Standing in the center of a crowded casino, effortlessly shuffling cards and calculating complex payouts, is a highly skilled profession.

Working on the casino floor provides a front-row seat to the wildest entertainment environment in the world.

Learning the Trade: Casino Academies

You cannot simply walk into a casino and ask for a job dealing blackjack; you must be professionally trained first.

You will typically start by learning Blackjack, as it is the foundation, before moving on to complex games like Craps or Roulette.

• Some massive casino resorts offer free, in-house dealing schools, but you must pass an intense audition to be hired afterward
• Tuition for an independent dealing school can range from $500 to $2,000, depending on how many games you want to learn
• Craps is universally considered the hardest game to learn, but Craps dealers are always in high demand and make the best tips

The Reality of the Casino Floor

The job is physically demanding; you will be standing in one spot, making repetitive hand motions for eight straight hours.

While the base salary is often just minimum wage, a good dealer at a busy, high-end casino can make $70,000 to $100,000 a year in tips.

Becoming a professional dealer is a fantastic, non-traditional career that offers excellent benefits and incredible people-watching opportunities.