Poker Dealer Pay on a Monday -- Day 2 of 50

This summer will have about no poker, but it will have a lot of dealing poker. I'm dealing the summer poker series at The Orleans on W Tropicana in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Orleans Summer Open is the official name. Here are my tales.
Sign up to receive my newsletter on my Patreon page:
/ vegaspokernomad
#poker #pokervlog #pokerlife #casino #lasvegas #vegaspoker #vegas #caesars #caesarspalace #mgm #ballys #aria #southpoint #sahara #westgate #horseshoe #bellagio #wynn #resortsworldlasvegas #venetianlasvegas #youtube #youtuber

[@baccaratmessiah4420]

Almost 4k subs I genuinely am so happy for you I subscribe when I swear u had only 10 subs is crazy it took awhile but I knew u has something special

[@dakotajarvis5356]

same

[@joshmorrow9872]

Me too

[@VegasPokerNomad]

Thanks a lot

[@partyry11]

Since no one has this Milestone info 100% correct I'll provide it. The buy in is $120. 1 in 10 get paid $1k. Its not a satellite, the tourney just ends(so it is like a Survivor Tourney). The Milestone part is if you get to 200k in chips you automatically get paid. They take your chips off the table and give you $1k. So for example if 100 people enter, the tourney will end when 10 people are left and everyone gets $1k

[@mully107]

Not quite. The tournament would only play down to 10 people if nobody hits the milestone. Which is very unlikely. If 100 people join. 10 people would get 1k. But not necessarily the final 10 players.

[@brad2109]

I appreciate this video. Its very hard to find on the internet what dealers actually earn Thanks

[@VegasPokerNomad]

The WSOP had the same down rates for HE and non-HE mtt's last year. I say "last year," because I know about 2023 for a fact because I was asking Bally's dealers while I was considering applying to the WSOP. This year is likely the same there, but I don't know for a fact.

[@jamesepler1782]

@@VegasPokerNomad NLH at WSOP 15 per down other games 20. Same as orleanes

[@easyfnmoney]

I am so glad this channel exists. When I retire, I'm likely going to be doing exactly what you are doing.

[@VegasPokerNomad]

Cool

[@cpataxpro]

Copy that. I'm basically on the same path. Lots of poker before bingo at the retirement home. 😄

[@stephengalvin9589]

Wow Awesome !!! Keep it going Vegas Poker Nomad. Thanks for all your hard work for us. Good Luck at the tables also. CONGRATS !!!

[@matthewk5472]

Love this video, really good to hear a detailed summary of the pay. $35 an hour (off a small sample size) is a lot better than I expected. Will watch with interest to see if that number is relatively consistent or how big the fluctuations are.

[@VegasPokerNomad]

Thanks

[@cpataxpro]

Congrats Rice ... I knew you would be successful based on your experience, math skills and meticulous nature! Not sure if everyone understands the complexities of Omaha-8 with the multi-way splits and side pots! They are lucky to have you and your versatility. GL

[@VegasPokerNomad]

Thanks

[@thaarbitor2003]

Wow, I stand corrected, Rice! I didn't realize you could make this kind of money. 350 a day all summer is actually really good money.

[@831bweiser]

It doesn't hurt that Vegas respects dealers and pays them minimum wage plus OT. In Texas I make $2.50/hr.

[@831bweiser]

To be fair if I dealt 8 downs of cash in Texas I would make significantly more than the $171 he made. I'd be closer to $250.

[@kaceydillin7367]

Cost of living too! What city do you deal?

[@831bweiser]

@@kaceydillin7367 Fort Worth area

[@montanapokerplayer2842]

Great Information!

[@LVgamb00ler]

Thank you for another very informative video. I'm glad to see that dealers receive decent compensation. You're probably one of the dealers who make the job look easy. The job requires good focus and is physically harder than most people think.

[@VegasPokerNomad]

Thanks

[@704studio]

$36 an hour dealing, excellent!

[@jamesestes2641]

I hope your channel will grow for your great content Good luck and keep up the good work..

