{"id":13933,"date":"2024-12-03T23:56:26","date_gmt":"2024-12-03T23:56:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.com\/blog\/?p=13933"},"modified":"2024-12-03T23:56:26","modified_gmt":"2024-12-03T23:56:26","slug":"what-does-a-pit-boss-do-in-a-casino","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.com\/blog\/2024\/12\/03\/what-does-a-pit-boss-do-in-a-casino\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does a Pit Boss Do in a Casino?"},"content":{"rendered":"

It is easy to get caught up in the glitz and glamor of your average casino. Behind the scenes, things are run efficiently in order to ensure that the casino operates at as much of a profit as possible. A key component of that operation is the pit boss, also known as a pit manager.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is safe to say that the vast majority of us have been to a casino in some form in our lifetimes. If you tend to play in<\/span> online casinos<\/span><\/a>, there is one aspect of the pageantry that you will have never noticed before: the pit boss.<\/span><\/p>\n

In brick and mortar casinos, the pit boss (several of them) patrols the gaming floor to ensure that everything is happening as it was meant to. This isn\u2019t your average<\/span> casino FAQ<\/span><\/a>, so it helps to know more about the position. What is a pit boss? What does their role entail and how has it changed throughout the years?<\/span><\/p>\n

What is a Pit Boss?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Think of a pit boss, also known as a pit manager, as just that: a manager. The dealers are akin to retail employees or wait staff at a restaurant. When there are issues with patrons, they escalate the issue up to management, which begins with the pit boss.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pit bosses walk the casino floor, observing every aspect of the casino experience. They ensure that guests are happy and enjoying their experience, make certain that dealers are properly handling transactions, and they solve issues that arise with guests.<\/span><\/p>\n

There is some misconception that a pit boss is limited to one small section of tables. While that may be true depending on the size of the casino, pit bosses often oversee a number of different sections, each with a minor supervisor reporting to them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Entertainment Misconceptions<\/b><\/h2>\n

There are plenty of misconceptions out there about casinos, in general. Movies and television have given us a seedier perspective on casinos, though things have changed from those partially true stories of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The pit boss is not immune to those misconceptions.<\/span><\/p>\n

In those movies and television shows, pit bosses are portrayed as the kings of their castle. They lord around with an air of power that few can match. In some portrayals, there is even a smattering of violence introduced to keep unruly guests in line.<\/span><\/p>\n

In reality, pit bosses are more bureaucratic than dictators. If anything, they work to make guests comfortable by issuing credit and markers, handling dealer assignments and breaks, dealing with guest service complaints, and overseeing any complimentary credits or services from the casino.<\/span><\/p>\n

Casino Supervisors<\/b><\/h2>\n

The pit boss is generally the second in command at a casino, often behind the casino and\/or gaming manager who oversees the entire establishment. Though pit bosses are management in their own right, there are managers or supervisors who work beneath them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pit bosses, who are essentially floor supervisors, are often the face of the casino after the dealers. Dressed in fine attire, it is the role of the pit boss to handle interactions with the guests, deal with problems, and ensure that guests are treated well.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are variations of the role as well. For instance, the box people are often in charge of constantly monitoring a handful of dealers within a small area. They may get a handful of dealers and are meant to wager the speed of the game, wagers, and payouts.<\/span><\/p>\n

All of this depends on the size and structure of the casino in question. Some are small enough that a roving pit boss can handle the responsibility. At a larger casino, like one of the many found in Las Vegas, there would be the need for several pit bosses and even a couple of casino managers.<\/span><\/p>\n

General Responsibilities of Pit Bosses<\/b><\/h2>\n

The simplest explanation of the role of a pit boss is to oversee a specific area, if not the entire floor (depending on the casino). While that is the easiest way to describe it, there is much more happening during the average pit boss shift.<\/span><\/p>\n

For instance, pit bosses are responsible for positioning dealers. Casinos aim to place the right dealer in the right place at the right time. For instance, if there is a game that is losing a lot of money, it is more than likely that the pit boss will send a new dealer over to that game in order to try to change things up.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pit bosses are also looking to get the best dealers in the best positions because they want to get the game going as fast as possible. The more hands of the game that are played, the bigger the advantage for the house. Pit bosses work to ensure that the right dealers are in place to keep things moving above all else.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pit bosses also spend a good amount of time dealing directly with guests. Most of the time, this is ensuring they are having a good time, handling any complaints that may arise, issuing comps, and generally making up for any issues that come up.<\/span><\/p>\n

Depending on the size of the casino, it may be necessary to employ several pit bosses to keep things going. The biggest casinos have more than a few pit bosses working at once and split them up across several shifts in order to maximize efficiency.<\/span><\/p>\n

Technological Evolution and Impact on Pit Boss Role<\/b><\/h2>\n

Back in the day, pit bosses would have to be a lot more hands on. Roaming the casino floor, pit bosses would observe things in real time and make their decisions in a split-second. For things like the issuance of comps, it would be more of a feel thing more than anything else.<\/span><\/p>\n

In those days, the most time-consuming aspect of the job had to do with issuing markers. Markers are a type of credit that the player gets from the casino, typically for those with a higher net worth. Though some casinos still handle those situations manually, much of the job has now been changed through technological innovations.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the biggest ways that technology has impacted the role of the pit boss is in the issuance of comps. Comps, or complementaries, are issued to players as a \u201cthank you\u201d for playing at the casino. Pit bosses handle those and technology has made the job easier.<\/span><\/p>\n

In today\u2019s casino, computers run algorithms that dissect the profitability of each player to let the casino know if they warrant comps like a night at the hotel or a trip to the buffet. Even the issuance of markers has become something handled by computers and they can be approved in seconds by pit bosses.<\/span><\/p>\n