A pit boss is the gaming manager.

He or she will spend most of their time walking the casino floor. Their objective is to make sure that games are being played following rules.

What's more, the goal is to ensure that dealers are presenting the game properly. As a pit boss, one will oversee all dealers, servers, cashiers and other employees that are working on the floor. They will also have the responsibility of training new hires as well as monitoring the performance of all current employees.

What is Needed to Be a Pit Boss?

While no former education is imperative to obtain this position, there are some prerequisites that many casinos will want for anyone to become a pit boss.

Prior experience on the floor of the casino is preferred and most pit bosses held a position as a dealer at the casino. It is important for the pit boss to be familiar with the rules and play of all table games since they will be overseeing multiple games during a shift.

A pit boss has to show exceptional managerial skills and have a vast knowledge of the games at the casino as well as fairness and attention to detail. They should have the ability to resolve disputes and handle all types of customers and must also be able to monitor more than one situation on the floor.

Pit bosses do have to have a high school diploma or a GED and the casino may send applicants for further training, such as how to deal with paperwork, a refresher course on games or even a manager training program.

The Right Personality

Not every person will be a successful pit boss and there is a certain personality that casinos require. Pit bosses must be personable and must make customers feel welcome and comfortable, but they must also have the ability to have the upper hand should there be any disputes.

Since a pit boss will most likely be supervising former colleagues, they will have to be fair and be able to treat all employees with the same level of fairness and respect. They will also have to be very alert throughout the shift and be able to deal with challenging situations, including aggravated players as well as cheating employees.

A good pit boss needs to find the right balance between being friendly and authoritative. Learning how to make people feel at home can sometimes result in lacking initiative. That never happens with a skilled, organized pit boss. Pit managers need to be rigorous and unbiased in their decision-making, but also deliver their opinion the right way. Reaching this equilibrium between being kind and resolute is what makes the best pit boss.

A pit boss can have a natural inclination for the job but their skills can be acquired over time, too. Various programs and courses teach pit bosses people management, negotiation skills and logical thinking. Some of the most important skills a pit boss should have include fast thinking, a high social intelligence and knowing the trade like the palm of their hand.

Being Responsible for Money

One of the main jobs of a pit boss is overseeing the money and the transactions that occur at different casino tables. These employees will account for a huge amount of money and will have to keep an eye on all bets being placed, all chips being given by the casino as well as the movement of cash at a table. They will be held responsible for every penny at the end of their shift. Additionally, a pit boss must authorize receipts, credit slips and cash-outs.

Responsibility has to be second nature to every pit boss, be it in a land-based casino or online. These persons overlook behavior on both sides of the table. A pit boss needs to be both fair and attentive. Also, taking care of money is arguably a pit manager’s biggest obligation. As the official casino supervisor, a pit boss cannot afford a second of inattention.

Furthermore, a pit boss is tasked with monitoring loyal players who spend a lot of time at their venue. Such gamblers can earn comp points based on their loyalty to the casino. Complimentary points (comps) are garnered by playing consistently with one operator (online or offline). After a while, the casino will notice the player’s devotion. It is, in fact, the pit boss’s job to take notice of this activity. They then decide, alongside the casino management team, what the rewards for the player will be. The prizes can range from hotel rooms to plane tickets to free booze.

How Much Does a Pit Boss Make?

Pit bosses will tend to make better wages than other casino employees since they have more responsibilities. The actual salary will vary per casino, but on average, US pit bosses can expect to make between $50,000 and $75,000 per year. Unfortunately, a pit boss, unlike a dealer, cannot accept tips. There are bonuses and benefits, but without the tips, some dealers will make more money than the pit boss. In turn, that can make the position undesirable for the latter.

The average pit boss salary in the United States stands at around $60,000 with an hourly rate of $27. With that money, a pit boss is well off but still unable to boost the income via tipping. Nevertheless, the work–payment ratio for the position of a bit boss is in balance.

Further Reading

Interested in finding out more about the inner workings of casinos? Here are some interesting articles you can find right here on LiveCasinos.com.