How Much Poker Dealer Make

• How Much Does A Poker Dealer Make A Hour
• How Much Money Does A Poker Dealer Make
• How Much Money Does A Poker Dealer Make

The average Poker Dealer salary in Florida is $18,188 as of October 28, 2020, but the range typically falls between $16,473 and $20,837. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on the city and many other.

1. Now we’ll consider another fact about dealing poker, the fact that poker dealers are expected to deal an average of 30 hands per hour minimum. So, assuming an average of $1 tip per hand, 30 hands per.
2. “It varies depending on the dealer. I’ve heard some of them make as much as $10,000 for the two months, but that’s before tax, and everything is taxed. But these guys have to pay for a place to.
3. We’ve identified seven states where the typical salary for a Poker Dealer job is above the national average. Topping the list is New York, with New Hampshire and Wyoming close behind in second.
4. How much does a Poker Dealer make in Las Vegas, NV? The average salary for a Poker Dealer is $20,998 in Las Vegas, NV. Salaries estimates are based on 14. Salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by Poker Dealer employees in Las Vegas.

Playing poker at a casino is a super fun and thrilling experience. If you love the casino experience that much, being a poker dealer at a casino will definitely seem like a dream job for many people. Not only will you get to always be part of a game that you like but you will also have the chance to always enjoy the authentic atmosphere that cannot be found anywhere else that is not a casino.

However, as much as being a poker dealer may seem to be glamorous, the first thing that you should probably consider is the pay. So, how much do poker dealers make?

In this blog, I delve into every important detail involving the amounts that poker dealers make. From the average wage, what determines your earnings and training; it’s all covered below.

Let’s begin.

What is the average wage of a poker dealer?

According to Glassdoor, poker dealer salaries in Las Vegas, Nevada range from $18,000 to $49,000 annually with the average salary amount clocking in at $20,991 per year. In California, the average base pay for poker dealers is $10 per hour or up to $38,122 per year.

Top 4 Poker Dealer Salaries in Las Vegas:

1. Wynn Resorts $60k – $100k (including tips)
2. Caesars Entertainment $54k – $58k
3. MGM Resorts International $36k – $44k
4. SLS Hotels $34k – $37k

Tips are usually very vital to the salaries of most croupiers. Professional poker dealers will, of course, get more tips since they are more knowledgeable and skilled at dealing and handling players. Tips usually range from just a few dollars to $50 or even more depending on the aforementioned factors. These tips can add up to huge sums of money and they make the job even more interesting for many poker enthusiasts.

“The Average Salary for a Poker Dealer in the US is $19,107 per year as of September 2020”

Even so, it is worth noting that different casinos will have different policies regarding how tips are dished out. Some will pool all the tips together and share them among all the poker dealers. Others allow each dealer to keep all their tips.

“The average hourly rate for a card dealer is between $8 – $11 in the United States”

What Determines How Much a Dealer Earns?

Several factors come into play when it comes to determining how much poker dealers make. Perhaps the most obvious will be location – what poker dealers make in Las Vegas, for instance, will certainly not be the same as what poker dealers make in California. While both cities are great destinations for casino lovers, the gambling scene in Las Vegas is more vibrant and thus attracts more people. This means that croupiers stand a chance of making more money from tips in Las Vegas since more players will be visiting the casinos.

In many places, casino work including poker dealing can be seasonal and this too will have an impact on what game dealers get.

Another important factor that determines how much a poker dealer earns is professionalism. Well, you do not necessarily need to go to dealing school to become a poker dealer but this could certainly make you a better dealer.

Dealing is a customer service job where you not only need to keep control of the poker game but also enforce the rules while at the same time ensuring that the players are treated to a great experience. That said, it is pretty easy to see that experienced and professional poker dealers make way more money. This applies to both tips and the base salary.

Typically, tips make up a huge chunk of what most poker dealers get to take home. One AMA from a poker dealer on Reddit stated:

“As for income, I only get paid in tips. No wages. I make an average of $15/hour.”

The amounts will range depending on several factors, from experience to the casino you are dealing at. It might be a little too difficult to accurately predict how much in tips they make since these are not often factored in when calculating the wages of casino dealers.

In the same AMA the poker dealer commented:

“The biggest tip I ever received at once was $100”

While another commented:

“[the] Biggest tip I recieved in my time as a dealer was $1000 chip”

It really does show how much tips can vary from dealer to dealer.

