Whether you like to spin the wheel, roll the dice or lay down some chips on the blackjack table, casinos are the perfect place to satisfy your craving for gambling. But these ten temples of temptation offer more than just gambling—they’re also decked out in opulent décor, overflowing bars and gastronomical pleasures.
Casinos earn their profits by giving patrons a mathematical advantage in games that are based on chance (though some have an element of skill) and, in games where players compete against each other, taking a commission called the rake. The house edge can be very small (lower than two percent), but it adds up over time from millions of bets placed.
While some gamblers will attempt to cheat and steal, either in collusion or independently, casino security personnel are trained to spot the telltale signs. Dealers are highly focused on their own game and can easily spot blatant cheating or marking cards, while pit bosses and table managers have a broader view of the action and watch for betting patterns that might indicate cheating or collusion.
Something about the gambling experience encourages people to try to cheat or scam their way into a jackpot, so casinos spend a lot of time and money on security. In addition to the obvious casino security cameras, casinos employ a variety of other methods to protect their patrons. In some cases, the security staff may even monitor the actions of patrons outside the casino itself.