Elleonor Hoffman, a dual-rate table games dealer at Graton Resort & Casino in Sonoma County, California, took home the grand prize at the inaugural G2E Dealer Championship held during the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas. Hoffman, who previously spent 22 years dealing on cruise ships and relocated to California after struggling to find full-time work in Las Vegas, earned the top spot among 34 competitors from around the country.
Hoffman received $5,000, an individual trophy, and the dealer championship cup, which will be engraved with her name and displayed at Graton Resort & Casino until the next championship. Expressing deep gratitude to her supervisor and co-workers—many of whom attended to support her—Hoffman emphasized that her motivation was not the prize money, but the recognition of her skill and passion for dealing.
The competition tested dealers on blackjack and roulette, with contestants judged on hospitality, technical skill, and game control by table games executives from the represented properties. After two days of competition, the field narrowed from 34 to 12, and ultimately to six finalists.
Las Vegas dealers performed strongly, with Madalina (Maddy) Ristea of The Cosmopolitan placing second ($3,000) and Marko Vekovic of Encore taking third ($2,000). Other finalists included Taras Ploshchanski (The Venetian), Milan Jesic (Bellagio), and Chaz Chim (Muckleshoot Casino, Washington).
The event was praised for highlighting the skill, precision, and showmanship of casino dealers and underscored the important role they play in the gaming industry.