[@VegasPokerNomad]

Thanks

[@zackeryzackery9381]

I always wanted to try being a poker or black jack dealer.

[@abercheese70]

That’s a hell of a day buddy. Great job

[@Vivavegas10]

Thank you for the great content Rice all the best

[@dmv_p]

I appreciate you doing this ... while I'm not dealer, the insight is really cool. Keep up the good work .. and Rice is NOT a spoon food!!! lol Cheers!

[@VegasPokerNomad]

Thanks. -- If not a spoon, I'll accept sporks.

[@dmv_p]

@@VegasPokerNomad lol fair enough

[@jamesepler1782]

The last one is called a Milestone tournament. Get to a set number of chips and you move on. Most likely a satellite into something else.

[@warrenmaxwell2366]

So much better than a regular satellite, happy to see they are becoming more of the norm

[@Nicname]

The biggest winner (on average) at every low-stakes* poker table … is the dealer. *1/2,1/3 w/ 100-133BB cap.

[@ericbush1544]

Nice job

[@texcoast44]

Very interesting stuff! Hope they got your card situation sorted too so you can clock in/out properly...been worrying about you having a nightmare getting paid those 1st cpl days.

[@VegasPokerNomad]

A dealer told me a "hack" and it's been working since day-2.

[@timf7813]

This is way better than grinding 1-2 so nice job dude

[@tw5139]

Good for you man, that seems like a very profitable day.

[@VegasPokerNomad]

Thanks

[@aspiringwhale7306]

Dealing is the best move you can make. Glad he's doing this.

[@capt.underpairs1167]

Love this channel! Thinking of doing what your doing, except, I live in a campervan. My main issue is parking.

[@VegasPokerNomad]

Horseshoe has outdoor parking not many people know about. If you're Diamond status, parking is free and you can use the surface lot to the east of the building.

[@capt.underpairs1167]

@VegasPokerNomad thanks for that!! When I'm off, I can easily park at a truck stop. My campervan being 10 feet tall, parking while working is crucial. Thanks for taking the time to respond!!

[@kauai1945]

Another great video!

[@VegasPokerNomad]

Thanks

[@rudistorm3348]

Great Stuff Rice.

[@MXDRE907]

Usually with those structures when someone has 10 starting stacks they automatically receive the payout

[@jackripper8337]

One one where they count the chips is a bankroll builder event. They get 10x their starting stack they get 10x their buying minus the rake. Orleans has a $130 one and a $240 buying ($100 and $200 buy in after rake).

[@VegasPokerNomad]

Thanks. I asked H&R and he didn't include every detail but said that, in essence.

[@Tom_Bee_]

30% rake is pretty brutal 😢

[@ginjjiigok364]

Rice is a base for other foods. Forks and Chopsticks bro!@!!!!!

[@thegamblershall5725]

The frugal way that rice lives this kid might bank 2 years worth of living expenses over this 50 days!! I enjoyed the update buddy keep them coming. I’m back in Vegas in July to see clients

[@VegasPokerNomad]

I hope.

[@jbird643]

Solid day man

[@daredevil5371]

was looking into this didnt realize diff downs pay more.

[@VegasPokerNomad]

Yeah. HE is the easiest game to deal. The others pay more.

[@tahoe_rangefinder2882]

nice!

[@batmasterson7091]

Turn on the charm to get bigger tips. Nice going!

[@joshmorrow9872]

New satellite structures this year.... once your stack is 10x starting stack they pull your chips from the tournament and you get a seat.. maybe that was the structure

[@VegasPokerNomad]

I think that's one way to advance. And you can do it the traditional way too: finish in the top X%.

[@JohnDoe-sw9zq]

I had no idea what dealers make. I'm guessing because the WSOP is in town there is a higher demand for dealers so this a seasonal gig with higher than normal earnings?

[@VegasPokerNomad]

It's seasonal. The tips and down rates are normal. -- The hours are more than normal because of what's going on all over town. And it isn't normal to deal non-Hold 'Em tournaments during the rest of the year.

