067.
Tips
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In addition to her salary a blackjack dealer may also receive extra income in the form of tips. Players may tip the dealer if they win or have enjoyed the way the dealer has run the table. Tip policy varies among gaming establishments: some allow dealers to keep any individual tips they are given while other insist that all dealer tips are pooled and distributed evenly among all staff.
Prospects
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The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects employment opportunities for gaming dealers--and other gaming services occupations such as gaming managers and gaming and sports book runners--to grow by around 14 percent in the period from 2008 to 2018. A general increase in gaming as the population accrues more disposable income will be a major factor in this growth. The BLS expects a high proportion of job opportunities to be in Indian casinos and racinos whose popularity and prevalence are growing. Salary levels should therefore remain competitive although the BLS advises that there is usually keen competition for vacancies in the industry.
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References
- Photo Credit Blackjack image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com
