What Do You Do If a Blackjack Dealer Makes a Mistake?

If a blackjack dealer makes a mistake and accidently pays you off on a losing wager or fails to pick up a losing wager, should you point it out? Will the casino act against you in any way? Is there a law against it?

In Comp City, Max Rubin, who was a dealer, floorman, pit boss, casino manager, and a big-time blackjack player and knows whereof he speaks, tackled this very question. Here are his conclusions.

If the dealer makes a mistake, say something like, "That’s why they make erasers," and tell him how amazed you are that he doesn't make more, considering how many hands he has to deal every day.

If a dealer makes a mistake and overpays you, overlook it. [Editor's Note: There's no law against this that we know of. It seems like it would be impossible to enforce.]

If the dealer makes a mistake that's going to cost you money, stop the hand.

If the dealer forgets to give a player a card, or doesn't give herself a hole card, or forgets to give you your double down, take your time before deciding what to do. If you have a clear advantage, continue the hand. If it looks like you're about to get whipped, try to bail out.

Say you've doubled down on ten and the dealer's got a five up. She forgets to give you a card. She turns over a ten in the hole. Let her hit out. If she busts, demand to be paid for the double. If she makes a hand, it'll probably be called dead.

What if she forgets to give you a card and turns over a five in the hole? Let her draw out. If she draws your face card, demand to be paid. If she busts, demand to be paid. If she draws out a multi-card hand, let them call "No hand."

After she's made a hand, never let them go back and give you a card. You're better off pulling your money back.

If they give you the option of continuing or and you don't have squat, fold. If she's got a little card up and you’v'e got a total of 10 or 11, double. When in doubt, bail out.

Just to check on the legality of all this, we put in a call to the Gaming Control Board. The chief at the Enforcement Division confirmed that if the casino makes a mistake in overpaying you and draws your attention to their error, then to keep the money would be theft. If they don't notice an overpay in your favor, it's up to your own conscience and whether you're an intrinsically honest person -- and care about the possible consequences for the dealer stemming from your accidental good fortune or don't.

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Crazy Oct-10-2024

Everyone’s own best self interest

You’re not doing the dealer any favors by pointing out an error in your favor.
She would have to call over the boss and explain that she made an error and overpaid the player. She may give a tepid smile, but inside her head she’s sinking “shut the f••k up and take the money, don’t make me look bad”. 
My rule of thumb is: I won’t say anything if I think I can get away with it.
There are times when it’s pretty obvious I cannot get away with it, so I’ll preempt any problems by pointing out the Obvious error

Llew Oct-10-2024

Once upon a time….

A long time ago I was playing  BJ in Atlantic City.  Our full table was running good, so we were all pushing our bets. I remember a guy across from me had several hundred riding when…..
Dealer dealt all the cards. Best hand on the table was 20. Dealer was showing a 5 or 6, so there were a few double downs on the table. 
Dealer dealt her cards (four or five, as I remember). “Twenty one,” she announced and quickly picked up everyone’s bets. 
“Twenty two,” I said and pointed to her cards. 
The dealer froze, recounted her cards and hollered, “Floor!” 
Fortunately, we had all been playing together for some time and had formed a sort of comradery, so everyone got her/his correct bet back. 
I heard later that the dealer was fired.  Apparently this was not her first mistake.  I felt bad for her but there was just too much money at stake to let it slide.

Eileen Oct-10-2024

Blackjack Dealers

Since your QOD response refers to the dealer as "she" I was wondering if most dealers are, indeed, female?  And would that be because most of the players are male?  Just wondering if there's some hidden casino agenda there?

Raymond Oct-10-2024

If They Overpay...

...then I'm keeping the money until they ask for it back.  I don't argue if they ask for it.  If they underpay, I stop everything and don't touch anything until we resolve it.

I play craps much more than blackjack, so incorrect payments are not uncommon.  I don't get angry, I don't shout, I state my case calmly and at moderate volume--and the boxman/woman or the pit boss usually agrees with me once they check.  I don't go full Chad.  But if the dealer does it consistently, he or she is going to have a problem.

At blackjack, the problem is dealers who can't add.  I've seen a few who seemed to do so in the house's favor every time.  That's when I have a conversation with the pit boss--"If this happens one more time, I call Gaming Control, and I know neither of us wants that to happen, right?"

AL Oct-10-2024

Complicated scenario!

In my earlier, more-ignorant years, I used to always be "Mr. Honest" no matter what. If I got overpaid, I would always point it out immediately, so as to not be dishonest. I knew nothing about casinos firing dealers for making mistakes. After I learned this, I changed, to weighing the consequences of each of two possible choices. The prospect of a dealer losing her job has a large potential financial loss, and if that loss occurred only after I opened my mouth, then there's an existential component, and I would not feel good about triggering her job loss. So I would not speak up. But here's what I would do: I would stare right into her eyes, hoping she notices, and then flick my gaze up & down & up & down, to her eyes and to the payout, to signal her that she made a mistake. Hopefully, she'll discern that I'm trying to get her to look at the payout, and if she does, then she can notice the error, and correct it before it's final. But if I got underpaid, I'd just politely point it out.

Question of the Day - 10 October 2024

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