Graton Resort & Casino Dealer Wins Inaugural G2E Dealer Championship
The Global Gaming Expo (G2E) introduced a new competitive feature this year with the launch of the first G2E Dealer Championship, an event designed to evaluate casino dealers on technical proficiency and command of table games.
Thirty-four dealers from casino properties across the US competed over two days in Las Vegas, with scoring based on hospitality, technical accuracy, and control of the game environment.
Participants were narrowed to 12 dealers in the semifinal round and six in the finals. Competitors were required to deal both blackjack and roulette before panels of four judges at each table. Judges were table games executives from casinos represented in the competition.
“The inaugural G2E Dealer Championship brought an exciting new layer to this year’s event. The competition celebrated the incredible skill, precision, and showmanship of casino dealers while highlighting the vital role they play in the gaming experience. The showdown not only recognized top talent but also reinforced how G2E continues to celebrate all facets of the gaming industry,” said Korbi Carrison, event vice president at RX, one of the organizers of G2E.
The championship concluded with 51-year-old Elleonor Hoffman of Graton Resort & Casino in Sonoma County, California, securing first place and the $5000 top prize.
Hoffman, a dual-rate table games dealer, joined Graton nearly 10 months ago after she said she was unable to find full-time employment in Las Vegas. Before entering the land-based casino industry, she spent 22 years as a table games dealer on cruise ships.
Hoffman said the competition was not driven by financial gain. “I didn’t even think about the money,” she said. “This means so much more to me. I can make money. But this, they can’t take away from me.”
She also noted that competing allowed her to watch herself deal for the first time. “Honestly, this is the first time that I’ve seen myself perform because I’m always at the back of the table. So, to myself on video, and judging myself, I was like ‘Damn, I’m good at this,” she said.
