Home → The dealer
The roulette dealer: what they do, and how to make their job easy
The dealer, croupier in the older usage, runs the table. They spin, they launch, they call the stages of the game, they settle every bet and they keep order among a group of people who all want to put chips in the same place at once. Knowing what they are doing at each moment makes the game easier and makes you the player they are happy to see.
Play roulette for real money
This is an affiliate link to a roulette site we partner with. You must be 18 or over.
What the dealer does in a spin
- Clears the previous spin's losing chips and pays the winners.
- Lifts the dolly, opening the table.
- Spins the wheel one way, launches the ball the other.
- Takes verbal bets and places chips for players who ask.
- Calls "no more bets" and waves off the layout.
- Announces the result and places the dolly on the winning number.
- Sweeps losers, pays outside bets, then inside bets, in a fixed order.
Each spin takes a minute or so on a busy table. The dealer sets the pace; you cannot speed it up.
Verbal bets
Say the amount, the number and the bet type: "ten on 32 straight up", "five on the 17/20 split", "neighbours of zero by two". Slide the chips forward. The dealer repeats the bet as they place it. If they repeat it wrongly, say so immediately. A verbal bet is a bet once the dealer has placed it and said it back.
Where to play roulette online
Affiliate link: we may earn a commission. Play responsibly. 18+ only.
During the payout
Keep your hands off the layout until the dolly is lifted. The dealer pays in a specific order to keep track; a hand reaching for a winning stack mid-payout breaks that and can cost you the payout while they recount. If you think a bet was missed or mispaid, say so before the next spin; the inspector or pit boss can review the camera.
Disputes
The dealer does not decide disputes; the inspector behind them or the pit boss does, and there is a camera on every table. State your case calmly and once. Arguing with the dealer achieves nothing because it is not their call.
Tipping in the UK
Uncommon and never required. British casinos operate differently from American ones, where dealer tips are a major part of income. Where tipping happens it is usually a chip placed as a bet "for the dealer" or handed over when colouring up. Check the house rule if it matters to you; some operators do not allow it.
What dealers wish players knew
Buy in between spins, not during. Do not hand them cash; put it on the felt. Say verbal bets clearly and once. Do not touch the layout after "no more bets". Do not blame them for the result, which they have no control over. And do not ask them for a lucky number; they have been asked ten thousand times and the wheel has never once listened.
Online dealers
On a live table the dealer does less: the system settles bets and closes the betting window. What remains is the spin, the announcement and the chat. The same courtesy applies, with a moderator reading along.
Try it at a real table
We send you to one of the roulette sites we work with. Affiliate link. 18+.
Before you ask
-
Should I tip the roulette dealer in the UK?
It is not expected in British casinos the way it is in the United States, and some operators pool or restrict tips. If you want to, place a chip on the layout and say it is for the dealer. Nobody will think less of you either way.
-
Can I ask the dealer to place a bet for me?
Yes. Say the bet clearly with the amount and the position, slide the chips towards them, and they will place it. This is normal for numbers you cannot reach and for the announced bets like neighbours.