Making a living as a traveling poker dealer

[Reducto]

Here's another free class, this one in Kansas City KS:
https://careers-pngaming.icims.com/jobs/30171/poker-dealer-school--part-time/job?mode=job

Also, the jobs for WSOP have been posted:
http://caesarscareers.jobs/jobs/?location=Las+Vegas,+NV&q=2016+wsop

"WSOP dealer" is what I am, and it requires lessons or experience. There is still time to take a class and work this year but you would need to do it soon!

Towards the bottom of the page are payout clerk, cashier, and chip runner openings. There is no school requirement for these, but you should be comfortable handling money and dealing with customers. If you don't have experience dealing with casino chips there are youtube videos out there showing how to properly stack and count them. For practice you can either buy a cheap set of chips to practice with or simply go to your local poker room cashier and buy one stack each of $1 $2 (if they use those at that casino) and $5 chips. Practice stacking and counting them, and return them when you are finished for a refund. I've tried asking around about how many new cashiers/chip runners they need each year and haven't gotten good answers but they do seem to be hiring new people every year. If you think you might be interested it's worth applying now to see what happens.

 

[Paisley777]

Any thoughts about dealer schools? I see prices ranging from $500 to $2000+

 

[Reducto]

Any thoughts about dealer schools?  I see prices ranging from $500 to $2000+

Good ones seem to run $1000-1200. Any reasonably sized city with legal poker rooms should have at least one. I'd recommend talking to a local poker room manager to see what class they recommend. I'd say it's more about how much work you put into asking questions and practicing than it is about how highly rated the school is. The number of little rules covering different situations you see at the table can be overwhelming when you first do it, but the more you think things through and practice the easier it becomes.

I also know a few good WSOP dealers who run classes out of their homes early in the year specifically for people wanting to deal at the WSOP. You miss out on some benefits of an established school but gain some more personalized attention and the class will be tailored specifically to the rules you'll encounter at the series. I think the costs would be lower for that type of thing but I'm not 100% sure. I'll post something about those next fall when they start happening again.

The final option is sometimes casinos will offer free classes for prospective employees. Hopefully you would at least be open to getting a job at that casino but if at the end of the class you decide not to accept a job there, you wouldn't be the first. I set up an alert on indeed.com with the word "poker" and come across one of those opportunities every few months. You could also go to the job sites for specific casinos near where you are and set up alerts there. These classes are typically at out of the way casinos where they have trouble finding workers, they won't be in major hubs like Las Vegas or Miami.

As a side note I just went through orientation for this year's event and start work on Tuesday! If you'll be in Vegas anytime between now and early July stop by to soak up some AC and take a look!

 

[Reducto]

This flyer was posted in the WSOP break room. If you have access to something resembling a full size poker table to practice on these online classes could be an option for you. Ideally you'd have a few people to practice with. Before investing in the class you can start with the free videos here on shuffling, pitching, and chip handling plus the intro to poker:

http://truepokerdealer.com/

If you make it through those and are still interested, consider going to a land based school or investing in the "fully certified" online program.

Kim Smith is the main person in charge of dealers at the WSOP and taught the class I took.

 

[Goshawk]

Thanks for keeping all informed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Reducto]

A few more classes popped into my inbox. These links will only work while the listings are active - you can always search indeed.com to get current results.

Here's a free one in Kansas City:
https://careers-pngaming.icims.com/jobs/34392/poker-dealer-school--part-time/job?mode=job

Here's one in Durant, OK which is a couple of hours outside Dallas. It doesn't mention any costs so I'm not sure exactly what's involved:
https://career4.successfactors.com/...US&career_job_req_id=94804&jobPipeline=Indeed

This one is in Verona, NY. Cost is $175 which is very cheap for a month-long class!
https://www.hrapply.com/onellc/AppJ...kimNdx=12&op=reset&electronic_referral=indeed

I just finished working the World Series and am still enjoying myself! We were VERY short staffed again this year so the hours were long but the money was good.

