A casino is a place where people go to gamble. While musical shows, lighted fountains, shopping centers and lavish hotels help attract customers, the vast majority of casino profits (and fun) come from games of chance like roulette, baccarat, blackjack, poker, craps, keno and slot machines.
The earliest casinos were probably small clubhouses for local Italians who came to play socially. Later, organized crime figures got involved with casinos and used their wealth to purchase large stakes in the gaming tables and impose themselves on the business.
Modern casinos often incorporate the latest in technology to enhance their image and attract customers. For example, casino owners have installed cameras that monitor games from a remote location and can alert security personnel of any suspicious behavior. In addition, some casinos use special betting chips with built-in microcircuitry that interacts with electronic systems on the casino floor to oversee the exact amount of money wagered minute by minute and warn if there are any statistical deviations from the expected results; and they have automated roulette wheels and dice that are monitored electronically to discover any tampering.
Many people are drawn to casinos by the glamour that they portray in movies and on television. But what is it really like to visit a casino? What are the most popular games, how do they work and what does it take to win? Read on to learn more about this exciting industry.
