I first started playing poker for a living in Las Vegas in the 80s. I occasionally blamed the dealers for a bad beat because either: Their shuffle was horrible, or they kept putting these bad beats on me repeatedly.
What a dillweed I was!!
How can you blame the dealer with a ShuffleMaster™? They only cut the cards! Still, people do blame them, and now I’m on the dealer’s side – knowing how I acted in the past. I actually had a tournament dealer named Joy who didn’t push me a crucial pot for at least 4 years all of a sudden I couldn’t wait for her to get in the box. Wow, what a change pot after pot! We always laughed about it. We both were frustrated during the 4 years but now it’s all good. Dealers have nothing to do with the bad beats – they only “deliver the mail”. It’s up to the player if he plays them and how he plays them. If you do the right thing in the long run you will be a winning player no matter who the dealer is. I now get a big laugh because some dealers are so good at their job and some are so poor (just like players). The biggest mistake a dealer can do is push the pot to the losing hand, same goes for a player to throw away the winning hand on the river for no reason. The only reason I could see a player doing so is if the opponent puts in a huge bet and you didn’t have the nuts. Here are some of the bad things dealers do:
1) Slamming the shuffler box waking up everyone to tip. Man!
Does that hurt my ears – even with headphones on!
2) Not paying attention to the action in progress
(watching sporting events).
I could say some are so good they could do both.
3) Staring down a player who doesn’t tip them immediately.
They feel stupid as they are leaving the box and then the player
says “Oh, I forgot” and throws them a few “redbirds”.
Even if that one player doesn’t tip, a dealer will make up for it
from another generous player who wins a big pot – or a jackpot.
4) Getting into confrontations with players who are trying to help them
when they (the dealers) can’t read the board. I’ve helped hundreds
of dealers – especially in Omaha Hi-Lo. I would say only half of
them really appreciated it and went on to become very good dealers.
The other half stayed bad or don’t work anymore
5) I’ve seen as many as twelve misdeals in a thirty minute “down”.
That’s inexcusable! Dealers should learn how to pitch well and put
out flops well (not burning and turning till the action is
completed).
6) I cant stand dealers that can not admit they made a mistake when they are totally in the wrong.
Why not? Everyone is human and we all make mistakes!
7) My #1 pet peeve  is a dealer that is constantly talking in the box (shut up and deal) is a great expression.
Its OK to tell one quick story and be nice to your fellow players but give it a break dont talk the whole 30 minute down!
I love a fast dealer, but I would rather have a dealer that doesn’t
make mistakes. Of course if they do both well – that’s is “the
nuts”!
Love dealers and floor men only if they do their job correctly and
with passion for the job. They need to understand that no one is
perfect and everyone has a bad “hair day” now and again. They need
to try to defuse the situation instead of making it a bad scene.
Same goes for players – take it easy on the dealers that are not in
a good mood and having a bad day that
makes the world go around. I still know a few dealers and floor men
that will not let something that happened in the past go and try to
become friends again (I try). Some people can’t give up a grudge
which brings “bad blood” forever (You don’t have to be like that!).
I’m not perfect but I try to make things right when I know I was
wrong. Other people don’t believe in that – especially poker players
(players sometimes are so ruthless they would take
your last dollar if you needed a bus to get home). Dealers sometimes
have no compassion when a regular local is upset because they’re
losing huge pots all again and again. (I wish their attitude could
change to be a little more  sympathetic even though it’s not their
fault). I would say I have a thousand friends that are dealers and
floor men, and maybe a handful of enemies.
Not bad for over 2 decades of playing poker!

Love dealers sincerely,
David Rabbi