Master Pushing Chips and Mucking

Pushing Chips

Once the dealer has calculated the correct payout, they will gather the exact number of chips, in stacks of 20, and place them in a designated pattern that will make it easier for the dealer to push them to the player. The patterns used are determined by the number of stacks that are paid to the player. Let us go over the different patterns’ dealers will use when paying the player. Two stacks are placed side-by-side, and the total amount is 40 chips. Three stacks are placed in a small triangle and the total amount is 60 chips. Four stacks are placed in a diamond figure and the total amount is 80 chips. Five stacks are the most common pattern used and they are placed in a reverse isosceles trapezoid figure and the total amount is 100 chips. Six stacks are placed in a medium-size triangle and the total amount is 120 chips. Seven stacks are placed in a similar shape as a flower and the total amount is 140 chips. Eight stacks are placed in the shape of a flower with a pointed top and the total amount is 160 chips. Nine stacks are placed in an isosceles trapezoid figure and the total amount is 180 chips. Ten stacks are placed in a large triangle and the total amount is 200 chips.

When giving players their chips, the dealer will push their stacks of chips to the player using specific finger placements. We’ve provided images in our chip pushing guide that dealers can use when practicing pushing the chips. It is good to learn the placement of the stacks, as well as where the dealer should place their fingers. Notice the red dots on these images. The red dots are where your fingers should be positioned. Also take note of the arrow as this is the direction the chips should be pushed. By going in the direction of the arrow, this will make it easier for the dealer to keep the stacks together. You can find this guide here.

This skill requires time and practice to learn. It’s not a good look, when the dealer is consistently dumping their stack on a live game. If a dealer accidently knocks over their stacks of chips when delivering them to the player, they may make a joke of it saying something along the lines of “Oh, no. I was trying to go all-in.” But they can only get away with that once. If you find yourself dumping stacks over and over again, the best way to handle this is to put in the time and effort to practice. When on a dead roulette table, ask the floor supervisor if you can practice pushing the chips. If you are dealing on another game, you can go to a dead roulette table during your break and ask to practice. More than likely, the floor supervisor will agree to this, unless they are busy with a difficult player or a high roller. In fact, the casino wants dealers to practice their skills and develop their muscle memory. It is highly encouraged to continue practicing so you are constantly improving.

When dealing roulette, it's very important for the dealer to keep their body square with the table. This means that the bankroll must always be in view. In order to accomplish this, the dealer must pay the player their chips without turning their back to their bankroll. If the dealer pays the winnings with one hand, then they can keep their body square to the game and the bankroll in sight. On a right-handed table, the dealer will deliver the roulette chips with their left hand so that way the dealer’s head is never completely turned away from the layout or their bankroll. In the same respect, on a left-handed table, the dealer will deliver the roulette chips with their right hand. If the dealer uses two hands to pay the player, this forces him to turn his back on the bankroll, leaving it vulnerable. If the dealer must use both hands in order to pay the player, then keep your eyes on the bankroll and never turn your back or your head away from the bank. That is why it is better for the roulette dealer to learn how to push stacks of chips with one hand.

Mucking

Mucking is a term used to describe a certain way dealers pick up the chips and shouldn’t be confused with hand mucking, which is a term used to describe a cheating maneuver that involves switching cards. This technique is mainly used on Roulette, when a dealer has to pick up large quantities of chips in a short amount of time. “Mucking the Chips” refers to the pile of lost roulette chips that will be picked up and placed in a stack of 20. Roulette dealers have a lot of mucking experience because they must muck a large pile of chips after every spin.

Once the dealer has handed the player their winning chips, it’s good for the dealer to flash their palms up to the cameras quickly, clearing their hands, before picking up the dolly and going back to the table and mucking chips. No clapping required. This is a swift and simple move that helps with game security and table protection.

When mucking the chips, if a player needs change or they want you to place a bet for them, clap out, make change for the player, and then go back to mucking the chips. Make sure the mucking pile is nowhere near the area where you are giving change. You don’t want the two piles to mesh together.

Try to muck as fast as you can, by focusing on one color at a time. You will instinctively know when you have hit 20 by how that stack feels in your hand. In order to accomplish this, it is essential to practice this skill during a time when you don’t have a full table. Ask your floor supervisor if you can practice mucking the chips while on a dead game.

Sometimes the dealer has so many chips they need to muck that they must spin the ball, to keep up with the pace of the game. If they do so, they must finish mucking all the chips before the ball drops. Enough chips should be mucked before spinning the ball so that way the dealer’s eyes are completely on the wheel and the layout when the ball drops. During these especially busy times, a second dealer will be placed on the roulette table to help muck the chips.

The Mucker

The word Mucker is used to describe a dealer whose sole job is mucking the chips. Typically, the mucker is a second dealer who is placed on a busy roulette table to muck the pile of chips and help the primary dealer with payouts. In some casinos the mucker is also known as the chequeracker. When the roulette game is busy, sometimes management will put a second dealer on the game to help with the pace of the game. This allows the primary dealer to focus on customer service and to watch the layout at all times, ensuring that no players are cheating. The mucker is responsible for mucking up lost chips and preparing chips to pay the winning bets. The mucker will need to be able to calculate the payouts for winning bets and have that amount ready, in chip formation, so all the roulette dealer has to do is verify that it is the correct amount and send it off to the winning player. Teamwork is essential when trying to keep the game running at a steady pace during busy times. Having a Mucker on the table makes the game flow more smoothly and quickly, helping with the pacing of the game, which Casino Managers like since this means increased profits.

Conversation must be kept to a minimum and must pertain to the game. Do not gossip or talk about your favorite tv show. If a player is betting cheques, it is the roulette dealer’s responsibility to handle those cheques, not the mucker. The mucker should never touch cheques or the bank; they only handle the roulette chips. The mucker is still expected to stay square with the table and to keep an eye on the layout, when they are not mucking chips. As the ball drops, it is the mucker’s responsibility to watch the layout like a hawk, looking for past posters. The mucker will watch the dealer mark the number and then will verify that the correct number was selected.