Some of your Questions:
Q. How much does it cost to become a Poker Dealer?
This is always a tough question to answer, but I'm sure everyone has heard the saying, "You get what you pay for"?
In Poker Dealer Training this could not be more true. Sure you can shop around and find a training course to suit a budget that you may have set for yourself, but the real
question is; "Will it actually teach me everything that I need to know to become a professional poker dealer?"
The truth is, maybe, maybe not? But one thing that West Coast Dealing School
will guarantee you is that we will promise to teach you everything you need to know to become a professional poker dealer in both tournament and live action , cash poker or we WILL give
you your money back -
guaranteed.
All too often training facilities will tell you what they think you want to hear just to acquire your business but then
ultimately fail to deliver all the information you need to become a
professional poker dealer. Here at West Coast Dealing School we understand
what is required to become a poker dealer and refuse to simply tell you what you might like you to hear
in order to keep the cost of your training down, but we will tell you everything you are going to need to learn to allow you to become the best poker dealer that you
can be. Please click on our Courses page to view the current curriculum and training costs.
I would personally like to
make a comment at this time so you may appreciate how
important it is to me to train you in the right way. There are no short cuts to
become a professional dealer. Learning to be a poker dealer is not going to be the 'easy
ride' that many people may think it is and although it will be a well paid career
that you can achieve in a relatively short period of time, it is not going to be delivered to you ' on a plate'. You will have to work hard to
pass the standards that we set for each and every one of our
students. To be the best at anything requires hard work, dedication and commitment from both the student and the instructor. If you would like to become that
elite individual in your new career, you will need to pay for it both financially and most importantly, in your
dedication and commitment to your new career aspiration!
Remember what you are purchasing when you buy in to the West Coast Dealing School philosophy. You will be given every academic and physical tool to carry out your training, we will
provide that
training using only the finest industry standard props and tools and you will be learning in the most luxurious training facility in Las Vegas. You will receive a
Certificate from the
school which has been licensed by the
Post Secondary Education Commission in the State of Nevada and you will be learning from a course curriculum that has been written by a current,
professional poker dealer in Las Vegas and from course materials
written specifically for the Comprehensive Poker Dealer Program by the owner of the school which has subsequently been
approved by
the staff at the WSOP.
Once graduated your fee also buys you unlimited access to the facility to return to the school and practice the poker games you may have become unfamiliar with and ask any questions regarding new games and procedures that
may have been added after your graduation. We encourage each and everyone of our students to become part of the West Coast Dealing School team and alumni.
Q. How much can I expect to make as a Poker Dealer?
So we have established how much it might cost you to train to become a poker dealer, but how much can one expect to make once one has graduated the course?
This might seem like one of those, "well, it depends?", kind of questions. But honestly there is a standard answer I give to my students which is this:
On average, the standard 'tip' given by a player to a dealer is $1 per winning hand to that player... This may seem a little 'crude', but over a period of time a dealer
should expect to receive this amount for one's effort, on average. That being said, therefore, suggests that it doesn't really matter whether you are dealing in a prestigious room or
what one might consider to be an 'off strip' poker room. Poker players tend to tip the same amount per winning hand whether they are playing in a high quality poker room or a 'back street',
local 'quiet' room.
Unlike
'table games' where the higher the stakes being played the more likely are the tips being offered; poker does not work that way. In fact, quite the contrary.
The higher the stakes in a poker game, the less likely you are to make higher tips. The recreational player is more likely to
indiscriminately tip the dealer than a player playing for a 'living' in the higher stakes game. High stakes players tend to keep records and account for every penny they spend where low limit players are the recreational players who are happy to
tip more frivolously. So, although high limit players are
making more than a low limit player, the vested interest in the game keeps the tipping to an average standard.
The bottom line is most poker dealers can deal 15-20 hands of Texas Hold'em per half hour (dealer 'down') and will be paid minimum wage plus tips. Therefore the average dealer should be able to earn $30-$50 per hour if they are
in a room which allows them to deal constantly through their shift. Still $30 - $50 per hour is a good salary for a professional who has only had to pay $1295 for a complete training course to
become a poker dealer.