[@JohnDoe-sw9zq]

@@VegasPokerNomad Thanks! one last question - what is a down? Is that every time you sit down to deal at a tourney table?

[@VegasPokerNomad]

@@JohnDoe-sw9zq Yeah. 30 minutes then the dealers change tables.

[@acardioxc]

Rice, any chance earning all this cheddar during the WSOP will make you a part time dealer, part time poker player?

[@VegasPokerNomad]

I might look to do more tournament series. The WPT comes to town. The Orleans also has a winter series. But not a regular thing.

[@777BrokeDegen]

sit and goes in double or nothings are all colluded but those double or nothings. one time there was the biggest one on A site that you could see their city..100$ double up There was four people from the city of PLOVDIV, BULGARIA

[@mattmurray7534]

I believe its called a Milestone tournament. The tournament pays 10% of the field but whenever you get 10 times your starting stack you cash and your done with the tournament.

[@mattmurray7534]

In some Milestone tournaments you cash out. Say you start with 10k chips. You can cash out 100k in chips for the prize but you don't have to. Say you start the hand with 80k and you double to 160k. You cash out 100k and are left with 60k.

[@mattmurray7534]

But if you want to play with 160k you can to try and get to 300k. The tournament ends when all the prize pool has been cashed out.

[@VegasPokerNomad]

"Milestone" is in the tournament name, yes. I don't know if you have the option to continue but at 10x you can/will get paid.

[@mattmurray7534]

@@VegasPokerNomad The Orleans tournament doesn't let you continue past 10x starting stack.

[@wesyoung9150]

Crushed it. Do you think dealing will help you as a player later on once you get more comfortable dealing and you can watch the game more from different perspective?

[@VegasPokerNomad]

Maybe if I dealt a lot of NLHE cash. But I'm dealing mostly tournaments and when I deal cash it's a lot of LHE and Omaha-8.

[@wesyoung9150]

@@VegasPokerNomad love the new videos

[@petepeters6503]

Really great vlog. Math heavy, but I was able to keep up with most of it. Maybe next time incorporate a graph or chart. Or is that part of the private news letter?

[@VegasPokerNomad]

I just published May's newsletter. That was still from the perspective of playing. The newsletter that comes out on July 1 will focus on dealing but I haven't started creating it yet. -- A chart of what exactly?

[@brianslade6891]

You need a chart for that bro? Gtfo

[@brad2109]

Comment for the algorithm

[@Stockholm_Syndrome]

Are there enough dealers during the WSOP or do those who are available have to work extremely long hours? I can imagine dealing poker in Las Vegas at some point in the future, just to have done it. I don't care about the money. The problem is work permits in the US. But if there is a shortage of dealers, it should be in everyone's interest to bring in dealers from e.g. Europe for these 5-6 weeks in question. By the way, are there dealers from other countries dealing during the WSOP? I'm not going to move to the US, even though Joe Biden says the US is the best place in the world. :)

[@VegasPokerNomad]

I don't know everyone's country of residence. -- A lot of people quit. There are opportunities to work a lot of hours. Especially in the middle and at the end, after people quit. Without the teachers it'd be understaffed. Teachers have the summer months off and a lot deal these 6 weeks.

[@Xanzia1972]

wtf is happening? lol...good to see you.

[@VegasPokerNomad]

I'm here.

[@toddbarrera375]

When you say "downs" is that your shift at a table?

[@VegasPokerNomad]

Yeah. 30 minutes.

[@MacBaza]

This is super interesting. What is "a down"?

[@pokermudgeon2299]

Usually a 30 minute time period, after which a dealer moves to a different table.

[@VegasPokerNomad]

~30 minutes. We change tables, ideally, after 30 minutes.

[@Toadstool4]

DO you get over time pay for going over 8 hours even if you don't work a 40 hour week ? We only got over time if we worked more than 40 hours.