 

[Goshawk]

And it's air conditioned. But are there smoking customers everywhere? Second hand smoke must be terrible.


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[Reducto]

Nearly all poker rooms in the US are non-smoking. Occasionally there will be a short wall separating the poker area from the casino floor so you'll get a little smoke wafting over from 5 feet away but that's rare.

A few allow vaping if that's a concern of yours.

 

[Goshawk]

People need to eat. So many just tolerate vaping or other work hazards. But still appreciate the advice to others for making an income.


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[Paisley777]

This flyer was posted in the WSOP break room. If you have access to something resembling a full size poker table to practice on these online classes could be an option for you. Ideally you'd have a few people to practice with. Before investing in the class you can start with the free videos here on shuffling, pitching, and chip handling plus the intro to poker:

http://truepokerdealer.com/

If you make it through those and are still interested, consider going to a land based school or investing in the "fully certified" online program.

Kim Smith is the main person in charge of dealers at the WSOP and taught the class I took.

In poker class now and while doing research for a WSOP class I found this.  I was wondering if it was any good.  Damn good price at least.  I have tons of exp learning solo/online, so I think this could work for me.

PS:
I sent you a PM earlier

 

[Paisley777]

Hello all,

I was asked to add an update here as I am just starting out with this 'poker dealing for work' idea.

I used to deal blackjack/table games some years ago and enjoyed the job itself but not the way table games is run. It's usually a completely different department from the poker room. Even then I followed the poker dealers to learn more about the game and liked what I saw so I was tickled to learn that this might be a way to make a living on the road.

So, here I am in Sacramento taking the poker dealer class at The Casino College in Sacramento, CA
http://www.ideal21.com/sacramento_california_casino_school.html
They are very, very flexible and helpful with logistics/hours/etc for class. The teacher, Ron, was in the industry 40+ years

They don't teach all the crazy games for WSOP so I will be taking the online class listed in another post. This class is for the main games played in the vast majority of card rooms and small tournaments.

Not much to add at this point. Planning to finish my class here, return to NM for a while and try to get a little PT dealer job to get my resume started before the major WSOP event next year.

 

[akrvbob]

Keep us informed, I'm really curious to know how it works out for you!
Bob

 

[Reducto]

I won't be able to make it to the RTR so I thought I'd post a quick update. Things went well at the last WSOP. My hourly went back up to $35.71 and I made $10.5k overall. I could have made more but I got to liking sleep a little too much and didn't work as much as I could have.

One bit of bad news - they eliminated the chip runner position so there are fewer non-skilled jobs available. Last year they seemed to fold a lot of tasks into the "clerk" position. Some tasks are simple like escorting players to the payout desk when they win money in a tournament, others are more complicated like running the satellite section, deciding what new games go up and announcing where players can go to find them. It's all on the job training and I'm not sure what the pay is but it should be reasonable. They still do need cashiers as well.

If you want to give dealing at the WSOP a shot, now is a good time to find a school. Weather is great in many poker hotspots like Vegas, Florida, and Southern California. You'll get out in time to audition in Vegas before it gets too hot. They did auditions elsewhere in the country as well last year and probably will again this year but I don't have any details on that yet. Florida will definitely have some.

 

[Paisley777]

I won't be able to make it to the RTR so I thought I'd post a quick update. Things went well at the last WSOP. My hourly went back up to $35.71 and I made $10.5k overall. I could have made more but I got to liking sleep a little too much and didn't work as much as I could have.

One bit of bad news - they eliminated the chip runner position so there are fewer non-skilled jobs available. Last year they seemed to fold a lot of tasks into the "clerk" position. Some tasks are simple like escorting players to the payout desk when they win money in a tournament, others are more complicated like running the satellite section, deciding what new games go up and announcing where players can go to find them. It's all on the job training and I'm not sure what the pay is but it should be reasonable. They still do need cashiers as well.

