My Swing (Blackjack Don)

[Gator Hazard]

32 minutes ago, coachjimsc said:

Found this...

http://www1.salary.com/NV/Las-Vegas/Blackjack-Dealer-salary.html

Yes, unfortunately that is very misleading as it only shows what they earn on an hourly basis in regular wages. They are paid lower wages because they also earn money in tips. Dependent on where you are working, what shift you have, and what games you are dealing, a dealer can make a good amount of money. The hardest jobs in Vegas to transition out of after graduating college with a business degree were bartending, dealing, bellhop and valet because the money is so good and typically you are taking a massive pay cut to start your career in what you studied. I worked in the casino industry in Las Vegas (born and raised in Vegas) and had many, many, friends who dealt blackjack throughout the valley. They weren't exactly scraping together pennies to make rent. Not trying to call his finances into play really as much as saying that being a dealer isn't exactly a bad living financially in Vegas. Especially if you have been dealing for more than a few years. 

[Lihu]

3 minutes ago, Gator Hazard said:

Yes, unfortunately that is very misleading as it only shows what they earn on an hourly basis in regular wages. They are paid lower wages because they also earn money in tips. Dependent on where you are working, what shift you have, and what games you are dealing, a dealer can make a good amount of money. The hardest jobs in Vegas to transition out of after graduating college with a business degree were bartending, dealing, bellhop and valet because the money is so good and typically you are taking a massive pay cut to start your career in what you studied. I worked in the casino industry in Las Vegas (born and raised in Vegas) and had many, many, friends who dealt blackjack throughout the valley. They weren't exactly scraping together pennies to make rent. 

Maybe at one of the more upscale casinos, but then you've got the older casinos. . .

I bartended for a year while in college, and made lots of money in tips. But that's only because I knew the Arabic prince who owned the place. He never drank or "partied" of course.

[Gator Hazard]

2 minutes ago, Lihu said:

Maybe at one of the more upscale casinos, but then you've got the older casinos. . .

I bartended for a year while in college, and made lots of money in tips. But that's only because I knew the Arabic prince who owned the place. He never drank or "partied" of course.

I worked at one of the "older casinos", The Golden Nugget, in casino marketing. Our dealers did well. My point was that if he has a few years of dealing under his belt there is opportunity and places to deal to make decent money. This is admittedly off topic so going to end it there

[Lihu]

Just now, Gator Hazard said:

I worked at one of the "older casinos", The Golden Nugget, in casino marketing. Our dealers did well. My point was that if he has a few years of dealing under his belt there is opportunity and places to deal to make decent money. This is admittedly off topic so going to end it there

Golden Nugget is upscale compared to what I was thinking about.

Hopefully, @Blackjack Don comes back for more "abuse". Hey, I'm going to be posting some videos weather permitting and possibly in 3 weeks since I have a China trip scheduled as of yesterday, but expect a lot of flack especially from Phil and Erik! But it's tough love, so to speak. Their intentions are to make us better golfers. That's really all that counts. . .

[iacas]

2 minutes ago, Lihu said:

Hopefully, @Blackjack Don comes back for more "abuse".

He won't be.

[Gator Hazard]

13 minutes ago, Lihu said:

Golden Nugget is upscale compared to what I was thinking about.

Hopefully, @Blackjack Don comes back for more "abuse". Hey, I'm going to be posting some videos weather permitting and possibly in 3 weeks since I have a China trip scheduled as of yesterday, but expect a lot of flack especially from Phil and Erik! But it's tough love, so to speak. Their intentions are to make us better golfers. That's really all that counts. . .

The reason I said "throughout the valley" in my first post was taking into consideration other places, also why I provided a range for income. If I told you I had a friend who made around 55-60k a year dealing blackjack at Jerrys Nugget (in north Las Vegas, a place I doubt you would have frequented, is old, dilapidated, and in a rough part of town back in the mid to late nineties) would you be satisfied? Again, the point is that unless you are a bad dealer, it's hard not to making a somewhat decent living if you have been dealing for a while. 

[Lihu]

14 minutes ago, Gator Hazard said:

The reason I said "throughout the valley" in my first post was taking into consideration other places, also why I provided a range for income. If I told you I had a friend who made around 55-60k a year dealing blackjack at Jerrys Nugget (in north Las Vegas, a place I doubt you would have frequented, is old, dilapidated, and in a rough part of town back in the mid to late nineties) would you be satisfied? Again, the point is that unless you are a bad dealer, it's hard not to making a somewhat decent living if you have been dealing for a while. 

I'm not questioning your experience that you had being in the industry, I was just thinking about all the dive joint casinos near the shooting ranges I frequent in that area.

If you tell me that these dealers make that much money, I'd totally believe you. It would be surprising to me, but I would believe you. . .

[JonMA1]

Does anyone else feel like this discussion should take place in another topic?

[iacas]

Just now, JonMA1 said:

Does anyone else feel like this discussion should take place in another topic?

It doesn't really matter anymore. The actual topic of this thread is defunct.

[Gator Hazard]

14 minutes ago, Lihu said:

I'm not questioning your experience that you had being in the industry, I was just thinking about all the dive joint casinos near the shooting ranges I frequent in that area.

If you tell me that these dealers make that much money, I'd totally believe you. It would be surprising to me, but I would believe you. . .

You may start in a dive joint but you don't have to stay there. Think about how many hands of any game that are dealt an hour, and that people tip anywhere from a dollar to whatever and it's easy to see how people working 40 hours on a decent shift can make a decent living to a very good one. 

16 minutes ago, iacas said:

It doesn't really matter anymore. The actual topic of this thread is defunct.

Only reason why I am still continuing to post.  

