When it comes to gambling, we know that not everyone can be a winner, but everyone is willing to give it a shot. Some people have managed to beat the system while others strive for pure luck. Either way, they have given rise to some interesting stories.
Let’s take a look at some gambling facts
30 interesting casino and gambling facts
1. Australia owns 20% of the world’s electronic gambling machines.
2. After counting cards at Hard Rock Casino, Ben Affleck was banned for life.
3. Rich people problems can have people doing strange things. Howard Hughes bought the Silver Slipper casino for one simple purpose, to move the flashing neon sign that had been keeping him up
4. Melbourne’s Crown Casino lost $33 million as a result of hackers gaining access to their security system.
5. Some people have all the luck, and Don Johnson seemed to have it all in 2011. He won $6 million from a single casino – in addition to $9 million from two other casinos in the same night. As a result, he has been banned from almost all the casinos in Atlantic City.
6. After being caught and prosecuted for cheating, the Hyland card counting team managed to evade charges after a judge ruled in their favour, stating that it was a use of intelligence and not cheating.
7. An unidentified Australian gambler once manipulated a casino’s security system, giving him the opportunity to walk away with $32 million. He has still not been identified.
8. Boredom has driven young people away from luck-based games, prompting some casinos to implement skills-based games that make it easier to win.
9. In some parts of the world, you can voluntarily ban yourself from a casino, which comes in handy if you have a gambling problem.
10. In a shocking turn of events, William Brennan entered the Stardust Casino in 1993 and lefts with $500,000 in chips and cash. He vanished shortly thereafter with his cat. This has been dubbed one of the most successful casino robberies ever.
11. In 1994, Australia launched its first online casino.
12. To decrease people’s odds of winning, American roulette makes use of 0 and 00. In other countries, only 0 is used.
13. The Dutch treasury receives all of the profits from the Holland Casino. The organisation is owned by the Netherlands government and operates 14 casinos.
14. In 2009 when Russia banned all forms of gambling, an engineer used the time to figure out how to cheat on the slot machines. He then went over to the States and won close to $21,000. Casinos have not figured out a way to fix this problem to date.
15. We’re not sure if he was just cocky or if he knew something that no-one else did, but in 1980 William Bergstrom spent some time at Binion’s Horseshoe Casino. He brought two suitcases with him, one empty and one packed with money. He placed a bet using all his money, won and then packed his winnings into the empty suitcase.
16. Angel Eye software is used to scan cards used during a game, preventing card switching. If the software detects an unauthorised card, security is immediately notified.
17. Technically counting cards isn’t illegal, but it is frowned upon and can have you thrown out if you get caught.
18. Gambling odds are worsened on cruise ships, with the odds being tipped in the house’s favour.
19. In 2013, a study revealed that 80% of the Australian population regularly gamble.
20. An unfortunate Bellagio Bandit once stole what he thought was $1.5 million worth of chips from a Las Vegas Casino. He soon realised that they were worthless and tried to sell them online. He was caught and is currently serving his sentence.
21. Back in the day, the sound of coins falling was often played through the casino sound system, creating the illusion that people were winning and encouraging people to continue gambling.
22. As a result of not having to pay income tax, citizens of Monaco are not allowed to gamble at the Monte Carlo.
23. Poker is technically illegal in Texas, which means that you cannot play Texas Hold’em there.
24. To gain information during WWI, Italy opened a casino to help diplomats relax. The Casino di Campione is now one of the biggest in Europe and generates enough revenue to make the area a tax-free zone.
25. While constructing the Great Ocean Road, the steamboat hit a reef and was stranded. As result, they dropped some of the cargo which was predominately liquor. The crew got hold of this and had a well-deserved two-week drinking holiday.
26. A gangster from Hong Kong who made his fortune through kidnapping lost most of it while gambling in an attempt to kidnap the casino owner. He was caught before he could complete the task.
27. Australians spend a collective $18 million per year on gambling and they love the onlinepokiesnz.co.nz has to offer more than most.
28. Some gamblers get so caught up in the game that they refuse to move from their spot, often resulting in them needing to urinate on the floor, chairs or even into the machines. True addicts have been known to wear diapers to prevent any unnecessary disruptions.
29. To prevent gambling-related prosecution, gamblers would swallow their dice during a police raid. The logic? No dice, no gambling.
30. The French and Italians are still arguing about who created blackjack.
It’s A Strange World
The world of gambling is weird and wonderful, and it’s clear that people that participate in it have had to become just as strange in their pursuit of winning big. Of course, not everyone will go to extremes when playing a gambling game or two, but you can’t argue that some of the stories that have been brought about as a result of gambling can be quite astounding.
Whether you take part in it or not, gambling is a part of our society and it’s made many people rich beyond their wildest dreams.
