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What it takes to be a Roulette Dealer

November 18, 2021

The best Roulette dealers, or croupiers, are usually those who blend into their surroundings, never create a fuss, and keep a game running swiftly and smoothly. As with all jobs that appear to be effortless, the art of being a Roulette dealer is anything but.

Here we examine all the aspects of what it takes to be a top-notch Roulette croupier , capable of working either as part of land-based croupier team or in the live casinos found online.

Mathematics on Point

Roulette is not just about setting the ball spinning and raking in the chips once it comes to rest, because each variety of bet that’s made on a Roulette table comes with its own set of odds.

This means that a croupier must have mathematical memories, so that they can pay out a winning bet quickly.  For a single number bet, also known as a “straight-up”, the odds applied to a winning bet are 35/1, whereas a corner bet which covers four numbers has odds of 8/1. There are plenty more odds variables besides the two mentioned here which means that Roulette croupiers must know all of them by heart if they are to shine in their positions.

While some of this can be learnt on the job, most people are expected to put in some hard study hours in their spare time, so that when they next come to the table they are primed and ready to keep the wheel spinning.

Picture This!

Another way that croupiers get to grips with paying out bets as quickly and accurately as possible is by using what are known as picture bets. These are some of the most used combinations of bets that Roulette players are likely to make, such as one chip on a straight up bet combined with a couple of chips placed on splits. To learn the outcomes of such bets by heart, dealers study picture cards, which give a visual representation of the bet, along with the relevant odds and payouts.

A Roulette dealer must be abreast of how and who is placing chips on their table

Getting a Feel for Chips

No, we don’t mean French fries, but rather the playing chips that are spread far and wide across the surface of a busy Roulette table. A good Roulette dealer should be able to judge how many chips they have in their hand without needing to count them. The magic number of chips a dealer should be able to fit in one hand at a time is 20. This enables them to stack chips as efficiently as possible, so that the next spin can get underway sooner rather than later. Most budding dealers are timed by their supervisors on how long it takes them to do this. Many training courses run by casinos will provide dealers with chips to practice with at home, meaning those who are dedicated to mastering their craft will practice for hours, until the handling of chips becomes second nature to them.

Customer Service is Everything

Finally, there is the matter of interacting with casino clientele and ensuring that everyone at your Roulette table is happy. Of course, there must always be a balance drawn between interacting with players and being accurate with payouts and chip stacks. The best dealers in the business do both, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.