Q. Does West Coast Dealing School offer financing?
West Coast Dealing School does not officially offer financing. However, we will allow each student to break down the cost of the training over a period of weeks during
the training period. We will ask for 50% of the cost of training at sign up and the remainder can be spread across the remaining weeks of the course. Do remember, however, that most students complete the
Comprehensive Poker Dealer Program in 4-6 weeks, so that doesn't leave very long to make all payments. We also do not issue the
Graduation Certificate until all payments have been made.
We do offer a discount at sign up to those students who wish to pay in full at the start of their training.
Q. How do I become a Poker Dealer?
Becoming a professional poker dealer can be a very rewarding job both financially, socially and intellectually. There are an array of skills required to be a successful
poker dealer including good hand-eye coordination & math skills and of course having a great personality. You will be working in the customer service and entertainment industry and will
be dealing with many different personalities from all over the world. It is crucial that you have great communication skills when dealing with your clients and managers.
Poker dealing can be a fast paced
activity and your ability to handle pressure situations when calculating financial transactions is imperative. Having said that as long as you are able to sit for long periods of time, do basic arithmetic
in your head and have the ability to manipulate playing cards, then all of the skills you need can and will be delivered to you on this course.
The main requirement in becoming a professional poker dealer is to get the right training. With an approved curriculum and a registered Graduation Certificate most card rooms will waive
up to two
year's of experience. A valid, registered certificate from a fully licensed training school is extremely valuable.
Q. How much will the training cost?
For current course availability and pricing please visit our Courses page
Q. After paying for the course, will there be any additional costs?
There are no additional fees to be paid during your training. Everything you need is supplied as part of the course fee. There is a course text book and DVD, both produced in house
by your head trainer, and we will even provide you with a new deck of plastic playing cards for you to practice with at home.
You will need to purchase a number of items once you are ready to audition for work and before you begin your first poker dealing shift. Most poker rooms expect prospective candidates to
wear 'Black & Whites' at an audition. This means Black, polished shoes; Black socks; Black, pressed business pants and a long sleeved white, pressed business shirt.
Once you have been hired you will also need a fanny pack to keep your
necessities like Band-Aids, medication, note pad and pen for example.
Q. How long will it take to complete the course?
Our Comprehensive Poker Dealer Program is officially 100 hours in duration. However, we
understand that students who take the course come from
all backgrounds. Some may have never played poker before and will need a few extra hours learning each of the games before learning to deal them. Other students have played poker all their
lives and therefore will find it easier to
transition into dealing.
My recommendation is that you allow yourself more time to complete the course than the bear minimum. We want to be sure that you are fully
equipped with all the necessary skills before you leave the school. Of course, if you have a time restriction because maybe you are coming from out of town to train with us, then of course we will do everything in our power
to be sure you have completed the curriculum in the time you have available.
Most people don't realize just quite how much there is to learn if you want to be a fully equipped poker dealer, so allowing a little more time for your training would be wise at the beginning.
Q. Can the school guarantee me a job once I complete the course?
Of course the answer to this question is no.
However, we will do everything in our power to connect you with the necessary poker room managers and casinos who are looking for poker dealers after you graduate.
We do have connections with a number of major casinos and card rooms in the Las Vegas area. Once you have completed the course we will help you create a professional resume, supply you with your
Graduation Certificate
and furnish you with poker dealer opportunities as they become available.
Most of our alumni remain on our mailing list so we will send out group emails with the latest job opportunities as they come in to us.
We do have a number of poker rooms contact us directly for dealers as and when they need them.
During the major events such as the World Series of Poker at the
Rio all Suites Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and the Phamous Goliath Poker Series at the
Planet Hollywood Casino in Las Vegas, we will
organize auditions on
behalf of our graduates who would like these opportunities.
Remember that during the 7 weeks of the WSOP in the summer, most dealers earn well over $10,000, more than enough to pay for your new career training as a poker dealer in just one event!
Q.What makes West Coast Dealing School better than other poker dealer training schools?
