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My understanding is the dealer *should* never announce or count the size of the bet unless asked by a potential caller/raiser.

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Though I have heard this (it has never been an instruction from my floor) I disagree with it in principal. I firmly believe that in running the game efficiently the dealer should announce the action accurately as it occurs so that all players know what the action is. However for the sake of speeding the game I do not think the dealer should breakdown and count large bets (especially all in bets which are are not likely to be called by multiple players).

Especially when dealing with smaller bets the rule that you can't announce a bet size could easily bring the game to a crawl.

blinds 2/5 UTG raises to $25. If I don't announce the raise to $25 and just announce a raise the follwing will happen.

Player throws in a single red chip
Dealer: Sir, there has been a raise.
Player stares at Dealer blankly
Dealer: Sir, its more to call there has been a raise.
Player: stares blankly
Dealer: Sir what would you like to do here sir?
Player: There was a Raise?
Dealer: Yes
Player: Who raised?
Dealer the gentleman to your right with multiple chips in front of him?
Player: I call
Dealer: Ok then.
Player: how much is it?

If I can announce the bet size I can skip right to

Dealer: Its $20 more to call.
Player: who raised.
Dealer: The player next you with $25 in front of him.


Also when players use $1 chips breaking it down and counting it may be relevant to the calculating the rake.

Another issue is in determining whether a raise was legal or not. Player A shoves out an odd sized stack of chips and Player B announces raise to $200. If I have not counted Player A's stack I can not know whether a raise to $200 is legal or not.

I am a firm believer that if counting the bet will speed up the game and make it run more efficiently then a dealer should count the bet. This is a often a judgment call