Making a living as a traveling poker dealer

[Paisley777]

Stud & Razz - I feel pretty comfortable

Push /pull for draw???

I would most certainly take the extra classes!
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I've thought about the poker cruise.. I think I will do that at some point, but I know it's really only for a free vacation

"one stop"???

 

[Reducto]

By push/pull I mean when you are replacing each player's discards instead of pitching them, you deal them straight down onto the felt in front of you, push them towards the player, then drag the discards back and place them above the pot. This is supposed to minimize the chance of a card flipping over. It's not difficult, just something you'll want to practice a few times before your audition.

 

[Paisley777]

By push/pull I mean when you are replacing each player's discards instead of pitching them, you deal them straight down onto the felt in front of you, push them towards the player, then drag the discards back and place them above the pot. This is supposed to minimize the chance of a card flipping over. It's not difficult, just something you'll want to practice a few times before your audition.

OK.  I think I know what you mean.  Was watching a vid of the 2-7 from 2015.

 

[Paisley777]

A serious question here. One that should have been asked some time ago...
Do you use a personal seat cushion? If so, what kind? Walmart polyester, memory foam, purple?
(lol)


Talking about the differences in morning to late shift with my friend. She said a dealer she knows only made 6-7k working the 10a shift and was often sent home without signing EO. While my friend worked the late shift, made 12k and got almost no sleep from 'getting stuck in cash games.' I know you said that this last year was unusual, not normally such a disparity - right?

 

[John61CT]

7k,12k, over how long a period of time?

 

[Paisley777]

7k,12k, over how long a period of time?

They both worked the full series - 6 weeks

 

[Reducto]

Hopefully the scheduling will be better this year so the hours are a bit more even. As I mentioned, you can request a change to another shift if it's becoming obvious they are getting more work and you'd like to work more. Not everyone wants to work all day every day.

In previous years everything died way down the final week and most dealers were let go after 6 weeks while some worked 7, which is another reason some made more than others. This year they're adding a bunch of smaller events that take place the last week so there should be more dealers staying to the end. I don't know if that means more money overall, but it should even things out a bit.

I actually have some news - I've accepted an offer for a permanent casino gig so I'll be off the road for a little while at least. I probably won't be at the WSOP this year unless the job doesn't work out but I may still go out on the road once in a while. I'm still happy to answer questions here of course.

 

[Paisley777]

[quote pid='364566' dateline='1516139519']

I actually have some news - I've accepted an offer for a permanent casino gig so I'll be off the road for a little while at least. I probably won't be at the WSOP this year unless the job doesn't work out but I may still go out on the road once in a while. I'm still happy to answer questions here of course.
[/quote]
NOOOOO!!!!! 
I was looking forward to meeting you.

 

[ShThom]

I'm late to this thread. I live near Indianapolis, so I'll be checking out the school you mentioned in Cincinnati. Thanks for sharing a possible career for me.

 

[52jokers]

I actually have some news - I've accepted an offer for a permanent casino gig so I'll be off the road for a little while at least. I probably won't be at the WSOP this year unless the job doesn't work out but I may still go out on the road once in a while. I'm still happy to answer questions here of course.

I was also looking forward to meeting you. Congratulations on getting the job and thank you for continually answering questions on this thread.

 

[Goshawk]

Reducto — met you in Florida a few years ago when bob had a meet/great there. Glad to see you are considering settling down. Hope you like the home base life for a while. The road will be there later. Assume you will be working Vegas general area? Just curious about dealer career locations.


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[52jokers]

I'm also curious about great locations to settle down in poker.


Las Vegas would definitely be on the top of the list because of the Poker season and the sheer number of poker rooms in the city.

I've heard good things about Florida as well as Los Angeles.

 

[Reducto]

I'm actually going to a new place opening in upstate New York. It's more of a lifestyle choice, getting away from the hot weather everyone else seems to love. Also helping start a new room is the quickest way to get a full time position. In existing rooms you usually have to stay at part time for years to get that, if you ever do. Most dealers I know in Vegas juggle 2-3 PT jobs.

Florida, gulf coast, and Oklahoma towns bordering Texas actually seem to be the best for tips though I'm sure there are other hotspots. Vegas can be good but it depends which room, which shift, etc.

I'm treating it as an experiment. I am still applying for the WSOP just in case I don't like it.

 

[Goshawk]

Used to live in Saratoga. Lake Placid is awesome. Hope you are close to some mountains or a finger lake. Heard western update New York is a lake effect snow belt with lots of stir crazy winters. Good luck regardless.


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[52jokers]

As an update: I officially graduated West Coast Dealing School in Las Vegas last week.
I also auditioned and got hired as a tournament dealer at the Venetian this summer.

I'll also be applying / auditioning to the WSOP, Wynn, Planet Hollywood, and Mirage. (Just to get used to live auditions and to increase my options this summer.

 

[Paisley777]

So, what are the thoughts about the new tax plan seeing as traveling for work costs are no longer deductible? I was looking into incorporating.

 

[Reducto]

The tax changes will really hurt dealers who do a lot of traveling. I've been deducting thousands in mileage, airbnbs, gaming license fees, uniforms, etc. Hopefully there will be some alternative way to do it like incorporating.

A few events such as Cherokee pay us as independent contractors so I think that will still be deductable but I'm really not an expert.

 

[Paisley777]

The tax changes will really hurt dealers who do a lot of traveling. I've been deducting thousands in mileage, airbnbs, gaming license fees, uniforms, etc. Hopefully there will be some alternative way to do it like incorporating.

A few events such as Cherokee pay us as independent contractors so I think that will still be deductable but I'm really not an expert.

I'm going to try to talk to a CPA about it.  Kind of frustrating to ask around and all I hear is... "just enjoy the higher std deductible."  :/

 

[AnonymousDog]

Reducto, I really appreciate the info you've provided in this thread. This is something I'm going to look into as a source of income to fund my upcoming nomadic lifestyle. Thanks.

 

[Paisley777]

Anyone else here dealing WSOP this year?