West Coast Dealing School is the only fully licensed "Poker Only" training school in Las Vegas. We specialize in only teaching poker dealers. We feel it is very important to dedicate all our
resources to delivering just poker dealer training. There are enough distractions when you begin your training, the last thing you need is more noise and distraction that comes from those
table games such as Craps, for example.
To become a professional poker dealer requires an extremely large amount of information, and of course practice, to become proficient. Our 1100sq
ft. facility boasts 4 custom built, high quality
poker tables. Two are dedicated to tournament play and two fully equipped as cash tables. Most other facilities who offer poker dealer training generally are table games training centers who offer poker dealing as
an additional course. For this reason it is not uncommon to find sub standard equipment being used for the poker dealer training and more importantly the course curriculum is teaching only the bear minimum.
Maybe Texas Hold'em, Omaha and a Stud game?
Here at West Coast Dealing School we teach all 25+ games that are currently offered at the major poker events such as the
World Series of Poker. Not only do we teach all
of the games in tournament style we will also teach
them to you in cash format too. Yes there are differences in rules and procedures when playing the same game in Cash or Tournament format.
We only use trainers who have actual experience dealing all of the games you will learn. Our trainers are currently dealing in Poker Rooms and casinos in and around the Las Vegas area and will, therefore, be training
you in every detail currently needed to deal in todays, modern poker environment.
The equipment used at the school is second to none. From the fully equipped, custom built poker tables; the comfortable, padded office style seating (remember you will be sitting for long periods. Hard, metal chairs
will not suffice) to the highest quality all plastic playing cards, authentic casino style poker chips and replica bank notes - we have spared no expense when it comes to offering you every detail so you become familiar
with all the materials you will experience on your first day as a poker dealer.
There are four betting structures currently used in the poker world. Limit, No-Limit, Pot Limit and Spread Limit. If you choose a training facility that is not going to teach you all of these formats, you will not be
ready to deal poker in Las Vegas or many other states and countries. Often I hear other training centers telling students that they do NOT need to learn how to deal Spread Limit poker, for example. But I can assure you
there are a number of poker rooms here in Las Vegas that still have a spread limit, cash game running on a daily basis. So to be a professional poker dealer you need to know them all.
Here's one way to look at things. Often I hear other dealers saying that it is not necessary to learn to deal anything other than Texas Hold'em, Omaha and a couple of stud games. Although it may be true that the majority
of poker rooms may only spread these games, there are a great number of events and poker rooms out there that require their dealers to deal ALL of the other games. You cannot deal at the WSOP if you do not know all of the games,
and the major rooms will spread an eight or ten game mix which include games like Badugi and Deuce to Seven triple draw. So if you aspire to deal at prestigious poker rooms like the Bellagio, the Aria or
Venetian, to name but a few, you may not be considered if you cant deal those games.
Why cheat yourself with your training? You only want to train one time so do it right the first time. Yes our
Comprehensive Poker Dealer Course is a little more expensive than other options out there,
but the reason why is just that: It is the only fully Comprehensive Poker Dealer Program currently available teaching you both cash and tournament poker in 25+ games, using all four betting structures.
Stop by the school today. We are more than happy for you to sit in on a class for a while and see for yourself why West Coast Dealing School is the right choice for you!
Q. Do I need to be able to play poker before I start my training?
The simple answer to this is no.
However, of course it will be a little easier to transition to becoming a dealer if you already know how to play some of the poker games. But we will teach you how to deal
poker whether you know how to play or not. We have had students who have started on the course having no idea if an Ace is higher than a King in value. If that is you, do not despair,
we will teach you to become a
poker dealer even if you have absolutely no knowledge of poker.
Do allow yourself more time to complete the course as we will instruct you on the basics regarding the cards, suits, hand rankings and of course how to play the games in the beginning.
Q. What poker games will I learn on the course?
There are almost 30 games currently on the World Series of Poker game list. This number is changing all the time. Every year a new
variant is thrown in the mix.
Please click here for the games on our current curriculum.
Q. Other dealers tell me I only need to know Texas Hold'em & Omaha to become a poker dealer?
Dealers who make this comment tend to be those who find
themselves settled in a regular dealing job where those are the only games being played. Sure you can find a job where
you only need to deal one or two games at that location, but if they are the only games you know then you will be seriously restricting your options as you move forward in your new career.
