Dealer's Salaries

[ZenMaster_Flash]

Back in the day, before the current recession, dealers earnings were considerably better.

I am friendly with several dealers in A.C. where, as everywhere, tokes vary by the socio-economic class of the patrons.

At Ballys the Toke Rate (hourly share of commingled tokes added to their wages (ordinarily the state's minimum wage)

has been approx. $12, while next door at Caesars it is approx. $17. In A.C. some dealers work different shifts at two casinos.

[Jack Black]

I told him he is better than most LV dealer in speed and accuracy and should move to LV but he said he loves teaching mathematics.

Oh yea, that makes complete sense to me. because there are NO SCHOOLS or a need for math teachers in LV!!!

btw, that was sarcasm, genius. oh wait, you're a genius, I didn't have to inform you.

[Jack Black]

In general this makes sense. Much like waiter earnings or other tip based work. you have Denny's on the low end with servers making about $17k, and then you have upper echelon fine dining servers at Alinea, Nobu's, or Peter Luger's making $100k. But not everyone will make it to a $100k waiter job nor would they want to. Yes all work is BS, but what kind of BS are you willing to put up with? I'm sure that the same will hold true for dealer positions. I remember when I was a server in my younger days. I've worked at a mom and pop's, a corporate chain, and a 5 star modern french restaurant. The mom and pops were lax, not very organized, you could get away with murder, but you didn't make very much in tips. The 5 star joint I made the most money, but with extremely high stress with bosses constantly yelling at you and every little detail had to be watched. Not to mention snooty customers complaining about every little detail.

[darco77]

I loosely know a guy (friend of a friend) who gave up a lucrative position on a prop trading desk to deal in Las Vegas. This was about 4 years ago and he's still at it. For him it was an easy decision. He'd accumulated a good sum of cash, was sick of the weather in NYC, and realized he was going to die early chasing the bull**** Wall Street lifestyle. He's happier now. Despite making less money, he enjoys the lower stress level. He's also single and has made sport out of bedding down drunk tourist girls seeking the "What happens here stays here" experience the television has promised them. I haven't asked him if or when he plans to move on, but I can tell you that after four years, he has not tired of it yet.

Has anyone here worked as a dealer in the recent past? I know RWM mentioned working as a dealer, but that was decades ago (correct me if I'm wrong, Richard). I would be curious to hear the perspective of someone who has worked both sides of the table, especially the outlook on their coworkers.

[Solo player]

I would have to have one of the 100k plus dealing gigs. To much BS. to put up with IMHO.

[Jack Black]

I would have to have one of the 100k plus dealing gigs. To much BS. to put up with IMHO.

It's really about what kind of BS you're willing to put up with. those dealers at EC and smaller joints have a lot of loyalty to those places because they like the owners for one reason or another. They're small enough to feel like a family. I can't see many dealers being loyal or feeling like a trusted family member at a mega corporation casino that would have 1000s of employees. Not to mention very high turnover rates. although those mega stores will compensate you well to make up for the lack of community.

[moo321]

Who would make a career of this?

I can see an under-30 college or junior college graduate dealing for 2-3 years so as to make the rent and afford weed and concert tickets on the weekends. I cannot understand the appeal of multiple decades spent in a career with all the craft drained from it: pull cards out of shoe, pay and collect bets, pretend to root for players in the hope of tokes, remove cards from discard tray and stuff in auto-shuffler.

There are too few honorable blue-collar careers these days. There used to be many professional waiters who were good and stuck with it. Dealing blackjack is not such a career. I want to grab the smarter older dealers by the lapels and shout at them: "For Pete's sake, get the hell out of here! Dealing drugs is more of a growth opportunity than this!"

I suppose some people have an attitude that work is b.s. no matter the profession, but there are many less stressful and more varied options among the vast array of total-b.s. career choices.

Who would do this for decades?

There are a lot of people that would be content to make $50k a year with a high school education.

[mjbballar23]

There are a lot of people that would be content to make $50k a year with a high school education.

This. 9% of this county would be thrilled to make 20k a year, cause they're unemployed.

[ZenMaster_Flash]

Tthree is fully correct.

Something that everyone needs to know.

******************************************

Do you know that it is perfectly LEGAL for members

of Congress to avail themselves of "insider information"

so as to profit mightily from stock transactions ?

[Norm]

Please do not turn this thread political.

[FlightMedicNoMore]

Not flying on choppers anymore was the price I had to pay to make a better living for my family

I loosely know a guy (friend of a friend) who gave up a lucrative position on a prop trading desk to deal in Las Vegas. This was about 4 years ago and he's still at it. For him it was an easy decision. He'd accumulated a good sum of cash, was sick of the weather in NYC, and realized he was going to die early chasing the bull**** Wall Street lifestyle. He's happier now. Despite making less money, he enjoys the lower stress level. He's also single and has made sport out of bedding down drunk tourist girls seeking the "What happens here stays here" experience the television has promised them. I haven't asked him if or when he plans to move on, but I can tell you that after four years, he has not tired of it yet.

Has anyone here worked as a dealer in the recent past? I know RWM mentioned working as a dealer, but that was decades ago (correct me if I'm wrong, Richard). I would be curious to hear the perspective of someone who has worked both sides of the table, especially the outlook on their coworkers.