I'm considering being a Poker dealer and need advice to get started

[lemonPeel]

I'm in the los angeles area and have alot of experience playing poker in all its various forms such as 7stud, omaha and hold'em. I also deal all my home games and really enjoy doing it. How does one go about getting a job as a dealer in a B&M room?

Look in the Yellow Pages? Call a card room's HR department?

[A_Junglen]

There are want-ads for dealers in cardplayer, and likely at your local casinos.

[juanez]

Call the casino's HR dept. and see if they are hiring. If so, you will need to go through an audition. Do well at the audition, get a job.

Dealer school isn't necessary, but it sure helps if you don't know any dealers that can sit down with you and show you what needs to be done in a casino. It's a bit different that dealing home games...

[Randy_Refeld]

[ QUOTE ]
Call the casino's HR dept. and see if they are hiring. If so, you will need to go through an audition. Do well at the audition, get a job.

Dealer school isn't necessary, but it sure helps if you don't know any dealers that can sit down with you and show you what needs to be done in a casino. It's a bit different that dealing home games...

[/ QUOTE ]

This way of doing it is becoming more and more common. The traditional way of getting a dealing job is to go talk to the poker room manager adn get an audition. If you do well in the audition they will send you to HR to fill out papaer work.

It really varies by casino, I hear more and more of the corporate types forcing poker room mangers to not talk to anyone until they fill out an application, but I think the more common way is to still ask for an audition before applying.

[Mr. Curious]

Buy "The Proffesional Poker Dealer's Handbook". You can get it on 2+2 and it will teach a lot of casino stuff that you do not learn at home games. Your pitching technique is critical, but so is remembering to take the rake, controlling the action, and dealing with split pots.

[JJNJustin]

Buy a deck of plastic cards, such as KEM or copaq, get a regulation poker table, and every day practice pitching for 1/2 hour. Have someone teach you a proper pitch. The most important factor in a dealer is how fast he can get out hands. The better the control and speed you have with a proper pitch, the more desirable a dealer you will be.

-J

[Josh W]

If you wanna practice pitching and don't have a poker table handy, I've heard practicing on an ironing board (with cover) is helpful, as the top is felt-like. It will help you get the speed down.

Good luck,

Josh

[lemonPeel]

Dealer school isnt required? Is it still worth it though? At custom casino academy down here in garden grove, tuition is 1300 for 4 weeks of instruction. I'm familiar with how to play poker and such, but pitch speed and proper shuffle technique I'm not quite as familiar with. Should I attend dealer school or just ask and see if a dealer whos currently working can help me out? I heard the schools give you some sort of cerificate and that card rooms check if you have it or not.

[Randy_Refeld]

[ QUOTE ]
Dealer school isnt required? Is it still worth it though? At custom casino academy down here in garden grove, tuition is 1300 for 4 weeks of instruction. I'm familiar with how to play poker and such, but pitch speed and proper shuffle technique I'm not quite as familiar with. Should I attend dealer school or just ask and see if a dealer whos currently working can help me out? I heard the schools give you some sort of cerificate and that card rooms check if you have it or not.

[/ QUOTE ]

1300 for 4 weeks of instruction seems pretty high (or maybe I shoudl get int eh business of teaching). The only thing that matters is when you go fo rthe audition is if you can dela the card; they don't care where or how you learned. Most of the dealers coming out of school aren't very good.