It is easy to compromise in life, especially when it feels like one may be saving time and money. But you only want to train for this new career one time and I would urge you to consider
investing the extra time and a little extra money at the start of your career to guarantee you get the complete training you are going to need. Not only will you be best prepared for the options
in the future which you are not yet aware of, but you will also receive superior training in the basic games that all facilities teach.
Please do stop by the school and talk with us before you make any decisions about who you are thinking of training with. We would be happy to have you sit in on our classes for a while to experience
the quality and style we offer to our students.
Q. Why does this course cost what it does?
A Comprehensive Poker Dealer Program like the one we offer here at West Coast Dealing School is extremely complex and has a huge amount of detail. There are 6 written
tests to navigate during the course as well as a number of practical
assignments cumulating in a simulated audition at the end.
There are basically three styles of games to deal; Board games,
Stud games and Draw Games. Four betting structures; Limit, No-Limit, Pot Limit and Spread Limit all delivered utilizing rules and procedures in two formats; cash and tournament. To learn all of this information correctly
takes time. If you were to consider learning Blackjack, Roulette, Craps and Baccarat all at the same time you would still need less time than you would to learn poker correctly. Generally in life you usually get what
you pay for. Do be careful as you deliberate over where to receive your training; if you are paying half the price you are probably getting half the product?
Our graduates are always welcome to return to the school to brush up on skills they may have not used for a while, learn new games that have been introduced and ask questions at any time. Your course fee entitles
you to a lifetime pass to the facility.
Q. Does the school help with job placement once I have graduated?
Yes. Of course no one can guarantee anyone a definite job placement. But we will help you create a professional resume, link you with card room managers who are looking for poker dealers and keep you updated with opportunities as they appear in the field. We will also organize auditions for you with the World Series of Poker at the Rio in Las Vegas and the Goliath Series of Poker at The Planet Hollywood casino when they are recruiting.
Q. Do I need good Math skills to become a poker dealer?
You will need some math skills. It is not necessary to understand calculus but you will need to be able to add, subtract and multiply basic numbers in your head whilst multi-tasking as you run your poker game. There are formulas and tips we will give you to help in this process, but if you are not able to multiply numbers like 17x3 or subtract 225 from 1800 then you might struggle to become a competent poker dealer.
Q. Does my age affect me becoming a poker dealer?
Age affects everything!
But the good news in poker is that there are equally as many opportunities out there for a mature candidate as there might be for a younger one.
All poker rooms have their own criteria when it comes to recruiting for their particular poker room. The good news is that some rooms might want a younger candidate but there are other rooms who would prefer
a more mature candidate depending on the demographic of their particular room.
When it comes to the major events such as the WSOP, these events require so many dealers and have a
clientele which is multi cultural, of all ages and of both sex's that there really is no discrimination when it comes
to hiring. If you can deal the games well enough, they will hire you. West Coast Dealing School has a 100% candidate pass rate at the WSOP and on average score 10 to 15 points higher than their counterparts.
In the state of Nevada under current licensing laws, the minimum age to become a poker dealer is 21. However, if you are from another state or country where you are allowed to deal at a younger age, as long as you
can offer proof to that effect, we can train you from the age of 18.
Q. In this age of mild drugs such as Cannabis becoming legalized, will participating in its use affect my employability?
Probably!
Most major casinos and card rooms will run a criminal background check and a drug test before hiring you permanently. That being said, if you are being hired on a temporary basis you are not
as likely to be drug tested. However, just because
cannabis has become legal in many parts doesn't mean that prospective employers have to hire individuals who choose to participate in its use.
Most casinos run a standard drug test on individuals as part of the hiring process and if one fails the test then one is no longer considered as a candidate.
To become a poker dealer means you will also need a Gaming license in the state in which you operate. The gaming board will run a background check before issuing a full license. In the state of Nevada a
misdemeanor is not considered condemning for your license but a gross-misdemeanor or higher is. If you have any concerns with your criminal history, check with your local gaming board before you
embark on your training program.