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© 2024, Doresa Banning

Gambling


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Card Sharp Pens Tell-Almost-All Book
Casino History Casino History Nevada Casino History U.S. Gambler (Operators/Players): Cheater: Clint Stone Gambling History Nevada Gambling History U.S. Gambling History: Books Gambling: Cheating Harrah's (Reno, NV) It Really Happened Nevada Reno--Nevada United States

Card Sharp Pens Tell-Almost-All Book

In the autobiographical book Cheater, the author Clint Stone (likely an alias), paints himself as a lifelong gambling cheat. His specialty is mucking, using sleight of hand, one hand in his case, to introduce a…

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March 1, 2024

Lake Mead Didn't Become State Park Due to Gambling
91 Club (Las Vegas, NV) Casino History Nevada Frontier Club (Las Vegas, NV) Gambling Gambling History Gambling History Nevada Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: U.S. Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes Guy McAfee It Really Happened Lake Mead--Nevada Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Pair O' Dice Club Politicians / Politics: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt Politicians / Politics: U.S. Senator (NV) Key D. Pittman United States

Lake Mead Didn't Become State Park Due to Gambling

1939 With the recent discoveries of dead bodies there, Lake Mead in Southern Nevada has been in the news. The 1.5 million acres encompassing this water body and its environs have been a designated national…

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May 25, 2022

Three Guys Draw Attention to Reliable Way to Beat the Slots
600 Club (Lewiston, ID) Casino History Nevada Casino History U.S. Club Cal Neva (Reno, NV) El Cortez Hotel (Reno, NV) Gambler (Operators/Players): Rhythm Boys: Danny Foster Gambler (Operators/Players): Rhythm Boys: Johnny Pugh Gambler (Operators/Players): Rhythm Boys: Robert E. Black Gambling History Nevada Gambling History U.S. Gambling: Methods Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Gaming History It Really Happened Las Vegas--Nevada Lewiston--Idaho Morrie Brodsky Reno--Nevada United States

Three Guys Draw Attention to Reliable Way to Beat the Slots

1950-1952 The Rhythm Boys were all about patterns of sound and movement but in relation to slot machines, not music. Danny Foster, Johnny Pugh and Robert E. Black made $1,000 (about $11,800 today) from playing…

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March 30, 2022

Faro Breeds Cunning Card Sharps En Masse
California Casino History Casino History U.S. Gambling History Gambling History U.S. Gambling: Cheating Devices: Faro Dealing Boxes Gambling: Cheating Devices: Manufacturers: Joseph Graves Gambling: Cheating Devices: Manufacturers: Will & Finck Gambling: Cheating Devices: Prepared Cards Games / Races: Faro Games / Races: Faro: Dealing Box Makers: Joseph Graves Games / Races: Faro: Dealing Box Makers: Robert Bailey Games / Races: Faro: Dealing Box Makers: Will & Finck It Really Happened United States Virginia

Faro Breeds Cunning Card Sharps En Masse

1700s-1950s Faro stands out in U.S. gambling history. The imported card game dominated the industry here for a long time, about 100 years. “Tiger” was the country’s favorite gambling pastime during the 1800s, though played…

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March 16, 2022

Alphonse "Al/Scarface" Capone Casino History Chicago--Illinois Continental Press Service (Chicago, IL) Desert Inn (Las Vegas, NV) Fremont Hotel and Casino (Las Vegas, NV) Gambling History Gambling: Bookmaking Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities: Animated Gaming History Havana--Cuba Illinois It Really Happened Joey Bosa Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Nick Bosa Owl Club (Calumet City, IL) Paul "The Waiter" Ricca Riviera (Las Vegas, NV) Stardust (Las Vegas, NV) The Outfit (Chicago, IL) Tony "Joe Batters" Accardo United States

Bosa Bros.' Mobster Great Grandfather Involved in Gambling

1935-1965 Tony Accardo, né Antonino Leonardo Accardo (1906-1992), is credited with reviving and expanding the Chicago Outfit’s gambling business in the 1940s after the organization’s head Paul “The Waiter” Ricca named him underboss. Accardo himself…

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February 16, 2022

Gambling on Live Dog Races in Nevada
Casino History David J. Funk Gambling History Gambling: Parimutuel Games / Races: Dog Racing Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Racing Commission Henderson--Nevada It Really Happened Las Vegas Downs Inc. Nevada Nevada Turf and Kennel Club Reno Speedway (at Lawton's Hot Springs) (Reno, NV) United States

Gambling on Live Dog Races in Nevada

1938-Today Bets placed, spectators occupy the stands, waiting. Anticipation, excitement fill the air. Finally, the get-ready bell dings, and the crowd quickly quiets. The start signal sounds. The gates open. Out lunge the competitors, into…

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February 2, 2022

Illegal Bookmaking Enterprise Flourishes in the City of Souls
"Red" MacDonald Abe Fox California Casino History Colma--California Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Gambling Emilio "Gombo" Giorgetti Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Bookmaking Governing / Regulatory Bodies: California Crime Commission Guarantee Finance Co. (Southern California) It Really Happened John O'Neil Olmo Group Ralph Cody Sam Termini San Mateo County--California United States Willow Tree (Colma, CA)

