The Life of a Pit Boss: Managing the Casino Floor

A pit boss is responsible for creating a safe environment, ensuring the games run smoothly, and managing the floor in a casino. It is similar to a restaurant manager, the owner of a store, or the supervisor in a hotel. If everything runs like clockwork and the atmosphere is buzzing with games and flowing money, they are doing a good job. It is a demanding job that requires professional expertise in customer service and managing the games. Often, this may require first, second and even third shifts – as most top establishments run round the clock.

They are not expected to live on the premises 24/7, but casino pit bosses need to dedicate a lot of their time working. They receive their fair share of compensation, with the highest earning pit bosses earning over $100k a year. But casinos cannot just simply hire anyone to become a pit boss.

The Life of a Pit Boss – Responsibilities

All landbased casinos need pit bosses. Whether they are called supervisors, gaming managers, or pit managers, these people have lots of responsibilities.

Resolve Customer Disputes and Answer Questions

If a visitor has a problem with a game, the pit boss needs to help them out and correct any mistakes that may have occurred. They have to continuously monitor the happenings on the floor and must handle these situations quickly and effectively. This requires a foundation in customer service.

Pit bosses must ensure that visitors are handled fairly and respected in the casino. If any player is causing problems or disrupting others, then the pit boss must defuse the situation. In the worst case scenario, they have the authority to remove a player from the premises, and even suspend them from entering the casino.

Controlling the Games’ Quality and the Dealers

It is quite rare, but sometimes there can be errors in casino games. The dealer may make an error or a gaming machine may have technical issues. Pit bosses need to quickly address these issues, and be on hand to resolve them. For example, a blackjack dealer makes a mistake when counting a hand’s value. Or, a slot machine that jams due to overheating or excessive play. These problems must be addressed promptly, and the pit boss must do what they can to ensure the problem does not arise again.

They are also responsible for opening and closing tables. If a dealer is on a long shift and shows signs of slowing down or making small errors. The pit boss has to get them out quickly. Scheduling breaks for employees, giving them advice, and boosting morale among the staff is one of their core roles. It doesn’t even need to be a tired dealer. The boss’ expertise must extend to every single detail. They must spot details such as when a deck of cards is starting to wear, or if any of the dice need replacing with fresh die.

Spotting Potential Cheating Activity

This is where pit bosses get a bad rep, probably because of the countless films that have displayed them as ruthless bouncers who constantly look for cheats. Yes, pit bosses have to protect the casino’s interests by surveilling players and detecting illegal activity. They must ensure that all the guests play legally and don’t use unorthodox methods or tools.

But the pit boss will not drag suspected cheats off the floor, threaten them, or physically attack them. They do not target players who are winning fairly. The pit boss should maintain a fair environment, and also defend other players from cheats or thieves. The latter is extremely important, as guests may try to steal chips, use counterfeit receipts, or take other items such as jackets or bags of other players. No matter how large a casino is, pit bosses must uphold the standards and ensure every corner of the casino is safe.

How to Become a Casino Pit Boss

In terms of qualification, pit bosses do not need excessive certificates or degrees. A background education in administration and finances is a major boost. But the more important criteria is hands on experience on the casino floor. Generally, casino pit bosses need 5-7 years of experience working with table games. They should display a high level of proficiency in different table games, and know how to both run the games and manage them.

The conditions for becoming a pit boss vary greatly depending on the casino itself. For example, if you are applying to become the pit boss in a smaller and obscure casino, the standards will be a lot lower than the top establishments in Las Vegas, Reno or Atlantic City.

If you are seriously considering becoming a pit boss, it may be useful to gain experience at a smaller establishment. Then, after moving to a bigger casino, your journey to becoming a gaming manager will be a lot more straightforward.

When You May Need to Ask for the Pit Boss

Going back to players, there are some cases in which you can request for the pit boss. Requesting to speak with the pit boss is a rarity in itself, and can only be done in special circumstances. Most commonly, you will need them to oversee big payouts, ensuring the money is handled professionally. But there are lots of other scenarios in which you can ask for the pit boss. When you want them to address a question, you can simply ask your dealer or another member of staff to contact the pit boss.

Special VIP Requests

High rollers can reach out to pit bosses to inquire about the possibility of booking private gaming sessions. It is not uncommon for groups to book an entire table or a dedicated room to have behind doors high stakes gaming sessions. If there are vacancies and it fits the casino’s schedule, the pit boss will be able to arrange something for you.

If not, they may adjust the table limits on a specific table, increase the buy in, or make slight adjustments to the rules to accommodate you.

Asking About Loyalty Rewards or Perks

Pit bosses, through their assembled teams, track and monitor players. If you have been playing at a casino for a longer period of time or wagered bigger sums of money, you may be able to ask for comp points or rewards. This is more common in bigger casino chains, such as Caesars casinos or BetMGM. This may come in the form of discounts on hotel stays or free meals at affiliated restaurants.

You will not get complimentary rewards for spending little money, but as a regular who plays with big money, the pit boss may be able to work out something that is mutually beneficial.

Reporting a Dealer or Visitor

Conflict resolution is an area in which pit bosses are highly trained and competent. If you feel like your dealer is not focused or behaving unprofessionally, you can request the pit boss to investigate. They may find you a place at another table or replace the dealer.

Or, you may have a problem with another player. In most cases, the dealer will request for the pit boss to come in and remove any misbehaving players. But if they don’t, you can always ask them to bring in the pit boss to handle the situation.

Helping You Cashing Out Bigger Wins

After hitting a big jackpot, the pit boss is there to help you safely cash out your winnings. They will make sure you get your money, following all the proper security procedures. The pit boss can authorize payments, handing over your money in cash or a check. Alternatively, if your winnings are large enough, you will have the option to receive your money in annuity payments rather than one large lump sum. In the US, casino winnings are taxed and a lot of gamers prefer to receive annuity payments from the casinos.

If you want to just take your winnings and leave, you are free to do so. But the pit boss is basically there to authorize the money transaction and to present you with all your options.

Importance of Pit Bosses in Brick-And-Mortar Casinos

Arcade casinos with no table games, or gas stations with a handful of machines don’t need a pit boss. It is a highly specialized profession that is required for establishments with large casino floor space, lots of table games, and the capacity to serve hundreds of players at once. The pit boss is the ultimate manager, but they can have floorpeople to help reduce their workload. There is usually 1 floor person for every 6 tables.

The fast paced nature of landbased casinos, and the need to accommodate hundreds of players whilst maintaining the standards is tough and not for everyone. Pit bosses need to cover a lot of ground and sustain high levels of focus during their shifts. It is not a simple job by any measure. The reward of running a successful casino is very much down to who the owners hire to do the job. At the end of the day, pit bosses need a passion for gaming, good people skills, and the charisma to run the show.