An issue completely related to the tournaments – not only at Bellagio, but I would imagine every where in the world. During my sessions in The Fontana Lounge, dealing our tournaments, I repeatedly heard these words, “Dealers, if you deal three hands without seeing a flop, call me to the table.” That was in the matter of the super satellites, when it’s getting down to the wire on X amount of seats being awarded to the main event. While I don’t believe it’s necessarily cheating – because I’ve sat for hours without a playable hand and knew that if I tried to steal, I would be called by someone that knew I couldn’t win a hand (and believe me, I’ve sat for two hours and never played a hand, raised, and got four callers, so there are times that I’m not going to gamble) so it’s possible for the card cycle to be running pretty dead- but there are tables that make a deal to fold all the way around until other tables lose players. That is taboo and should be, the game should be played, and the winners share the spoils. IMHO.

There are a few others things that really sit poorly with me, like an acid stomach after an all night drunk, and my first drink of water sends me reeling and heading for the toilet. These two are right up there in the toilet category.

I caught the employee shuttle with another dealer. He wanted my opinion. He had been dealing a tournament table in Fontana that broke. He did the set-up and then took the dealer’s sign-in card, the set-up, and seat/table cards to the director. Just like he was supposed to. The dealer pushing him, gave him hell; telling him that he should have delayed and given the pushing dealer a shot at signing the card so the pushing dealer could get the extra down. He asked my opinion because he wondered if he did the right thing and volunteered to me that he would pay the pushing dealer for the down, if he’d done the wrong thing. OMG! The pushing dealer is trying to steal $ from the rest of the employees. What a poor showing for the pushing dealer, a thief, and then trying to make our subject dealer feel guilty for not helping him steal. Kee-RIST!

The other factor is dealing a single table satellite for the main event, a four handed table when I got there. The timer went off and blinds were going up. One of the players asked me to leave the blind level the same for the next 20 minutes and they’d make it worth my while. I said no and was told that other dealers were doing it. I cannot confirm that other dealers are doing it. I did tell my TD about the exchange when I got pushed and had a break. So not only is this unethical, it’s stealing. Stealing from Bellagio because they are making $ on each satellite dealt to cover dealer expenses, etc. It is stealing from fellow employees because we all share tips and also stealing from the TD because they may get a separate tip.

And yes, I work for Bellagio, that’s why I take the rake and time drop. If I don’t do my job, you won’t have a game to play in because slot machines will fill your little slice of green felt pie. And if I don’t do my job, I am stealing from my employer…that just cannot happen.