If you want to give dealing at the WSOP a shot, now is a good time to find a school. Weather is great in many poker hotspots like Vegas, Florida, and Southern California. You'll get out in time to audition in Vegas before it gets too hot. They did auditions elsewhere in the country as well last year and probably will again this year but I don't have any details on that yet. Florida will definitely have some.

Thank you for the update.  Glad to hear the rate increased.  I just completed my poker class a few weeks ago.  It included NL, Limit, holdem, Omaha, & 7 stud.  I have also been practicing pot limit.  Been working a few casino night parties just for some experience.   

I am thinking about the online advanced course or the in-person WSOP class for the additional games.
http://www.abccasinocollege.com/advanced-poker-dealers-course-world-series-of-poker-dealer/
or
http://www.wsopdealeracademy.com/shop/

Maybe see you there one day!

 

[Paisley777]

I won't be able to make it to the RTR so I thought I'd post a quick update. Things went well at the last WSOP. My hourly went back up to $35.71 and I made $10.5k overall. I could have made more but I got to liking sleep a little too much and didn't work as much as I could have.

One bit of bad news - they eliminated the chip runner position so there are fewer non-skilled jobs available. Last year they seemed to fold a lot of tasks into the "clerk" position. Some tasks are simple like escorting players to the payout desk when they win money in a tournament, others are more complicated like running the satellite section, deciding what new games go up and announcing where players can go to find them. It's all on the job training and I'm not sure what the pay is but it should be reasonable. They still do need cashiers as well.

If you want to give dealing at the WSOP a shot, now is a good time to find a school. Weather is great in many poker hotspots like Vegas, Florida, and Southern California. You'll get out in time to audition in Vegas before it gets too hot. They did auditions elsewhere in the country as well last year and probably will again this year but I don't have any details on that yet. Florida will definitely have some.

How long did you work to make that?  June 1 - July17?  50 hours/week?  60? 

How do you set up a shared room if you don't know anyone?  Is there a FB group or forum for dealers?

Thanks!

 

[Reducto]

Thank you for the update.  Glad to hear the rate increased.  I just completed my poker class a few weeks ago.  It included NL, Limit, holdem, Omaha, & 7 stud.  I have also been practicing pot limit.  Been working a few casino night parties just for some experience.   

I am thinking about the online advanced course or the in-person WSOP class for the additional games.

Congratulations! The only things I see missing are draw and Chinese, which are the easiest to deal. A little practice before your audition should be enough. Stud has a bunch of variations but it's mostly the same from the dealer's perspective. You just have to be aware of the high and low cards, and be able to read the hands at the end.
The more practice you can get the better.

 

[Reducto]

How long did you work to make that?  June 1 - July17?  50 hours/week?  60? 

How do you set up a shared room if you don't know anyone?  Is there a FB group or forum for dealers?

Thanks!

Actually looking back I was just over 40 hours per week from May 31-July 16. I could have done 50+ if I said "yes" every time they asked me if I wanted to stay or go.

There is a FB group and plenty of dealers looking for roommates.

 

[Paisley777]

Actually looking back I was just over 40 hours per week from May 31-July 16. I could have done 50+ if I said "yes" every time they asked me if I wanted to stay or go.

There is a FB group and plenty of dealers looking for roommates.

Is it this group?
2016 WSOP Dealers And Staff

 

[Reducto]

Yes, that's the group. They create a new one each year.

 

[Wanderer]

With my luck, I'd end up getting fired for peeking at the cards.  :angel:

Nah, sounds like fun....I'd have to wear something or watch what I drank so as to not wet the seat. 


Who knows? I just sent an email to my office manager ripping into a prick of a tech (shift lead tech) who
ticked off me and another worker, but he also made my sister (I got her this job) cry and brother, he
avoided me beating the shit out of him for that.

(I'll be chatting with her today at medical insurance meeting)

May need a new job soon....What with my bad hip, this may just very well be a good thing....!!!