cyph
Trusted Member
This is probably the most important information to read. Straight out of an industry text book.
industry line of defense
As we near the end of our study, we’ve covered an enormous variety of scams and strategies. It’s time to look at the many elements that comprise the detection process, but, first, let's overview the industry's line of defense.
Dealers
The dealer can be considered our first line of defense. Whereas a boss is responsible for many games, the dealer is a dedicated observer, only responsible for his game and the players on his game. Although very few|understand the mechanics of scamming, card counting, or advantage play in a meaningful way, they can occasionally spot an unusual or [suspicious action, then pass the information along to their supervisors. As a general rule, they do not contribute significantly to the detection of cheaters and skilled players, but they can initiate the process.
It's the consensus of many veteran gamers that the art of dealing has become a dying art. There was a time when the professional clerk' (a topnotch dealer) was respected, sought after, and was always guaranteed a job. Not any more. Most clubs shy away from experienced help; Binion’s Horseshoe used to be an exception, as there were always jobs for the best dealers. Its a sad truth, but today, when it comes to the dealer, mediocrity is the norm, and there are many reasons for this decline.
When the gaming business exploded throughout the country, the demand for dealers was huge, and inevitably, dealers were mass-produced, creatingfa weak and inexperienced work force. Conditions worsened when inexperienced dealers were quickly promoted to the floor, as the demand for floor supervisors was huge, too. This series of events . resulted in one soft spot after another for the skilled cheater or player, as they often targetted the weaker help. Las Vegas may have had an advantage in this regard because, with its break-in houses, dealers had places to learn their craft before dealing in the better clubs with bigger limits. Some jurisdictions, however, are not set up this way.
Cheaters and players are also known to target the experienced help. Talk with the professional advantage player, for example, and you will find that the veteran dealer is exploited just as much as the less experienced help; in fact, the veteran dealer is often targetted because of his experience. His loopholes and habits are more ingrained, they are more reliable, more predictable.
Once dealers have been in the business for a few years, they reach a point where they think that they have mastered their trade, and as they say, "It can be tough to teach an old dog new tricks." i Dealers are not subject to technical reviews once they advance past the break-in period, and just because a dealer has been dealing for ten years doesn't mean that he's immune from improvement, j I’ve personally talked with many seasoned floor supervisors who have, at times, made a genuine effort to step in and critique a dealer's skills, only to have the dealer respond with,'Tve been doing this a long time,” implying that he didn’t need the help. More than one dealer has interpreted constructive criticism as akin to harassment. And, it’s well known that in some dubs, bosses are patendy instructed to leave the dealers alone. When a boss can't demand that the dealer adhere to certain fundamentals and expea full support from his superiors, why would any boss make the effort to help?
Incentive is another issue contributing to weaker help. If a blackjack dealer makes the same money whether he learns to deal roulette or not, where's the incentive? If a blackjack dealer makes the same money whether he learns to deal the pitch game or not, where’s the incentive? In many clubs, mediocrity is tolerated, and outside of self-pride and self-respect, there are no incentives for dealers to excel. The irony is that, today, the dealer's job is more secure than ever, and it’s hard to get fired, due in a large part to Human Resources.
So, when one considers the relative inexperience of our work force, lack of technical review, and lack of incentive, it should come as no surprise that cheaters will always have soft spots to play, and advantage players will always have loopholes to exploit.
If you want your dealers to stand out, they must have a clear understanding of what is expected of them. The only way to accomplish these goals is with some form of ah ongoing evaluation or review program. When the dealers are periodically reviewed for how they shuffle, how they presend
industry line of defense
As we near the end of our study, we’ve covered an enormous variety of scams and strategies. It’s time to look at the many elements that comprise the detection process, but, first, let's overview the industry's line of defense.
Dealers
The dealer can be considered our first line of defense. Whereas a boss is responsible for many games, the dealer is a dedicated observer, only responsible for his game and the players on his game. Although very few|understand the mechanics of scamming, card counting, or advantage play in a meaningful way, they can occasionally spot an unusual or [suspicious action, then pass the information along to their supervisors. As a general rule, they do not contribute significantly to the detection of cheaters and skilled players, but they can initiate the process.
It's the consensus of many veteran gamers that the art of dealing has become a dying art. There was a time when the professional clerk' (a topnotch dealer) was respected, sought after, and was always guaranteed a job. Not any more. Most clubs shy away from experienced help; Binion’s Horseshoe used to be an exception, as there were always jobs for the best dealers. Its a sad truth, but today, when it comes to the dealer, mediocrity is the norm, and there are many reasons for this decline.
When the gaming business exploded throughout the country, the demand for dealers was huge, and inevitably, dealers were mass-produced, creatingfa weak and inexperienced work force. Conditions worsened when inexperienced dealers were quickly promoted to the floor, as the demand for floor supervisors was huge, too. This series of events . resulted in one soft spot after another for the skilled cheater or player, as they often targetted the weaker help. Las Vegas may have had an advantage in this regard because, with its break-in houses, dealers had places to learn their craft before dealing in the better clubs with bigger limits. Some jurisdictions, however, are not set up this way.
Cheaters and players are also known to target the experienced help. Talk with the professional advantage player, for example, and you will find that the veteran dealer is exploited just as much as the less experienced help; in fact, the veteran dealer is often targetted because of his experience. His loopholes and habits are more ingrained, they are more reliable, more predictable.
Once dealers have been in the business for a few years, they reach a point where they think that they have mastered their trade, and as they say, "It can be tough to teach an old dog new tricks." i Dealers are not subject to technical reviews once they advance past the break-in period, and just because a dealer has been dealing for ten years doesn't mean that he's immune from improvement, j I’ve personally talked with many seasoned floor supervisors who have, at times, made a genuine effort to step in and critique a dealer's skills, only to have the dealer respond with,'Tve been doing this a long time,” implying that he didn’t need the help. More than one dealer has interpreted constructive criticism as akin to harassment. And, it’s well known that in some dubs, bosses are patendy instructed to leave the dealers alone. When a boss can't demand that the dealer adhere to certain fundamentals and expea full support from his superiors, why would any boss make the effort to help?
Incentive is another issue contributing to weaker help. If a blackjack dealer makes the same money whether he learns to deal roulette or not, where's the incentive? If a blackjack dealer makes the same money whether he learns to deal the pitch game or not, where’s the incentive? In many clubs, mediocrity is tolerated, and outside of self-pride and self-respect, there are no incentives for dealers to excel. The irony is that, today, the dealer's job is more secure than ever, and it’s hard to get fired, due in a large part to Human Resources.
So, when one considers the relative inexperience of our work force, lack of technical review, and lack of incentive, it should come as no surprise that cheaters will always have soft spots to play, and advantage players will always have loopholes to exploit.
If you want your dealers to stand out, they must have a clear understanding of what is expected of them. The only way to accomplish these goals is with some form of ah ongoing evaluation or review program. When the dealers are periodically reviewed for how they shuffle, how they presend