I worked at theLeelanau Sands Casinoin northern Michigan, dealing blackjack, roulette and some forms of poker.
Most of my co-workers loved their jobs.
Some have even moved to management positions.
Have you considered choosing a career in casino dealing?
Its a profession that pays decently anddoesnt require a college degree.
Could You Be a Casino Dealer?
Do you have what it takes?
It helps to be friendly, but you also have to be able to politely handle rude customers.
7 Ways to Make Money if You Hate People
Do you avoid people too?
Enough small talk.Here are some waysto earn extra cash, without all of the social stuff.
Naturally, youll have to be able to count to 21 to be a blackjack dealer.
However, if you make too many mistakes, youll likely lose your job.
Other dealing positions often require more skill.
Poker, for example, involves keeping track of many players and several rounds of betting.
Why Become a Casino Dealer?
Theres also real variety in the types of casinos where you might like to work.
Or you might want towork on cruise ships.
How Much Can You Make?
Casinos that allow Dealers to keep their own tips have been reported to make over $100,000 per year.
[sic]
That may be a biased source, since theyareselling training.
you could see why most casinos now have a tip-sharing policy.
You might also earn more through advancement opportunities.
Government statistics show that theaverage wage for gaming supervisorsis $48,940 per year.
But depending on how good your tips are as a dealer, that promotion could mean a pay cut.
Getting Started
I was trained onsite for two weeks before starting, for free.
Its becoming rare for casinos to provide training, although it still happens occasionally.
For example, facing a shortage of dealers a couple years ago, theHorseshoe Casino in Cleveland trained dealers.
But most of the time, youll have to pay for training before getting hired.
The cost and time to complete training varies from school to school.
TheTable Games Courseat The Casino Institute runs $2,000 and takes about 12 to 14 weeks.
Thats where the jobs are.
Of course, if you paid good money for training, ask for job placement help.
Your Turn: Would you consider dealing blackjack, roulette, poker or craps in a casino?
(Can you sense my millennial sarcasm there?)
You know which ones were talking about: rent, utilities, cell phone bill, insurance, groceries…
