Jérôme, Maximilien and Sébastien are the masters of the game
In this series of articles, Monaco Tribune and the Société des Bains de Mer de Monte-Carlo (SBM) invite you to discover the unsuspected professions of the Casino de Monte-Carlo.
Dressed in their beautiful black suits, embellished with a delicate bow tie, Jérôme Lavagna, Maximilien Agliardi and Sébastien Vimercarti are in their element. Because it is precisely around a gaming table that these three table managers at the Casino de Monte-Carlo answer our questions.
Assigned respectively to baccarat, to American games and to European games, all three operate as true conductors. They monitor and ensure, each evening, that the game takes place in the best conditions, both for the customers and for the croupiers, who are under their supervision.
A complex task, to say the least, which requires high concentration, despite the night hours and the Casino’s own effervescence. But you have to believe that all three had the game in their blood.
This place will be 160 years old next year
Sébastien Vimercarti
Trained at the SBM School of Games, Jérôme, Maximilien and Sébastien discovered this environment thanks to their families. ” My father worked at European roulettesays Sebastian. So I wanted to do the same. »
More supplied by card games, Jérôme chose to specialize in baccarat, and more precisely Punto Banco. Maximilien, meanwhile, turned to American games, which includes blackjack, poker, English roulette and craps: my favorite game to work on and watch. »
To work and watch only, because the three Monegasques are not allowed to play at the Casino. This does not prevent them, however, from touching with their eyes from time to time: ” there is always this curiosity, says Maximilian. Whenever I travel, if there is a casino around, I always go there to experience the atmosphere. In all casinos, there is a special atmosphere. It’s a real passion. »
An exceptional workplace
But the three professionals agree in saying: of all the casinos in the world, that of Monte-Carlo remains in their eyes the most beautiful. ” Look at this place. He will be 160 next year.exclaims Sebastian. Some say it’s like a museum, it’s so steeped in history. When you see the old plates, the old photos of the casino… You imagine the people who have been there: those you saw in old American films, from the Belle Epoque ! (…) These living rooms have appeared in many films, such as James Bond. »
And it is this privileged setting that motivates the troops. Because working in a casino naturally presents some constraints. ” It’s a night job. It’s not common and not always obvious. It is also necessary to know how to manage the stress of the customers commented Sébastien.
” We work when people aren’t working: at night, on weekends, during the Grand Prix, for the end-of-year celebrations, in summer… You have to stay serious and have a healthy lifestyle to find a balance family », Supports Maximilian.
The world of games is a real family!
Jérôme Lavagna, Maximilien Agliardi and Sébastien Vimercarti
A healthy lifestyle is also necessary to stay focused and rigorous at the table: the two essential qualities of the profession, according to the three croupiers. ” The slightest mistake can cause a lot of emotions for the customer. It’s his money that’s at stake, no matter the amount. It is therefore necessary to limit errors as much as possible and it is not easy “says Jérôme.
” The more we advance in the night, the more we are tired, the more the customer is tired and the more the pressure can mount for a detail. There is no school for that, it is learned on the job. “, confirm his colleagues.
Big celebrities at the gaming tables
And mistakes are all the more to be avoided as the Casino de Monte-Carlo very often welcomes prestigious guests. Which ? Mystery. ” We receive plenty, but we are bound to secrecySebastian smiles. We have movie actors, great sportsmen, businessmen, politicians… who can sometimes gamble astronomical sums ! »
And to better maintain our curiosity, Jérôme adds: “ we could have an anecdote a day. But what is most striking is to see that some of these celebrities are totally different the public image they givewhen they are at play “, he jokes.
Famous or not, Casino customers can sometimes behave surprisingly, even amusingly, as we learn from Maximilien: ” we have already seen a winning customer run around a table, stand on the chair, or sing a cappella. »
” And conversely, a customer who loses can put himself in impossible statesadds Sebastian, while it’s still a game. It’s entertainment: you don’t come to a Casino to win! »
But despite these few slight constraints, Jérôme, Maximilien and Sébastien deeply characterize their profession. And as true enthusiasts, what they appreciate above all is transmission. ” Some games are becoming more and more rare and we perpetuate them commented Sébastien.
As Maximilian points out, croupiers have always been formed by their pairs. Gaming schools were formed to meet the needs of integrating new croupiers. And beyond that, there is a daily handover: ” this is called “stealing the trade”. We learn from the elders, they give us advice, always bring us a little something extra that we don’t learn at school. Our role now is to pass on our know-how to the new croupiers. 150 years ago, people worked what we do, we perpetuate a tradition. »
Tradition and transmission are therefore an integral part of this extraordinary profession. A job that has created real bonds of friendship and trust between these three colleagues who unanimously conclude: ” the world of games is a real family. »