[Blackjack Don]

22 hours ago, Gator Hazard said:

You may start in a dive joint but you don't have to stay there. Think about how many hands of any game that are dealt an hour, and that people tip anywhere from a dollar to whatever and it's easy to see how people working 40 hours on a decent shift can make a decent living to a very good one. 

Only reason why I am still continuing to post.  

I work at a Stations casino. Ours is a second tier house, not a break-in joint. And everything you said is true about 1999. After 2008, it is decidedly NOT true. Only the Wynn dealers have any chance of getting close to a hundred K a year. The vast majority are still making 30% less than 2006, or even less. We make $18 an hour in our casino. All of us. Even the lousy dealers. I've been doing this five years. I have been in Vegas for eleven. You have great insight, for someone who doesn't know.

Today I begin forty hours a week, after working 24 hours a week for the last three years. It took THREE YEARS to gain full-time employment in my industry. I took home $25,852.65 last year. My wife does not have health insurance where she works. For the first time in several years, she'll see a doctor.

Golf is expensive. Lessons are expensive.

Edited February 23, 2017 by iacas
removed ongoing victim playing

[Gator Hazard]

59 minutes ago, Blackjack Don said:

I work at a Stations casino. Ours is a second tier house, not a break-in joint. And everything you said is true about 1999. After 2008, it is decidedly NOT true. Only the Wynn dealers have any chance of getting close to a hundred K a year. The vast majority are still making 30% less than 2006, or even less. We make $18 an hour in our casino. All of us. Even the lousy dealers. I've been doing this five years. I have been in Vegas for eleven. You have great insight, for someone who doesn't know.

Today I begin forty hours a week, after working 24 hours a week for the last three years. It took THREE YEARS to gain full-time employment in my industry. I took home $25,852.65 last year. My wife does not have health insurance where she works. For the first time in several years, she'll see a doctor.

Golf is expensive. Lessons are expensive.

I checked with a few of my friends yesterday who still deal, granted they have been doing it for some time but they make more than that an hour. 

I think you like playing the victim too much, reminds me of people who say minimum wage needs to be increased to 15/hr instead of trying to go get a job that pays that instead. If you dont like station casinos pay, go somewhere else (that's what I did in my field when knew I could make more). 

EDIT: so I wanted to see if was anything out there that speaks more to the average ranges instead of just my friends insights and saw a few boards(Vegasmessageboard.com) with posts from late 2016. Confirms dealers make anywhere from 30-60k on average with 30k being a low and not very common. . Wynn, Paris (few of my friends) Cosmo etc can make 85k and up. Stations making 45k and or more. Additionally you don't have to buy your lunch, it's provided for you. 

[Lihu]

1 hour ago, Blackjack Don said:

I work at a Stations casino. Ours is a second tier house, not a break-in joint. And everything you said is true about 1999. After 2008, it is decidedly NOT true. Only the Wynn dealers have any chance of getting close to a hundred K a year. The vast majority are still making 30% less than 2006, or even less. We make $18 an hour in our casino. All of us. Even the lousy dealers. I've been doing this five years. I have been in Vegas for eleven. You have great insight, for someone who doesn't know.

Today I begin forty hours a week, after working 24 hours a week for the last three years. It took THREE YEARS to gain full-time employment in my industry. I took home $25,852.65 last year. My wife does not have health insurance where she works. For the first time in several years, she'll see a doctor.

Golf is expensive. Lessons are expensive.

I bet the scenery there is very nice!

[Ernest Jones]

Is this a swing thread or a yahoo poker chat room?

[Lihu]

On 2/20/2017 at 4:11 PM, iacas said:

Wow. Dude, you're being a jerk.

You're not being given fish. You're being taught to fish (golf).

I'm actually impressed that Erik did an analysis of Don's swing while responding to the "Fish" comment Don made earlier.

Amazing that he wrote what needs fixing and what was the specific cause of his swing flaw. It's almost like a sub-conscious desire to help golfers no matter what he thinks about them.

[Blackjack Don]

On 2/23/2017 at 3:09 PM, Ernest Jones said:

Is this a swing thread or a yahoo poker chat room?

Why are you here?

Gator, that 30k to 60k. Is that for full time? I have been working on call, which is now no more than 30 hours a week, for three years. It's taken that long for my seniority to get high enough to bid for a full time shift. I have to go to swing shift from day shift, which is going to suck for me, except I'll have more time for golf. Is there any way I can prove my working class cred with you?

Finally, a big thank you and apology to Mike and Erik. I finally had another lesson with my pro, who is no longer our head pro but owes me another lesson, still. I had to drive two hours to get the third of the four, but it was worth the trip. You were right. He finally got me to stop sliding my hips. I didn't get it. Now, I do. Lots of drilling. I hit a driver on one hole 294, which is pretty good for an old man, I think. My average drive is around 250. I'm hitting all my clubs better, but as everyone knows, I'm mostly stuck on the driver.

Turning my hips is now my numero uno priority. It's nice to finally understand. I'm sorry I didn't understand what you were saying. It took more than an hour, and a stick in the ground for me to really get it. Thanks for the effort.

[Ernest Jones]

1 hour ago, Blackjack Don said:

Why are you here?

 

 Because I received a notification that I had been quoted?  

Or was that a koan?

[No Mulligans]

4 hours ago, Blackjack Don said:

Finally, a big thank you and apology to Mike and Erik. I finally had another lesson with my pro, who is no longer our head pro but owes me another lesson, still. I had to drive two hours to get the third of the four, but it was worth the trip. You were right. He finally got me to stop sliding my hips. I didn't get it. Now, I do. Lots of drilling. I hit a driver on one hole 294, which is pretty good for an old man, I think. My average drive is around 250. I'm hitting all my clubs better, but as everyone knows, I'm mostly stuck on the driver.

That is problematic when teeing off from 200 yards which you so strongly insist upon.