‘World’s Best Dealer’ Couldn’t Find Job in Las Vegas!
Posted on: October 10, 2025, 01:14h.
Last updated on: October 10, 2025, 01:29h.
- 51-year old Vegas native Elleonor Hoffman has been named the “World’s Best Dealer” after winning the inaugural Dealer Championship at the G2E
- Despite her skills, Hoffman hasn’t been able to land a job on the Strip
- Instead, Hoffman had to find work at a tribal casino in Sonoma, Calif.
How hard can it be finding a job dealing table games in Las Vegas?
Elleonor Hoffman was crowned “World’s Best Dealer” at the inaugural Dealer Championship at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas on Thursday. Yet despite her proven skills and decades of dealing experience, the Las Vegas native told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that she works for a California tribal casino because she couldn’t find full-time work in her hometown.
Hoffman, 51, is a dual-rate table games dealer at Graton Resort & Casino in Sonoma County, Calif. She joined the property 10 months ago, following 22 years of dealing aboard cruise ships.
Apparently, Strip casino managers were unimpressed.
While Hoffman wasn’t asked to speculate on why she was overlooked, her situation likely reflects industry challenges such as:
- A bias toward recent land-based experience, especially in high-volume, surveillance-heavy environments like the Strip
- An oversaturation of dealer talent in Las Vegas
- Possible age-related discrimination, as casinos often favor younger candidates for front-facing roles
Game On
At the G2E Dealer Championship, held at the Venetian, Hoffman competed against 33 other dealers from across the US. Over two days, the field was narrowed to 12 semifinalists, then to six finalists. Contestants were judged on technical skill, hospitality, and game control while dealing blackjack and roulette. The judges included table games executives from each of the participating properties.
Hoffman won $5,000, a trophy, and the Dealer Championship Cup, which will be engraved with her name and displayed at Graton until next year.
She also won some payback. She beat Madalina Ristea of the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, who came in second and took home $3,000, and Marko Vekovic of Encore, who took third and $2,000.
Honestly, this is the first time that I’ve seen myself perform because I’m always at the back of the table,” Hoffman told the Review-Journal. “So, to [watch] myself on video, and judging myself, I was like, ‘Damn, I’m good at this.’”
The other three finalists were Milan Jesic of the Bellagio, Taras Ploshchanski of the Venetian, and Chaz Chim of Muckleshoot Casino in Washington.
Hoffman’s win strongly suggests that Las Vegas casinos miss out on exceptional talent by clinging to rigid and outdated hiring norms and industry biases instead of gauging pure dealing skill.
Last Comments ( 4 )
Thanks for your feedback, LL. Not to worry, the only folks who will soon take this personally will be the casino's developers and Saratoga Casino Holdings who will initially enjoy their 60% majority interest in the Happy Valley Casino. Here's one of the many reasons month-to-month casino revenue in State College, PA will steadily decline. Factor in the planned realistic table game minimums (maybe $10 to $25 per hand or spin). Remember that most casino patrons in central Pennsylvania will not hesitate to drive ten miles to save twenty cents on a gallon of gas. That represents just $3.00 for the average 15-gallon fill-up. Watch for the casino's owners to experience accelerating disappointment. Oh, those Penn State fans who have loyally bet on the Nittany Lions to beat the spread are 0-5 so far this season. You can never bet too much on a winner!
Hi D.J. I don't know how successful Happy Valley will be, but they probably can't do any worse than Penn State football this season!! Don't take that personally, it was just teed-up so well that I couldn't resist. ;--) Seriously though, I have no idea what the future hold for the Happy Valley casino. However, I am fairly confident that the owners will be quite happy with the crowds that visit during the first few weeks, and possibly through the first three months. BUT, visitor numbers have no correlation to money spent. Human nature is a funny thing. I would guess that close to 100% of the people within 100 miles of Happy Valley have heard something about this project. And it doesn't matter if you're pro-casino, truly neutral, or strongly against the casino, many of these people are probably CURIOUS about the casino, especially after hearing so much about it. A good chunk of these people may be so curious that they'll make the trek to Happy Valley just to see what all of the fuss was about. Some might even stick a twenty in the slot machine to see if Lady Luck is shining on them, or grab a meal at one of the dining options. But none of that should be taken as a long-term trend. The same curiosity that draws us to look at an accident as we drive by it, will draw some of these people to visit the casino. The only advice I can offer is - don't be influenced or discouraged by the initial sets of results from the casino, as they're likely to be quite good. Six, twelve, and 24-months in, will provide better snapshots. If it is going to go over about as well as passing gas during Mass, it will be known to all soon enough.
why would she need to go to dealing school? she is the best in the usa
Not to worry, Elleonor!! There are plenty of table game dealer jobs available at the Happy Valley Casino now under construction in State College, Pennsylvania. See the details on their hvcasino com website. Sign up for the free Dealer School paid training began on October 1st and the first two 12-week classes begin on December 15 and January 15, respectively. With your outstanding reputation, expert knowledge and unmatched top-notch dealer experience you could facilitate all of the training for those prospective casino career candidates here in central Pennsylvania. All enrollees for the Dealer School starting soon should first read how unwanted the casino in the college town of State College. The 24/7 Happy Valley Casino opens in the Spring of 2026. If unforeseen delays push that back to a mid-June grand opening, that's still "Spring" so it's all good. Elleonor, you'd be the true rock star of the Dealer School just a few miles from Penn State's main campus. The casino is being built inside of an old Macy’s store at the dying Nittany Mall . So a standing-room-only crowd is expected (not) on their very first day. They will all need to know they can never bet too much on a winner!