Leisure is different. For some people it means peace and relaxation, and for others it means getting a drive and vivid impressions. It is precisely such, ardent fans of excitement and adrenaline, who prefer to relax in gambling establishments.
And the casino employee, who is a kind of administrator in it - croupier, helps them feel the unsurpassed joy of winning. The further text tells in detail about the peculiarities of the profession of a dealer in a casino, his duties, the impact on the general atmosphere at the workplace and ways to obtain a suitable position in a gaming club.
Specifics of the profession and work schedule
The reputation and popularity rating of a casino largely depends on the professional level of its staff. The croupier plays a decisive role in attracting customers to the gambling establishment, whose number depends on its profitability.
The task of this dealer is to "lead the game". He is responsible for the control of the gambling entertainment process and for the competent service of the gaming club.
If this specialist is skilled and experienced in his field, the players get satisfaction even in case of loss. Therefore, the primary requirements for a person of the relevant profession are perfect knowledge of the rules of games and mastery of the technique of dealing cards. The croupier must be able to exercise the necessary control over all the processes taking place around him.
Whatever tournament the dealer is running (and it can be baccarat, American roulette, black jack or different types of poker), his strategic goal is to competently "sell" the game, to give every person who is on the opposite side of the gaming table positive impressions . Regardless of whether that customer won or lost.
For professional dealers, hands should work automatically when dealing cards or collecting chips. At the same time, the host of the game should maintain conversations with its participants on extraneous topics, doing it easily and casually.
An applicant for the position of a dealer in a gaming and entertainment center must be ready for a fairly flexible schedule. In some institutions, shifts for such employees are selected individually. They can last from 8 to 12 hours. At the same time, as a rule, active work alternates with passive (these periods take about 20 minutes each).
These conditions require the croupier to be in good physical and psychological shape. Firstly, he has to spend a lot of time "on his feet", and secondly, all this time the dealer must be attentive and focused, keep the situation under close control.
In addition, he has to work, as a rule, in a hall with muted, dim lighting, which is harmful to the eyes, and breathe cigarette smoke, which is dangerous for the lungs.
The advantages of the relevant profession include the availability of free lunches. If we are talking about a croupier lady, this girl uses the free services of a hairdresser and a stylist.
Responsibilities
Most often, the position of dealers in casinos is occupied by young, active, sociable and attractive people. Important personal qualities for this kind of work are sociability, the ability to communicate and inspire trust in strangers.
The common belief that the host in a gaming club is a master of tricks and manipulations with cards is false.
At the start of the game and after its completion, the croupier shows his clean hands to the participants of the gambling tournament. The purpose of the corresponding gesture is to convince customers that he has no hidden chips or cards.
This employee of a gambling establishment acquires the ability to deal playing cards or other game tools skillfully and masterfully as a result of practice and constant training.
It is possible to distinguish several duties of a dealer in a casino - he performs the following work:
- announces its rules to those present, participants of the tournament;
- accepts the bets made by them;
- monitors compliance with established rules by each player;
- is responsible for the organization of the gaming process and communication with its participants;
- collects lost bets, announces the winner and gives him a reward;
- ends the game.
Only a sociable croupier will be able to work efficiently, such that in case of non-standard situations, he will be able to make a quick and correct decision.
Only such a host of gambling games will have a chance for career growth, which will allow him to go from an ordinary dealer to a senior, who is also called a pit boss.
Requirements and necessary abilities
Most people, even those who have only seen casinos in the movies, imagine the croupier as a handsome man in a snow-white shirt and a bow tie, who impresses with virtuosic dexterity when dealing cards, playing roulette, and handling chips.
This professional appears to customers as a kind of "face" of the gaming establishment. It is quite logical that there are a lot of requirements for the applicant and such a position.
The basic of these conditions are listed below.
- Attractive appearance and neatness. A dealer should always look perfectly decent: flawless, elegant and neat, demonstrating to others his own freshness, enthusiasm and energy in every look and movement. An applicant for a suitable vacancy with a tattoo on his hands and scars on them will most likely be refused employment.
