Dealers are the casino employees who run the table games, like roulette, blackjack and craps. Of all the casino's employees, it is the dealers who have the most contact with the player. The dealers deal out cards, handle dice and run the machines. The dealers also monitor the players' betting; keeping track of all action on the table, and making sure the betting and pay-outs for winning plays are correct.
A dealer will work in a group of tables usually laid out in a square or oval configuration with a central desk in the middle. The area might have two or more kinds of games in the same area and the dealers are expected to be able to pick up for any other dealer at any other game in the area at a moment's notice. Casinos rotate the dealers on the floor regularly from game to game, also establishing a rhythm for breaks that don't interfere with regular play.
A dealer has to be able to run a game seamlessly, without error in play or bet, and be able to quote the rules chapter and verse at a moment's notice. Often, a dealer will help a player make good decisions about what steps to take next in games like blackjack or let-it-ride, since the advice builds more goodwill than it loses the casino money. At the same time, dealers have to be able to spot players before they can break the rules inadvertently while also keeping an eye out for people who are actively trying to cheat the casino.