How Can I become a Poker Dealer?

If you are impressed by what poker dealers make you might be probably considering taking it up as a career. If that is the case, you will need to be aware of some of the requirements that you will need to meet to qualify. While some of these factors will vary from one casino to the next, some standard ones apply across the board.

To begin with, poker dealing is pretty complex, and to get ahead of the curve, a training course would be great even if you are an avid poker player. This does not mean that mastery of the game is thrown under the bus – in fact, it is vital to your application. Even so, before you are allowed to start, you might need to pass a dealer audition where everything from your knowledge of the game to your customer service skills are put to the test.

There are some casinos that train you in-house but if you want to apply for one of the larger casinos you will need some previous training. There are school dedicated to training casino dealers (including poker) such as:

Each of these schools teach new dealers everything they need to know about dealing poker. There are plenty of schools out there so check your local area for ones close to you.

In addition to that, there are a few other important factors that you may need to consider. For instance, you have to be of the legal gambling age and have a flexible schedule. It goes without saying that you should do a bit of research and background checks on the casino you wish to work at to ascertain whether you are okay with their policies.

All in all, the overarching requirement when it comes to being a dealer is having a well-rounded personality in addition to all the related experience. This means that things like being able to speak multiple languages, a warm personality, and exceptional math skills will give you a huge edge. Casinos are always looking for new talent and all you have to do is put yourself out there. Better yet, you can start small and built up some progress as you perfect your skills and gain more experience.

Is This the Dream Job For You?

If you still think that being a poker dealer is your dream job even after going through the estimated salaries then you should go for it. It all comes down to why you are doing it – some people take their dealing careers very seriously while others prefer to have fun with it by doing it as a hobby. Either way, there is a lot to be gained from it so long as you have the right attitude and are ready to deal with all of the things that come with the job.

Just make sure that you take every relevant factor into account just as you would for other jobs.

FAQ

According to a recent listing from tripadvisor.com, Wynn Las Vegas pays its dealers the highest – an average of $100,000 annually in salary and tips.

Yes, most casinos require that you get a few weeks of training and certification from a certified poker dealing school before they can hire you.

Yes. Depending on several factors poker dealers in the United States can make up to $100,000 in salary and tips every year.

Poker dealers tap the poker table lightly to let the players know that the previous round of the game has ended and they are about to deal again.

Visors help poker dealers to reduce eyestrain which is usually caused by the glaring overhead lighting that is normally characteristic of many poker rooms in casinos.

Yes, some casinos allow the poker dealers to keep all of the tips that they get from the players at the tables they are dealing.

The main difference between dealers and croupiers is the fact that dealers are usually found in card games such as poker while croupiers deal handle roulette games.

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Poker dealers make a lot of difference when playing; they inject positivity whenever you hit the felt. If you don’t believe that, try playing with your friends, have one of you play as the dealer, and then see the difference. They play an essential role, so poker dealers are probably making a lot of money, right?

Poker dealers have a unique income structure; most of them get paid low hourly rates, and the majority of what they make comes from tips. The median hourly rate for a dealer is only $8.87, but they make an average of $33,200 from tips. That’s why they’re still taking home a decent amount.

Let’s discuss the different compensations that poker dealers get from a casino in great detail. We’ll also help you understand why it’s important that you tip dealers if the casino allows them to accept tips.

Different Compensations That Casinos Use

Different casinos use different compensation structures for their dealers, and all of them aim to improve a player’s gaming experience. Whenever you hit the felt, the only positive interaction that you can have is with the dealer. Of course, an exemption would be if you’re playing with someone you already know, but it doesn’t always happen.

How Much Does A Poker Dealer Make A Hour

Casinos don’t take chances. They want to provide you with a positive gaming experience through one of their employees, and the best way to do that is through a poker dealer. So, what do you think is the way to inject positivity in every table? Of course, through a well-compensated poker dealer that makes an average of $85,000 annually!

If you’re wondering how they can make that amount per year, just by dealing cards, you’re in for a treat! The compensations for poker dealers aren’t as simple as you think, but most of these structures rely on the tips that they receive from players. Without it, a poker dealer will only make anywhere from $38,000 to $46,000 per year!

Compensation Through High Hourly Rate Without Tips

Although uncommon, some casinos don’t allow their dealers to accept tips, which may sound weird. At least half of what poker dealers make comes from the tips that they receive from players, and without it, they’re only getting a minimal hourly rate, right?