- Good physical shape, endurance, ability to work at night and readiness for an irregular schedule. Otherwise, the host of the games will not be able to stand for hours at the tables and work in the hall with not the best lighting during the shift, while remaining cheerful and active.
- The presence of an analytical, even mathematical mind. Professional croupiers know how to multiply two-digit numbers instantly, without delay to count points mentally. They thoroughly know all the nuances and rules of various games.
- Stress resistance. It is absolutely necessary for a person in a profession that involves communication with players, who often not only show excessive emotions in the event of a loss, but experience nervous breakdowns. The presenter's task at this time is to maintain calmness, self-control and confidence, resisting emotional pressure.
- The ability to quickly learn and the ability to adapt to non-standard working conditions in a gambling establishment. In this connection, a professional dealer should be artistic. After all, he himself sets the tone for the game and, given the necessary creative abilities, will be able to turn every tournament into an unforgettable bright show.
According to the current legislation, a citizen of Ukraine who is at least 21 years old can hold the position of croupier.
There are a number of additional requirements for an applicant for the position of dealer in a casino. Knowledge of at least one foreign language should be included among them. The best option is if it is English.
In addition, knowing a foreign language opens up the prospect of working abroad, in foreign gaming clubs, for the host of gambling games. You can also become a crew member of an elite cruise ship that has a casino on board.
The behavior of a professional croupier should have nothing to do with manipulation and fraud. Gaming halls in institutions with a decent reputation are equipped with video surveillance systems that monitor fair conduct of tournaments and compliance with all necessary rules.
Employees of special services have the right to check the dealer during the game. This means that the probability of machinations on his part is minimal.
Where to study and how to get a job in a casino?
There are special schools, more precisely, croupier courses. They work for those who want to try themselves in a new professional role at large gambling entertainment centers and often recruit listeners continuously. Often, such special training is even free.
This trend can be explained by two main factors. The first is the rapid development of casino networks, which desperately need young and qualified professionals. The second is staff turnover in gaming establishments.
The first step in order to get into such a school is communication with representatives of the security service of the gambling establishment. You should find out from them whether croupier courses work at this club, and what conditions they propose for admission.
Usually, applicants for admission to such training are first asked to fill out a special questionnaire, which differs from the typical form. They give written answers to a series of questions and attach to them their own photo of a standard size of 3 x 4 cm.
Next, those who want to learn to be a croupier are invited to an interview with the company's management staff and pit bosses. A mandatory part of this event is a mathematical test, the purpose of which is to check the ability to calculate, which involves finding the product and the sum of two-digit numbers mentally. In addition, during the interview, you will need to answer various questions about the gambling business. For example, they may ask you to explain why you decided to connect your life with this particular field of entertainment.
Those who make a positive impression on specialists are taken to the school. However, not everyone manages to complete their studies, which usually last several months. The educational process itself is quite intensive, so it is practically impossible to combine it with another type of education or work.
The program of such courses includes mastering the skills of working with chips, learning the rules of games, passing trainings related to compliance with the casino's disciplinary statute and its security policy. A special place is given to the mathematical training necessary for further work, which is far from simple.
If the mentor notices a clear talent for the dealer profession in one of the students, he will definitely be offered employment.
Usually, a novice croupier begins his career as a card inspector, later is allowed to work on roulette, which requires more experience, attention and control, and later receives the position of pit boss, who is responsible for the overall control of the gaming hall.
Nowadays, the work of the presenter of gambling tournaments for money can be done in an online format. This is an online casino with a live dealer, which is available to anyone who has access to the worldwide virtual network.
The presence of a real croupier's gadget on the monitor allows players to feel the illusion of their presence in a real gaming club and enjoy its atmosphere. During such games, the real dealer deals cards, chips, rolls the dice, and announces the results of the accounts and the names of the winners.