What goes into training a Live Casino dealer?

There are many different factors that have helped boost the popularity of live casinos. Not only can you play a huge variety of games but the advanced technology that is used to power some of these online casino games have made the overall live casino experience so much more authentic. 

However, despite both of these features being key, a live casino just won’t be able to function without the live dealers. In most cases it is the live dealers that help contribute to the atmosphere within the rooms and as they are often highly skilled, their skills in running various casino games help make live games seem like the real thing and ensures that the action keeps on coming. 

In most cases the live dealers are so skilled at what they do, they make their roles look unbelievably easy. However in most instances that simply isn’t the case – in order to make it as a live dealer there is a great deal of training that has to go into it.

Knowledge of the different games and rules is a must

A live casino dealer has to be a little bit like a chameleon in the fact that they need to have multiple skills and be adaptable for many different situations.

Whilst live casino dealers may end up specialising in one particular game area, in order to keep things fresh, dealers will need to have a handle on the rules for all of the different games that sit within a live casino.

Whereas live dealers can rely on technology to help calculate the results of bets and outcomes, they need to understand all of the different nuances that some of our favourite casino games have.

If we look at Blackjack, live dealers need to be able to recognise all of the different side bets, when they should be played and how that impacts the overall hand and rhythm of the game. Roulette also contains many differences. There is a massive variety of different bets that can be played and a dealer will need to have a knowledge of them all in order to keep the game flowing correctly and quickly.

In any one shift a dealer may have to wear many different hats and they will need to transition easily between all of these different games in a seamless fashion.

Honing the different techniques

As we have mentioned at the top of this article, live dealers are so skilled at what they do, they make the job look exceptionally easy. However, making it look as easy as they do takes some serious practice and it’s common for dealer training to take multiple weeks.

Dealing cards and handling cards is a real artform and it’s essential that the skills a dealer needs are of the very highest quality, but it isn’t just with card handling where a dealer needs to be exceptional. 

Rolling dice, handling dice and moving chips around the board needs to be done in a slick and effortless fashion and although that seems like a straightforward task, doing those tasks under pressure and under the spotlight of the players isn’t as simple as it looks. 

To be successful as a dealer the basics have to be in place, handling cards, rolling dice and handling chips are the foundation pieces that every dealer needs to have. Failure to have these in place could mean that a dealer won’t get very far. 

Keep up with all of the variants

If you are new to the world of live casinos, the one thing that might surprise you is how many different variants of casino classics such as roulette and blackjack there are.

As well as traditional games, roulette and blackjack have turbo variations that keep the action flowing at a much quicker rate than standard games.

Lightning versions have also proved to be very popular variations. Offering a fun multiplier element that helps make these games different to classic versions of blackjack and roulette, the rules for these variants are different to how standard games operate and it’s essential that the dealer knows the differences in order for the games to work as they are intended.

Training with technology 

What powers live casinos? The answer is of course technology and there is a whole host of high powered tech that go into streaming the live casino games that we have gone onto love.

As well as high tech cameras, there are cameras that pick up the objects on the table and the dealer will need to understand how all of this technology works so that they can do their job effectively and maximise the technology to its fullest potential. 

Due to the fact that live casinos need technology to operate, there will be buttons to push and different cameras and screens that will keep track of the actions that players are taking and all of the interactions that will be taking place.

The dealers will need to know where they are looking when interacting with players, any buttons they need to press to reset hands or tables or if there is an issue with any of the technology, what the backup procedures should be.

Being good with numbers 

There are many reasons as to why I couldn’t be a dealer but, one of the main reasons why I wouldn’t succeed is because I am terrible with numbers. 

Every dealer that you come across will be brilliant at calculating odds, working out payments and adding up the different calculations of a hand. 

Any work with numbers has to be done in a quick and speedy fashion as often the action on the tables needs to move fast. 

The next time you play at the live casino tables, notice just how few mistakes the dealers make. Often games could become unstuck if the dealer makes a miscalculation, but those occasions are so few and far between you start to take the dealers numeracy skills for granted. 

Understand and upheld the casino guidelines

When training to become a live dealer, one of the most important things that a person needs to understand is that when at the table it is the dealer that is in charge.

Players when they take to the table need to understand that they need to behave well. When interacting with other players or the dealer, basic rules such as the use of poor or derogatory language simply isn’t permitted, and if a player steps out of line it is up to the dealer to act.

Dealers have the power and authority to issue warnings or if poor behaviour persists, exclude players from the room. 

The joys of live casinos are the fun atmospheres they provide, the dealer needs to take on a lot of the responsibility in ensuring that the atmosphere remains upbeat at all times. 

Understanding the importance of staying impartial

The one thing that a dealer learns about pretty quickly in their training is the importance of staying impartial. In games like Blackjack where players may ask for guidance or advice, it is Rule 101 that the dealer stays out of the decision making process and lets the players make their own decisions. 

When working as a dealer, it is essential that dealers remain neutral, failure to do so could lead to serious repercussions.

Another golden rule that is specified during dealer training is ensuring that they can read the room. 

It’s imperative that when players win, dealers remain positive and feel excited and part of the celebrations. Alternatively if a player is losing, dealers need to act in a responsible and respectful way. 

Dealers should never rub it in or point out that a player is losing, they should be empathetic and understand the highs and lows that come with gambling. 

For a dealer, the global nature of the tables can result in some brilliant fun, but there could be instances where things get lost in translation. Communicating to players from different nationalities is a must have skill, failure to do so could lead to tensions or miscommunication. A dealer has to find a way to keep everyone entertained, no matter what the nationality of the players at the table are. 

Having the ability to read the room is often what keeps the atmosphere around the tables fun and fresh, if the room is lost, that’s when the atmosphere could take a turn for the worse.