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Gambling Dealer

Interviews

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On rows and rows of tables, roulette wheels spin. Dice fly. Slot machines light up in a dazzling array of colors. Dealers and players are everywhere. The loud sounds of bells, music and coins fill the smoky air. For the casino dealer, this is not imaginary, but everyday life on the job!

Catherine Pearlman is a casino dealer in Atlantic City. Like most experienced dealers, she knows more than one game, and she alternates as needed. She deals baccarat, minibaccarat, roulette, Caribbean stud poker, let it ride and pai gow poker. She has the winning combination -- mastery of the games and superb people skills.

Pearlman started out dealing craps, the most complex game on the casino floor. "When I first saw craps being played, I couldn't understand it."

Each craps table requires three dealers and a supervisor called a boxperson. Players often make multiple bets on a single roll of the dice, and as many as 16 people may bet at one table, so the dealers' calculations can become staggering. "You have such a high volume of money and people coming at you from all angles. It'll make you anxious, sometimes."

Pearlman has dealt a lot of cards in her career. "Neatness definitely counts. If you're placing cards over the top of another card and the surveillance cameras can't read what you're doing, it could factor in to your evaluation." After years of experience, dealing cards, making necessary calculations and doling out chips become automatic. Pearlman handles these tasks almost without thinking.

Pearlman's knowledge of the technical aspect of the games allows her to devote more attention to customers. "You have to like people. If you don't like people, don't even get into the business."

Claudia Holmes is a pit manager for a casino in Las Vegas. She's responsible for all activity and personnel at the table games in her assigned area, or pit. Holmes oversees blackjack, roulette, poker, craps and baccarat.

On a given day, Holmes might supervise 16 dealers and four floor supervisors at 12 tables. Holmes ensures that her employees run the games according to house rules, sees that her dealers take the breaks they need to stay sharp, and monitors the "comps" that her floor supervisors give to players. Comps are perks -- often free or discounted meals or hotel rooms -- given to players according to how long they play and how much they bet.

When a table needs more money, Holmes has it brought in. If a dealer gets sick, she finds a substitute. Whatever paperwork needs doing, she does it. Holmes also oversees all markers, the credit extended to players by the casino.

"Many pit managers have college degrees, though they're not required. Having a degree does help pit managers who seek advancement to higher level management positions."

Holmes and her floor supervisors strive to keep their customers happy. This involves friendly banter in good times and smoothing things over when problems arise. "I'll come over and assess the situation," says Holmes. "If possible I'll accommodate the player. I'm a people person and I love the people."

Another people person is casino dealer Rhonda Crawford. Crawford didn't know a full house from a straight flush when she switched careers from geriatric nursing. "Casino dealers come in all ages and backgrounds. Most know something about cards and aren't new to gambling -- but not all. They share top-notch math skills. They need them, especially for roulette.

"When a number hits in roulette, you must add quickly, because players may have several chips around the wheel that pay different odds. In roulette, players don't get mad at themselves, because it's a game of chance rather than skill."

Holmes likes the schedule that her job allows her to keep. "Most people are counting the minutes until quitting time, but my workday is just beginning. Much of the action here doesn't start until sunset. Today as usual, I woke at noon, had a quick breakfast, worked out at the gym for an hour and a half, showered, and slipped into a business suit and matching three-inch heels."

Most casinos run 24 hours a day and offer three staggered shifts. Unlike Holmes, Pearlman likes a conventional day shift, while Crawford favors a graveyard shift. But holidays are busy seasons for casino entertainment.

Holmes doesn't see any drawbacks to her job. "When I first came to work here, I thought the casino was like a movie set. Everything seemed so glamorous to me. All the handsome men in tuxedos playing roulette, surrounded by gorgeous women, reminded me of James Bond. In a casino, dreams could literally come true. I am not as naive now and I know it takes hard work, but I still feel it is a great place to work."