Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 8,000 people employed as gambling and sports book writers and runners in the United States. The median annual salary is $25,200. Entry level employees earn approximately $19,910 per year and senior employees earn approximately $37,490 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime pay, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Collect cards or tickets from players.
• Compute and verify amounts won or lost, paying out winnings or referring patrons to workers, such as gaming cashiers, so that winnings can be collected.
• Answer questions about game rules or casino policies.
• Conduct gambling tables or games, such as dice, roulette, cards, or keno, and ensure that game rules are followed.
• Operate games in which players bet that a ball will come to rest in a particular slot on a rotating wheel, performing actions such as spinning the wheel and releasing the ball.
• Exchange paper currency for playing chips or coins.
• Compare the house hand with players' hands to determine the winner.
• Seat patrons at gaming tables.
• Open or close cash floats or game tables.
• Pay off or move bets as established by game rules and procedures.
• Start gaming equipment that randomly selects numbered balls and announce winning numbers and colors.
• Check to ensure that all players have placed their bets before play begins.
• Inspect cards or equipment to be used in games to ensure they are in proper condition.
• Collect bets in the form of cash or chips, verifying and recording amounts.
• Push dice to shooters and retrieve thrown dice.
• Record the number of tickets cashed and the amount paid out after each race or event.
• Prepare collection reports for submission to supervisors.
• Take the house percentage from each pot.
• Deliver tickets, cards, and money to bingo callers.
• Participate in games for gambling establishments to provide the minimum complement of players at a table.
• Sell food, beverages, or tobacco to players.
• Supervise staff and games and mediate disputes.

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