Beneath the flashing lights and free cocktails, casinos stand on a bedrock of mathematics, engineered to slowly bleed patrons of their cash. For years mathematically inclined minds have tried to turn the tables on a rigged system, but so far it’s impossible to beat a casino without playing its games.
Casinos are gambling establishments that offer table games like blackjack, roulette, and poker. They also feature machines such as slot machines and video poker. Most casinos are located in tourist destinations such as Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Some are combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops, and cruise ships. A casino may also be a standalone building.
A casino is different from a regular gambling hall in that it is more focused on entertaining and attracting high rollers and frequent players. These players are typically greeted with extravagant inducements such as free spectacular entertainment, luxury suites, reduced-fare transportation, and even personal attention. Consequently, they contribute much of the revenue to the casino and are therefore well treated.
Some casinos are specialized in specific types of games. For example, Baden-Baden’s elegant spa town was a playground for European royalty and aristocracy 150 years ago and hosts a large number of roulette and craps tables. Other casinos specialize in live entertainment, such as the Caesars Palace Colosseum, which launched Frank Sinatra’s fame and has hosted the likes of Cher, Elton John, Mariah Carey, and Rod Stewart. In addition to its live entertainment, Caesars has a wide selection of casino games such as blackjack and craps.