It’s true to some extent, but remember, casinos want to inject positivity at every table to keep their players entertained. Statistically speaking, the longer they keep a player at any game, the more money they make. But instead of relying on tips, some casinos compensate poker dealers with hourly rates as high as$22.84 per hour or $72,000 per year!

That’s a huge difference if you compare with the median salary, but there’s a caveat to it; they’re not allowed to accept tips from players. It’s an excellent compensation structure for poker dealers who want a guaranteed amount every night, as opposed to someone who relies heavily on tips or luck—much like they’re also playing every night.

Standard Hourly Rate With Universal Tip Pool

The most generous casinos offer normal hourly rates for their dealers and still allow them to accept players’ tips. This compensation structure is, perhaps, the most sought after by poker dealers because even on a bad night, they’re still going home with a decent income as opposed to having most of their income based on tips.

They don’t make as much as the poker dealers that receive a higher hourly rate, and they split the tip pool between every employee of the casino. However, it still hits the perfect balance for a lot of poker dealers in terms of compensation.

This compensation structure eliminates the competition between poker dealers who prefer to host mid-stakes tables where most of the tips are. The reason for that is because being at the high-stakes means they’re getting higher tips, but don’t get a lot of players. On the other hand, low-stakes may get a lot of players, but the tips barely make a difference with their earnings.

Reduced Hourly Rate With Specialized Tip Pool

The most common compensation structure for poker dealers is the reduced hourly rate and tip pooling among the dealers of the same game. It means that the tips that every poker dealer receives are only for themselves. They make less per hour, but make a lot more in tips because they don’t have to share it with other low-tipped games.

It doesn’t only create positivity in every table but also keeps every dealer well-compensated. Often, this structure is where poker dealers make the most money. However, since they split the tips that they receive with other dealers, it could, sometimes, create a conflict between employees or, in other cases, a conflict between the employees and the casino itself.

With proper execution and implementation, this structure can promote teamwork between employees, and provide a player with a positive experience regardless of the table he’s playing. It’s because the income that everyone makes will depend on how well they’re working as a dealer.

Reduced Hourly Rate With Keep Your Own Tips Policy

This compensation structure is the one that creates the most significant gap in the amount that poker dealers make. With this, a reduced hourly rate only serves as an allowance for the dealer. A professional who knows what he should be doing at the felt to keep the players entertained will make significantly more than newer dealers.

How Much Money Does A Poker Dealer Make

KYO or Keep Your Own tips policy favors a more experienced poker dealer. It’s normal for a casino that uses this structure to have a dealer that makes $100,000 per year and another who only makes $46,000 per year. This huge gap is because of the tips that they are receiving from their players and the table where they were assigned.

How Much Money Does A Poker Dealer Make

You can think of this structure as performance-based, but there’s also one disadvantage: almost every dealer will prefer to be at the mid-stakes tables. Since they only get reduced hourly rates, dealers would have to rely on the tips they receive, and most of it will come from the mid-stakes—high-stakes have very few players, and low-stakes have small tips.

Tipping Isn’t Mandatory But Expected

Now that you know how much poker dealers make and how they make it, let’s talk about the only factor that affects it—your tips. When a casino allows its dealers to accept tips from players, it’s safe to assume that they’re income is just a smidge above the poverty line. So, if you’re getting great service and treatment from them, it’s a sign of courtesy to tip your dealer.

Sure, tipping isn’t mandatory but is encouraged, especially if you’re on a roll. You don’t have to tip the dealer for every pot that you win—that’d be outrageous. Instead, whenever you hit the felt, be prepared to hand over at least 10-20% of the buy-in amount. After all, if you’ve reached a certain point where you feel like giving a tip, it’s most likely that 20% of the buy-in amount is already peanuts compared to what you’ve earned.

Conclusion

Being a poker dealer is a rewarding career, but if the casino allows a poker dealer to accept tips, they’re income also depends on luck. They don’t make a lot of money from their salary, and sometimes, it’s just a few hundred dollars above the poverty line. The majority of what they make comes from the tips that they get from their players.

If you’re playing poker, and your dealer gives you a positive vibe, tip him. It’s not required, but they’re expecting it from you. After all, he may be one of the reasons you’re on a roll—dealers bring a lot of luck on the table too!

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