croupier

Hardly a reassuring forecast coming from a former casino croupier and Ponzi scheme salesman.

Then the croupier tears open two packets of new cards, flinging the old ones into a waste-paper basket at his side.

The croupier announces, intoning as does a high-church curate, "There is seven hundred and forty pounds in the bank, gentlemen."

The croupier pushes the seven hundred and forty pounds of the unlucky player a foot nearer to the bank.

“Ajugé à quarante louis,” cried the croupier, no one bidding higher.

The next instant, he has raked the butt of your discarded cigarette from beneath your feet with the dexterity of a- 31 - croupier.