There is no way you won’t come in contact with a dealer if you decide to play poker in a casino. Poker dealers are model professionals, having expert knowledge of the game, and having cool heads to keep gameplay moving. More often than not, players have encountered dealers putting on green visors during game sessions. And while many are far too eager to know why, they are also too polite to ask the dealers. In this article, we’ll be telling you why poker dealers wear green visors.
Poker dealers wear visors to lessen eyestrain from harsh overhead lighting. The constant glare from the bright lights illuminating the table can be harsh to the eyes at times. And being a poker dealer requires intensive concentration and attention to detail.
We’ll be talking more about the attire and appearance of poker dealers. Keep reading.
What do poker dealers wear?
The appearance of poker dealers and generally all employees is something casinos do not joke with. A casino dealer has to dress smart so as to look presentable and professional.
A well-dressed dealer will attract customers and make them comfortable.
Poker dealers are expected to wear formal clothes – shirts, tie/bow tie, trousers, and waistcoats. Also, their hair must be short, neat, and well-groomed. Each casino has a uniform or dress code for all employees.
Visors And Casino Dealers
Green visors were popularly worn from the late-19 to the mid-20th century by people who participated/engaged in vision-intensive and detail-oriented activities. The visors reduced glare and therefore lessened eye strain from early incandescent lights and candles, which could be very harsh. Casino dealers, accountants, and bankers were among the group of people known to wear green visors then. And that’s why you’ll see pics of old school casino dealers wearing green visors.
Nowadays, green visors are not part of the attire of poker dealers, or casino dealers in general. Visors still retain a degree of popularity in the gambling community. However, modern lighting isn’t as harsh as the early incandescent types eliminating the need for a visor. So, you’ll rarely see modern dealers wearing green visors.
If you want to see poker dealers wearing green visors, you can search for casinos where dealers wear them. Also, poker dealers will wear green visors during 1920s theme dress events and the likes.
Poker Players And Visors
Poker dealers aren’t the only ones that wear visors. Players also wear some forms of eyeglasses. You’ve probably seen a number of poker players putting on visors/sunglasses in a casino. And we bet you are curious about why the practice is so prevalent. Worry not for we’ll tell you all you need to know about why poker players wear sunglasses.
Poker players wear visors for a number of reasons which include fashion, hiding tells, and for comfort and confidence when they are playing with strangers.
Wearing visors/sunglasses to hide tells: Poker tells refer to actions that players make that may give others an idea about the strength of their cards. And the funny thing is that most players aren’t even aware they are doing it.
Most physical tells involve the eyes and that’s why some seasoned players wear visors/sunglasses. You can give away a lot of information with just your look during a hand. It’s an open secret that your eyes portray your emotions – happiness, concern, pain, and so on. So if you put on visors/sunglasses, you are hiding a lot of physical tells.
Comfort and Confidence
The explosion of poker has brought and continues to bring a lot of new players to the game. Now, some people aren’t exactly new to poker but are new to the live version. So these new players aren’t comfortable playing with others, yet. They need some time to acclimatize and use visors or sunglasses as some sort of security blanket.
You would know that you need to sometimes stare at other players during a hand. Some people aren’t just comfortable doing this. Also, visors are useful if you aren’t exactly looking to socialize. It may just be that you are not in a chatty mood. Believe us, wearing sunglasses can deter people from talking to you.
That’s Some Bright Lights
Remember we mentioned that poker dealers wear visors to protect their eyes from glare? Players also do the same. If you’ve actually been to a casino, then you’ll know that they have some really bright lights there. And it’s totally understandable so there’ll be complete visibility at the tables.
Now, our eyes don’t tolerate bright lights the same way. Some people’s eyes are really sensitive to light and they quickly get uncomfortable in the casino. A simple way to remedy that is for them to put on sunglasses.
Getting In The Zone With Visors/Sunglasses
There are things we do to get in a certain mindset before doing an action. Take the popular soccer player, Cristiano Ronaldo, for example. He usually assumes a certain stance before playing freekicks. Sylvester Stallone in his movie ‘Over The Top’ turns his cap backwards before he enters an arm-wrestling match to enter a certain mindset.
And this is the same for some poker players. Wearing visors/sunglasses turn the mojos of these players on. Their ‘killer instincts’ become activated and they are ready and raring to go.
Do I look Cool?
Some poker players simply wear visors to look cool. There’s no other reason except they think it’s fashionable. But while they may not know it, they also kind of present an intimidating image as some of them look like the freaking Terminator.
Why Do Poker Dealers Wear Armbands?
What people call dealers’ armbands are actually sleeve garters. And they were popularly worn on the sleeves of shirts in the 19th century. Then, shirts were made in standard sizes and they come with separate collars and cuffs. Sleeve garters were then used to adjust the lengths of the sleeves.
Casino dealers and bartenders typically work with their jackets off. And this made their armbands visible. Since then, the tradition carried on and sleeve garters have become part of the costume of card dealers in casinos. Also, wearing an armband also makes it difficult for poker dealers to cheat as they can’t easily hide cards up their sleeves.
In short, poker dealers wearing armbands is actually an adoption of late 19th and early 20th centuries fashion. There is also the real purpose of making it difficult for poker dealers to cheat.
What Makes A Good Poker Dealer
Casinos do not just hire anyone as a poker dealer. They thoroughly screen applicants before choosing and then training people who qualify.
If you are a regular in a casino, you’ll probably have a dealer who’s your favorite. Dealers are an integral part of poker and they can easily make their poker experience better….or worse. Though the casino won’t stand for the latter. So what makes a good casino dealer. We discuss that below.
Good interpersonal skills
This is a very important quality all poker dealers must have. They need to always have a big smile on their face, be friendly, and also professional at all times. The casino business is a hospitality and entertainment business. And players must feel welcomed by dealers.
The poker table is made up of people with different personalities. And emotions tend to get into overdrive during poker sessions. A professional poker dealer must always keep a cool head and ensure that the game goes on smoothly. Also, the ‘customer is always right’ must be adopted.
Confidence and Control
A good poker dealer must ooze confidence. He/she must have absolute command of the table. But at the same time, players must feel comfortable and relaxed. Yes, being a poker dealer is a very complex job. When there’s an air of confidence around a dealer, the players are reassured of his/her capabilities and professionalism.
Dexterity And An Eye For Detail
Have you ever met a dealer that isn’t adept at shuffling cards? We know it’s a big no! Casinos will never make the mistake of employing a dealer that doesn’t have a natural flair for shuffling, dealing, and cutting cards. Also, a poker dealer must have an eagle eye.
How Much Does a Poker Dealer Get Paid?
This is a very tricky question and it’s more like asking how long a piece of string is. Most poker dealers are paid hourly and how much they receive depends on the casino. Some receive the minimum wage while some earn more. Experience, economic growth, and popularity of the casino also affects the earnings of dealers. You can read our article on how much poker dealers earn here.
However, most of their income comes from tips. And their attitude determines how often players tip them. More information about poker tips can be found in our article about casinos’ tips policies and more.
