Factors Affecting the Income of Blackjack Dealers
Experience
Like with other jobs, your experience level is an important factor in determining your total pay. For example, some casinos may pay an hourly wage of $7 to their entry-level dealers. However, the figure can rise to $10 an hour as they gain more experience at the blackjack table.
Additionally, multi-lingual blackjack dealers earn more than their peers because they interact with a wider customer base. Despite this being rare, it is worth identifying the casinos that offer such incentives if you are looking to make good money as a blackjack dealer.
The blackjack dealer’s job rank
Blackjack dealers can make good money depending on their job’s complexity and rank in the organization. Below are the common blackjack dealer positions in US casinos.
- Gaming dealer – $33 per hour
- Dealer board – $34 per hour
- Dealer principal – $46 per hour
The type of casino
The money a blackjack dealer earns also depends on the type of casino. Below are examples of where the type of casino can influence a dealer’s earnings. Multinational casinos tend to pay better as compared to local casinos. This is because their staff needs to deliver excellent service and providing decent salaries to their dealers is a huge part of it.
Similarly, local casinos may not require their blackjack dealers as permanent employees.
Therefore, they can get away with paying minimum wage to their staff. Furthermore, online blackjack dealers generally earn lower salaries than their land-based colleagues. Among the reasons for this variance is most online casinos automate their services, limiting the demand for online live dealers.
Finally, some casinos are synonymous with high roller games, which means blackjack dealers need to look the part when working on such games. As a result, the operator needs to provide additional benefits to the dealer, including overtime pay and medical cover.
The casino’s location
Gambling is a global industry, meaning the amount of money a dealer makes is comparable to the living standards at their location. For example, the hourly wage for a blackjack dealer in Macau is ¥ 28 ($ 4.38), compared to $8 in Las Vegas. Additionally, operators need to adhere to their location’s labor and tax laws, which can significantly affect the net salaries of their employees.
Tips and bonuses
Tips and bonuses can significantly increase the amount of money a blackjack dealer makes. For example, some blackjack dealers in the US can double their salary with tips. However, some operators do not allow their dealers to accept tips and compensate their staff with other incentives such as extra vacation days.
Furthermore, some operators also offer end-of-year bonuses based on company performance. Thus, their dealers can sometimes earn above-average annual salaries. Moreover, loyal blackjack dealers can also increase their income through stock options.
Croupier
Some operators also use the word croupier to refer to their blackjack dealers. Typically, a croupier is a casino employee who coordinates play at the gambling table by:
- Ensuring all participating players are clear on the game’s rules.
- Handing out cards to players before each round.
- Collecting bets from all active players.
- Poker dealers distribute the pot to the winner after each round of play.
How much do blackjack dealers make per hour?
Blackjack dealers make an average of $9 (or between $8 and $10) per hour in most US casinos, which is ranked highest across the global gaming industry. However, the amount does not account for tips or bonuses they receive during their active hours. Therefore, always do your local research when finding the latest information.
What does an online casino dealer do?
An online casino dealer has the following responsibilities:
- Most casino dealers educates the players on the rules for the casino games, including those unique to the casino.
- They are responsible for cautioning you when you commit any violations and can eject you in severe cases after consulting the casino management.
- Online casino dealers can help you find the information you need to solve an in-game problem. They do this through the platform’s chat function to assist you in real time.
- At most casinos, dealers also ensure that all bets are in, before initiating the gaming round. For example, they may announce the closing of bets for each roulette round.
- They do not handle any real money that you stake. Instead, they monitor the computer’s function and report any errors to the relevant parties.
- They narrate the game’s progress to provide you with an experience similar to a land-based casino.
Here are the most popular casino games that are hosted by live casino dealers:
- Blackjack
- Roulette
- Baccarat
- Craps
- Monopoly Live
- Live Game Shows
Why do dealers clap their hands?
Dealers clap their hands at casinos because:
- The action dislodges any gameplay items in their sleeves, such as poker chips or cards.
- They clap their hands to get each player’s attention, to ensure that they all witness that they have nothing to hide.
- Moreover, it is necessary to assure casino security that they are not stealing from the gaming table.
- Furthermore, a dealer will clap their hands when you give them a tip. This notifies all players of the action and prevents future discrepancy cases.
Additionally, dealers clap their hands when they coordinate these land-based games:
- Blackjack
- Poker
- Roulette
Finally, dealers are not the only ones that clap their hands during gameplay. Casino cashiers and fellow players will also clap their hands to declare that they have nothing to hide.
Is being a blackjack dealer hard?
No. Being a blackjack dealer is typically easy but you need to take your job seriously. In most cases, you don’t require rigorous or tough training and certification to be a blackjack dealer. Of course, you must have good arithmetic, customer service skills, and people skills.
How much do casino dealers make?
According to salary comparison websites like Indeed, Glassdoor, and ZipRecruiter, a casino dealer makes an average of $40,000. But many factors influence the actual salaries casino dealers get. For one thing, where you work and your experience will go a long way. For instance, an experienced dealer in an upscale Las Vegas Strip casino makes upwards of $100,000 annually while a counterpart in Reno may make as low as $16,000 per year.
Casino Dealer Salaries
Usually, high-end casino dealers in Las Vegas can get an average salary in the $75-$100K range. These highly skilled dealers typically ply their trade in high-limit blackjack rooms or host major poker tournaments.
Generally, casino dealers with little to no hands-on experience could take home as little as $20K. The salary really varies from dealer to dealer, depending on the individual situation.
Of course, casino dealers can make more money by doubling up as waiters, pit bosses, shift managers, and so on.
Extra Benefits Earned Casino Dealers
Casino dealers usually qualify for many perks and benefits beyond their salaries. They are usually eligible for life insurance, health coverage, bonuses, paid leaves, and other benefits associated with structured companies. These perks and benefits can rack up their eventual pay.
How much do casino dealers make from tips?
One reason these wages appear low is that they do not include gratuities. Of course, like in many other sectors of the service industry, dealers may significantly increase their take-home income and gratuities by being courteous, dealing well, and having some lucky players.
Tips are frequently related to the stakes of the game, so if you’re dealing $1 Blackjack, don’t anticipate the same level of appreciation as you would at a $50-a-hand Pai Gow Poker table. Even at the low end, a dealer may expect to earn roughly $15 per hour in tips. So, according to the aforementioned range, $16,000 is around $8 per hour. Add another $15 on top of that, and you’re looking at almost $23 per hour and a livable wage of over $47,840.
Many of these figures are also state-dependent, with Nevada dealers ranking in the center of the pack (in terms of the salary average). Casino dealers in Hawaii are paid the most (on average) at $21.59 per hour and $44,905 per year. If you work as a dealer in Mississippi, your hourly wage is $14.92 and your annual compensation is $31,028.
When we look at the highest end of things, we can see that some dealers make about $60,000 on the books and may additionally earn around $50 per hour in tips. That means that if you play your cards well, you may earn a solid $164,000 every year. Of course, gratuities are not required, but in the casino, etiquette dictates that you tip the dealer. While it’s not like restaurants where it’s expected that you’ll tip at least 10%, dealers can anticipate getting a chip here and there because individuals playing the game understand that. That makes a significant impact.