Gambling is part of our collective history, and today is a massive, complex industry. No matter where you are, no matter what you do, in some way, gambling is responsible for the world you live in. Don’t believe us? Take a look at a few history books, and you’ll quickly learn that gambling is a big part of human history.
Think that’s interesting? Check out these other fun and fascinating facts about gambling. Yes, all of it is true, no matter how strange it seems. Don’t forget sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction.
The Prison With A Casino
There’s no question; if you land up in prison, you’ve done something wrong. Looks like it’s a few long, boring years until you can go free again. Though, maybe prison isn’t so bad, assuming you’re at this prison in Nevada.
As you already know, Nevada is the gambling capital of America. It’s where you’ll find Las Vegas, after all, which pretty much speaks for itself. But did you know that gambling is such a big part of Nevada’s culture that the local prison even lets prisoners do a little gambling? Strange but true; for 35 years, a prison in Nevada let prisoners play craps, blackjack, and poker and even let them bet on prison sports. Not such a bad place, after all.
The gambling fun didn’t last long, though, as a warden eventually cut gambling entirely from the prison in 1967. Too bad for those prisoners.
Gambling On The Go
Like the idea of gambling on the go? No, we mean other than on your smartphone. How about a casino that is literally portable? In London, a cab that allows mobile gambling exists, known as the Grosvenor. The back of the cab consists of a gambling table, a dealer, and even a TV for sports betting. The Grosvenor is, without question, the smallest casino in the world. We just don’t fully understand how everything stays on the table when the driver takes a sharp turn. Impressive.
More impressive still is that the Grosvenor is hireable. So you can occupy yourself playing a bit of Blackjack while you get where you need to go. Sounds like fun; just make sure you take enough money to cover cab fare, as well as any bets you decide to make.
Roulette Numbers Add Up To 666
Yes, it’s true. If you add up all the numbers on a Roulette wheel, the grand total is 666. Is it an interesting coincidence, or does it mean that the devil is hiding out in all Roulette wheels?
Interestingly, the concept gave rise to the term The Devil’s Wheel in the old days, getting the attention of a few priests. Thankfully, most priests today are smart enough to recognize this for what it really is. Yes, a fun but meaningless coincidence.
Slots Once Gave Out Chewing Gum
Originally, slots gave out gum rather than money. Why? Because it was against the law for slots to pay out cash. Hence, the original designers chose chewing gum as a prize rather than cash. You probably now realize that this is why virtually all original slot machines use a theme of fruit. The fruit is the flavor of chewing gum you’ll get if you win.
Fascinatingly, fruit is still the most common theme for slots. This means that the tradition is still going, even after the original slot design came out in the 1700s. Fascinating. At a modern site like Casino Grand Bay you’ll see that many slots still use fruit as a theme.
The Biggest Casino Win In History
This is a fact that changes but is still correct at the time of writing. An anonymous man in Las Vegas, on a visit to the Excalibur Casino, bet around $100 on a Megabucks slot. To his shock, the $100 got him a payout of $39.7 million. This is the biggest payout in 2023, but chances are the record will get broken soon enough. Progressive jackpot payouts are, after all, potentially much larger than that in recent years.
Even still, whoever that man is chances are he isn’t complaining.
The Longest Poker Game
This one is a bit strange. The story is that in 1881, in the basement of a theatre, a poker game went on for 8 years. According to reports the game went on 24 hours, 7 days a week, and didn’t end until 1889. Yes, it all sounds a little suspicious, but is fascinating nonetheless.
Most telling is that the venue for the poker game, the Bird Cage, put on regular performances. So, chances are that the poker game was performance art, rather than a real game. Likely actors took over from other actors to keep the game going. Either way, that this went on for 8 years is testimony to serious dedication.
You Can Ban Yourself From Casinos
We all know you can get a ban from a casino, assuming you get up to anything shifty. But did you know that you can also ban yourself? Known as self-exclusion, you can opt to not allow yourself into any casino, online or land-based. Once you’re on the self-exclusion list, the venue will no longer let you play.
There are a number of reasons to ban yourself, but the primary reason is those who are dealing with problem gambling. Self-exclusion is an effort by casinos to keep gambling safe, fun and responsible.
Atom Bombs Are Big Money
Lastly, did you know that many Nevada casinos in the 50s took advantage of atomic bomb testing? About 65 miles outside Las Vegas, the US government began testing atomic bombs. The bomb tests were visible from many casinos, and in most cases you’d probably decide to go nowhere near the area.
In the 50s, however, the casinos took advantage. Many casinos of the time let guests gather around, watch the bomb blasts, and have a good time. Some venues even got the idea to host atomic bomb parties. Since you’re thinking about it, yes it was actually safe to watch atomic bombs from 65 miles away.
