If you’ve ever visited a casino or played live dealer online casino games, you might have heard the term “croupier”. But what is a croupier? And what does a croupier do? Read on to find out.
The Origins of the Word Croupier
Merriam-Webster describes how the word “croupier” was derived from the French word “croupe”, which loosely translates to “the person who sat behind the rider on a horse”. It also originally had two meanings. The first meaning was “person who stands behind the banker at basset (a card game) to call out the cards and deal with stakes”, while the second was “person associated with a gambler who stands behind him at the table”.
While “croupier” may have been used this way historically, it is used differently today.
The Meaning of Croupier Today
What is a croupier in a casino? According to the Collins dictionary, a croupier is “the person in charge of a gambling table in a casino, who collects the bets and pays money to the people who have won”. So when you sit to play blackjack, craps, or roulette, the person running the table is a croupier.
However, many would likely scratch their heads if this term were used in specific games—for instance, people are used to referring to a blackjack or poker dealer, not a blackjack or poker croupier.
So, have people been using this term incorrectly? Can the terms be used interchangeably? Or is there a difference between these two roles?
Croupier vs Dealer
As mentioned, Collins defines a croupier as “the person in charge of a gambling table in a casino, who collects the bets and pays money to the people who have won”. Also according to Collins, a dealer is defined as “one who distributes cards in a card game”. This definition doesn’t explicitly refer to a casino, but it’s easy to see why it would be used to refer to a croupier who deals out cards to gamblers in a card game like baccarat, blackjack, or poker.
When you unpack these formal definitions, it becomes clear that a casino dealer is technically a casino croupier. Like the croupier, the dealer is also in charge of the gambling table. The dealer’s and the croupier’s responsibilities include assisting the players, ensuring they follow the game’s and casino’s rules, and managing the bets and payouts (even if it’s not literal money but casino chips being exchanged.)
But this doesn’t mean all croupiers are dealers. Games that don’t involve cards, such as craps and roulette, still use the term croupiers to refer to the casino staff in charge of the game. Ultimately, this means that all dealers are technically croupiers, but not all croupiers are dealers.
The Skills Required to Become a Successful Croupier
Now that you better understand what a croupier is and how the role differs from a casino dealer, here’s a list of the skills you’ll need to succeed in the role.
1. Have Good People Skills
As a croupier, you regularly interact with people about various topics and potential issues. Good social skills are an absolute must and will help you achieve positive outcomes in every interaction, whether that’s engaging with a player who’s upset because they’ve had a bad run of luck, or assisting someone who’s had a positive experience and is looking for a place to celebrate their recent win.
2. Have a Professional Attitude
To ensure the casino runs smoothly, it’s important to always have a professional attitude. This mindset will encourage teamwork and motivation, improve your productivity, and create a positive environment around you.
3. Understand the Rules of Casino Table Games
You must understand all the ins and outs of the game you’re hosting. Even if you’re running the easiest casino table games, knowing every rule will help you answer any player questions or resolve any potential issues, ensuring a fair and fun experience for all players.
4. Be Able to Quickly and Accurately Process Basic Math
The croupier must be able to quickly calculate and distribute the payouts for the game they’re in charge of. This means being able to rapidly do math calculations mentally so that you can keep a game running as smoothly as possible.
5. Be Able to Focus For Long Periods
Croupiers work shifts that typically last around eight hours at different times of the day. Regardless of what shift you work, you must be able to focus and provide gamblers with an excellent gambling experience, free from mistakes that could affect their relationship with the casino.
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