‘World’s Best Dealer’ Couldn’t Find Job in Las Vegas!
How difficult is it to get a job in Las Vegas dealing table games?
At the inaugural Dealer Championship at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas on Thursday, Elleonor Hoffman won the title of "World's Best Dealer." The Las Vegas native told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that she works for a California tribal casino despite her shown abilities and decades of dealing experience because she was unable to obtain full-time employment in her hometown.
Hoffman, 51, works at the Graton Resort & Casino in Sonoma County, California, as a dual-rate table game dealer. After working on cruise ships for 22 years, she joined the property ten months ago.
It seems that the management of the strip casinos were not impressed.
Hoffman was not asked to speculate as to why she was passed over, but her circumstances probably represent issues facing the industry like:
- Preference for recent land-based experience, particularly in high-volume, well monitored areas like the Strip
An overabundance of skilled dealers in Las Vegas - Given that casinos frequently prefer younger applicants for front-facing positions, there may be age-related discrimination.
Put the game on
Go on
Hoffman faced battle against 33 other US dealers at the G2E Dealer Championship, which was hosted at the Venetian. Twelve semifinalists and six finals were selected over the course of two days. While dealing roulette and blackjack, competitors were evaluated on their technical proficiency, hospitality, and game control. Executives from each of the participating resorts' table games were among the judges.
Hoffman earned a trophy, $5,000, and the Dealer Championship Cup, which will be on display at Graton until the following year and inscribed with her name.
She also received some retribution. She defeated Marko Vekovic of Encore, who finished third and won $2,000, and Madalina Ristea of the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, who finished second and won $3,000.
"Honestly, this is the first time that I’ve seen myself perform because I’m always at the back of the table,” Hoffman told the Review-Journal. “So, to [watch] myself on video, and judging myself, I was like, ‘Damn, I’m good at this.’”
The Bellagio's Milan Jesic, the Venetian's Taras Ploshchanski, and Washington's Muckleshoot Casino's Chaz Chim were the other three contenders.
Hoffman's victory strongly implies that by adhering to strict, antiquated hiring practices and industry prejudices rather than evaluating pure dealing skill, Las Vegas casinos lose out on outstanding talent.
