Dealers earn a few hours of paid time off each week and can schedule their own days off or vacations in advance. More and more properties are offering personal time off instead of vacations. That means the total hours actually worked during an 8-hour shift is really just 6 hours! Most dealers work an hour and a half and then get a half-hour break. At a split-joint, all tips are pooled and shared between dealers, based on how many hours are worked. The harder they work at being friendly and taking care of their guests, the more they will earn. At a go for your own casino, dealers keep their own tips and have a huge impact on how much they earn. Time-off is usually easy to get, and an early-out to accommodate an emergency is often available. Most casinos offer 24-hour gaming, so dealers can work any shift. Some employee dining rooms are free, others offer meals for as little as a dollar or two. Employee dining rooms can rival nice restaurants, and some properties, like the Wynn in Las Vegas, offer dining that is off the charts. Good ventilation, good lighting, and a clean environment are standard. Although many casinos still allow smoking, most dealers find that the working conditions and perks are excellent. Ask at the Human Resources department to find out about everything that's offered. Many casinos also offer tuition reimbursement for job-related college classes.

Bonuses and 401K match programs are second only to medical benefits. Many casinos are part of very large corporations, and they offer excellent benefits. Fees for dealing schools typically run $500 to learn blackjack and slightly more for complicated games like craps and roulette. Other properties hire experienced dealers and/or those who have successfully graduated from a dealing school. Some casinos offer in-house training to existing employees for dealer positions. As little as two weeks of training may be all that is required. That's a pretty good starting pay, right? The average dealing job at a small casino only pays half that much, but many do pay more than $25 per hour. Dealers can make as much as $100,000 per year.

How to be a casino dealer