[@VegasPokerNomad]

Who's "we?" It's a state thing. Poker rooms don't make this rule. Over 8 hours in a day AND over 40 hours in a week trigger OT pay.

[@Toadstool4]

@@VegasPokerNomad "we" meaning dealers in my state.

[@VegasPokerNomad]

@@Toadstool4 Got it. Thought maybe you meant another summer series in town. Each states makes that rule. NV is how I said.

[@iLyncher]

Maybe you mentioned this but are there any benefits with this job? Health insurance and the likes?

[@VegasPokerNomad]

Not for just 7 weeks. I'd need to have a certain amount of hours worked in my first 6 months as an employee to be eligible for benefits. -- I don't remember the specifics but I read the materials they gave me and saw there was no chance I'd be able to meet the requirements in just 7 weeks.

[@davidallison3086]

I thought they didnt have to pay dealers minimum wage cause you receive tips like waitresses

[@sandrarencontre3647]

Depends on where you live. California and Nevada have to pay min wage

[@mully107]

Dealing cash now, do you still think $1 a hand is a good tip?

[@VegasPokerNomad]

I don't know what the "still" part means. But I think it's a good tip.

[@mully107]

@@VegasPokerNomad you and I had a conversation a few months back about tipping. I dont recall your exact words but you argued then that $1 was good. I disagreed, and was curious to see if your opinion had changed now that you are dealing. Have you heard the expression "getting dollared to death" yet?

[@VegasPokerNomad]

@@mully107 Never heard that expression. I have probably tipped less than $1 per hand in my life. A lot of hands that end preflop get no tip. And it's not too often I win a huge pot that triggers $2 or more. When people who are losing don't tip, that's fine. When someone wins a tiny pot and doesn't tip, that's fine. Those things have happened and I don't get agitated. When people tip on tiny pots, it's generous, but I'm not expecting it.

[@dr.options]

I'm not familiar with the term "down". How many deals = 1 down? Thanks!

[@WeHaveEggnition]

Dealers sit down at a table for 30 mins then either rotate to another table or go on break. Each time they sit down at a table to deal, that time period is called a down.

[@dr.options]

@@WeHaveEggnition thanks!

[@BluffytheVamp]

Is Eric your boss? Used to see him at STL all the time

[@VegasPokerNomad]

Yes. And judging from the baseball memorabilia in his office, he's from StL.

[@PeteyPablo1]

Wow thats good money dude, Im honestly attracted to trying to move to nevada from canada now. just need someone with a law background to help guide me. I wonder if any such a person exists

[@VegasPokerNomad]

I hear the two easiest ways are to marry an America or own a business based on the U.S.

[@BluffytheVamp]

What is a down?

[@leviwhatever6192]

His time on a table, 30 minutes, then either gets pushed to another table, or break. When dealing cash it's potentially one break every 2 hours.

[@ADR014]

For the people that don’t deal. Wtf is a down

[@VegasPokerNomad]

30 minutes.

[@keepitsimple693]

fk yea, pretty good winrate with no variance, that was like $50/Hour?

[@VegasPokerNomad]

It was ~$35 for that day.

[@halfhoppamusic]

$11.25 is not a living wage with inflation.

[@cpataxpro]

It's the "base pay" in this type of work. All the rest (tips, special pay, and overtime) are incentive compensation. It's called "capitalism."😄

[@VegasPokerNomad]

Good thing they pay us more I suppose.

[@chinafunnycrazyvideos4078]

whats a down?

[@jamesepler1782]

Dealers deal for 30 mins at a time then move to another table. That 30 mins we call a "down"

[@chinafunnycrazyvideos4078]

@@jamesepler1782 got ya, thanks

[@imp0rtt]

U got 348 for one day ?

[@VegasPokerNomad]

We'll see if the paycheck is the correct amount. But that's what I earned.

[@imp0rtt]

@@VegasPokerNomad wow that's amazing

[@mikeb4739]

What a down?

[@VegasPokerNomad]

We change tables every 30 minutes.