Illegal Bookmaking Enterprise Flourishes in the City of Souls

1949-1950 During the Prohibition years in California, 1919 to 1934, San Mateo County was a hotbed for illegal vices — gambling, prostitution and drinking. Even a Mobster, Hillsborough-based Sam Termini, said the county was the…

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January 12, 2022

It Really Happened! Investigates: Who is "Johnny Ox?"
Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Gambling Fred Heier Gambling History Gambling: Symbols: Johnny Ox Games / Races: Poker Gaming History Indiana Indianapolis--Indiana It Really Happened Jack Shea T. Thompson aka Johnny Ox United States William "Bill" Kissel

It Really Happened! Investigates: Who is "Johnny Ox?"

1903 “Accommodation for Johnny Ox,” a gambling-related headline in the Nevada State Journal, March 17, 1903, puzzled us. Curious (read: obsessive), we set out to decipher it. The brief news item relayed two gambling saloons…

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December 29, 2021

Newsman Gets Burned for Reporting on Illegal Gambling
Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Gambling Defense Attorneys: James D.C. Murray Gambling History Gambling: Reporters Of: Martin Mooney Games / Races: Policy / Numbers Gaming History It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: New York Court of Appeals New York--New York Queens County Jail United States

Newsman Gets Burned for Reporting on Illegal Gambling

1935-1936 In about mid-December 1935, New York newspaper reporter Martin Mooney (1896-1967) faced serving his jail sentence during the upcoming holidays. His offense? Contempt of court for refusing to reveal to the local grand jurors…

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December 15, 2021

Female Axe Murderer Gets Results
Alton--Illinois Anti-Gambling / Anti-Casino Activists: Irene Kite Anti-Gambling / Anti-Casino Efforts Casino History Cliff Phayer Gambling History Gambling: Mobster Control Of Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Gaming History Harry Murdock Harry Price Illinois It Really Happened Mobsters / Gangsters / Syndicate Members (Alleged) / Organizations Paul Delaney United States

Female Axe Murderer Gets Results

1937-1939 In 1937, an Alton, Illinois woman took on the local gambling-Mobsters and the political machine … with an axe. Motivating Factors In Irene Kite‘s county of Madison, gambling was illegal, yet law enforcement and…

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November 22, 2021

Paintings of Canine Gamblers Still Ring True 100 Years Later
Artists / Designers: Cassius Marcellus Coolidge Casino History Gambling History Gambling: Art Games / Races: Poker Gaming History It Really Happened United States

Paintings of Canine Gamblers Still Ring True 100 Years Later

1894-Today In his paintings depicting dogs as humans, Cassius “Kash” Marcellus Coolidge (1844-1934) brilliantly captured the nuances of poker playing and gambling. The dogs’ expressions are spot on and the details, comedic. Perhaps Coolidge himself…

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November 5, 2021

Congress' Strategy For Slashing U.S. Gambling Activity Proves Problematic, Part II
Casino History Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations: U.S. Public Law 93-499 Gambling Laws / Regulations: U.S. Revenue Act of 1951 Gambling: Taxes Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Internal Revenue Service Governing / Regulatory Bodies: U.S. Congress It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: U.S. Supreme Court United States

Congress' Strategy For Slashing U.S. Gambling Activity Proves Problematic, Part II

1952-1968 Soon after two new federal taxes — the tax on wagers and the wagering occupational tax — went into effect in late 1951, problems with them arose. (See Part I for a description of…

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August 25, 2021

Congress' Strategy For Slashing U.S. Gambling Activity Proves Problematic, Part I
Gambling History Gambling: Taxes Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Internal Revenue Service It Really Happened Montana Nevada Politicians / Politics: Kefauver Committee Washington

Congress' Strategy For Slashing U.S. Gambling Activity Proves Problematic, Part I

1951 Gambling is the lifeblood of organized crime. This was U.S. Senator Estes Kefauver’s conclusion after the Special Committee on Organized Crime in Interstate Commerce, which he headed, concluded its investigation. The Kefauver Committee’s work,…

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August 19, 2021

Extreme and Dangerous: One Gambling Cheat and His Career
Casino (Reno, NV) Casino History Cincinnati--Ohio Columbus--Ohio Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing: Misspoted Dice Europe Gambler (Operators/Players): Cheater: Harmony Kid (Lawrence Varner) Gambler (Operators/Players): Cheater: Jim Pents Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Faro Games / Races: Horse Racing Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History Hot Springs--Arkansas It Really Happened New York--New York Pekin--Illinois Reno--Nevada United States Washington--Indiana

Extreme and Dangerous: One Gambling Cheat and His Career

1886-1910 The Harmony Kid made his living as a traveling gambling cheat in the U.S. and was known from coast to coast. While primarily a card and dice sharp, Lawrence Varner (1865-1933) also perpetrated swindles…

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August 4, 2021