Blackjack Dealer Rules – The Ins And Outs Of Being A Blackjack Dealer

We are sure that many blackjack players, sitting at the blackjack table, must have thought about the pay and conditions of working as a blackjack dealer. For some, this might seem like a glamorous job. After all, you’re working in a great environment, surrounded by the wealthy. But not everything is as it appears to be on the surface. Blackjack dealers are working in the service industry. In the US, this means that you’ll receive horrible basic pay, with the majority of a living wage coming from tips

Blackjack Dealer Rules 

When it comes to the casino game of blackjack, the dealer is always in a difficult position. On the whole, the players are either going to love you or hate you. Amongst those of you who fancy the job of being a blackjack dealer, it’s important that you understand both the advantages and disadvantages that come from being behind the blackjack table. Today at Blackjackchamp.com, we thought we’d have a look into the qualities needed in order to be a dealer. We suggest you use this as a basic guide to see if being a blackjack dealer Is everything you thought it might be.

Basics of Blackjack Dealer Rules

The most basic blackjack dealer rules are incredibly simple. As you’re well aware, the players are trying to get this close to 21 but without going over. If you look at the casino game of jackpot poker,  it’s clear that the players are playing against each other. But in the casino table game of blackjack, the players play against the dealer. The most basic rule for blackjack for the dealer is understanding blackjack hand values.

All cards from 2 to 10 are worth their value. Face cards like the Jack, Queen, and King are valued at 10 points each. The Ace is worth either 1 or 11 points depending on how it’s going to be used in your hand. To get a better understanding of the rules and common blackjack terms, head over to Bet365 Casino. You can make use of free play to learn the ropes with completely free blackjack practice.

Explanation Of Blackjack Dealer Rules 

Now let’s have a look at some of the more advanced blackjack rules. The first thing to keep in mind is that because the blackjack dealer pays out the bets, they cannot take insurance. Also, they cannot double down, surrender for half the bet, or split their hand. You’ll also find additional rules depending on which casino you’re gambling in, where the dealers are even more limited by rules. For example, in many online casinos, the blackjack dealer has to hit on hands that are less than 17 points. But if the hand has between 17 to 21 points, then you’ll have to stand. The only other rule to keep in mind is that the blackjack dealer must play his hand after the player has played his.

Working As A Casino Dealer

Let’s have a deeper look into the life of the average blackjack dealer. We decided to approach a woman dealer who’s working in a casino in Louisiana, in the United States. For the sake of this article, we’ll call her “Annie.” She has been working at the same casino for over 12 years and has obviously built up a considerable amount of experience. In fact, because she is the most experienced dealer there and knows all the most common blackjack tricks, she works the busiest nights which occur mainly at the weekend.

When it comes to a typical shift, the first thing she does is put her personal items in a locker.  After putting on her uniform, which is mandatory for all casino dealers, she then passes through security onto the gaming floor. Sometimes she’ll have meetings with the pit bosses and her supervisors along with the rest of the dealers. Here she discovered which shift she’ll be working, which table she’ll have to deal with, and any other specifics. Once done, she makes her way to the blackjack zone and starts her shift.

The Shift Begins

She approaches her table from behind the present blackjack dealer and simply taps him or her on the shoulder. This signals that the shift is over and now Annie will take responsibility for the whole table.

Before she deals out the next hand, she claps her hands together as a means of showing that they are empty. These shifts are long and always between 8 to 12 hours. During this time, she should have to deal with all types of gamblers. These can range from the polite, the shy, the friendly, the over-friendly, the drunk, and those who are extremely annoying. Nevertheless, no matter how the players are, Annie is mandated to smile and ensure that the games continue to be played smoothly. And that the gamblers are steadily spending their bankroll.

Not All Fun And Games

Considering how long the shifts are, it’s not surprising that Annie sometimes complains that her feet hurt a lot from standing in the same position for all those hours. At the same time, she needs to put up with praise from players when they win. But also insults from those who lose. Unsurprisingly, Annie prefers players who are winners. This is because, on the whole, they will then be nicer. And she stands a better chance of receiving a nice tip. You have to remember that every blackjack dealer gets paid a basic salary, with tips making up a huge part of this. Every hour, all dealers will swap tables. And then around every 2 hours, they will get a short break. The shift continues in this way until another dealer comes up behind her and taps her on the shoulder. This means that her shift is finally over.

Before leaving she picks up her box of tips. And now it’s time to do the paperwork which then needs to be presented to her supervisor. Once that’s done, she makes her way over to the cage and cashes in the chips that were her tips. Then back to the locker room where she gets into her regular clothes. Then a member of security will accompany her to her car to ensure that she is safe. This is not so much from the fear of being robbed. But rather to ensure that no unhappy losing players will cause any problems through confrontation.

Becoming A Casino Blackjack Dealer

On the whole, there are just a couple of ways available to those who wish to become a blackjack dealer. The first is that the casino will train you. The other is that you can join a blackjack dealer school. Keep in mind that the second option is not going to be cheap. On the other hand, no casino is going to hire you unless you have professional-level training and at least one casino table game under your belt.

After enrolling in a blackjack dealer school, you’ll have classes in blackjack rules and perfect blackjack strategies, as well as learning other casino table games. As to the cost of the course, you’ll be paying around $800 for each game to learn. We suggest that for the best chance of finding employment, at a reputable casino, you’ll need to learn at least a couple of games. The more games you’re proficient at, then the greater chance you have of landing a job.

Blackjack Dealer School

One great advantage of the blackjack dealer school route of entry is the fact that after your course they will place you in a relevant casino. But don’t get your expectations up too high. These casinos are not going to be the famous Mega Resorts of Las Vegas or Atlantic City. These casinos for novice blackjack dealers are called break-in houses. They are small establishments dotted around the backwaters of the country. That’s because the upmarket and most reputable casinos will not be hiring beginners without any experience. Because you are an absolute beginner, then you’ll find that dealing in these smaller casinos can be a difficult job. There are long shifts and very small salaries. It’s an unfortunate fact of life that many trainee casino blackjack dealers will quit the profession before they actually make it to the big-time casinos.

After you’ve joined a break-in casino house and finished blackjack dealer school, the process of getting your gambler’s license will begin. There are a series of intrusive background checks, as well as the fact that you have to give your fingerprints. If you have any history of crime, then you’re never going to make it as a blackjack dealer. Once you receive your license then you need to renew it every year. Keep in mind this is a mandatory extra expense of being a professional blackjack dealer. The story is more or less the same if you want to work at an online live dealer casino like Bet 365 Casino.

Casino Blackjack Dealer Pay

If we’re looking at how much a blackjack dealer can earn, then realize that they all receive just minimum wage. This is common in all service industries in the US.  So most of your money is going to actually come from earning tips. It’s important to be aware that in some casinos all the dealers divide up all tips on a particular shift. For some, this may be unfair. They feel that their greater experience or more bubbly public personality brings in more tips than the other dealers on the same shift. Nevertheless, for capitalistic Americans, this more socialist principle of sharing the spoils, allows everyone to receive an equal share.

On the whole, before taxes, an average blackjack dealer is going to earn around $75,000 per year. Now, if you happen to be working at a more prestigious casino, then expect to see around $100,000 a year before taxes. That may sound like quite a high salary. But it’s important to consider the cost of both licensing and going to casino school. As with all service industry jobs, at the end of the day, you’re going to earn more money by working more hours and longer shifts.

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