Games / Races Archives

Cactus Pete's (Jackpot, NV) Casino History Diamond Jim's (Jackpot, NV) Elko--Nevada Gambling History Gambling: Revenue Games / Races Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board Horshu Club (Jackpot, NV) It Really Happened Jackpot--Nevada Nevada NV) Tex's Gateway (Jackpot, NV) The 93 (Jackpot, NV) Twin Falls--Idaho United States

Gambling Affront: Elko Disses Jackpot

1960 When one rural Nevada town grew into a gambling hotspot in the mid-1900s, the gamblers in another loudly grumbled. Soon after Idaho outlawed slot machines, its last vestige of legal gambling, the sagebrush- and…

Casino History Casino, Gambling Saloon, Card Club Fronts / Workers / Bookmakers / Dealers Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations Gambling: Bookmaking Games / Races: Horse Racing Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Nevada Bookmaking Legalized

1941 In an override of Governor Edward Carville’s veto, Nevada legislators legalized bookmaking. The law explained that “the receiving of bets or wagers on horse races held without the state of Nevada shall be deemed to be…

Did You Know? Gambling Currency: Chewing Gum Gambling History Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Gaming History Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - BAR Symbol Origin

The BAR symbol commonly found in slot machines today evolved from the early 19th century logo of the Bell-Fruit Gum Company, whose fruit-flavored chewing gum was dispensed when the player won. The flavors were those…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Win / Jackpot Games / Races: 21 / Blackjack Gaming History Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Cha-Ching!

1936 An $11,800 gambling win (about $205,000 today) was the largest ever in Las Vegas to that point. The payout went to a man named A. “Blacksmith” Sweitzer after playing 21 (blackjack) for two hours, starting…

Casino History Casino: Financings: Teamsters Pension Fund Events: Strikes / Protests Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Jai Alai Governing / Regulatory Bodies: National Labor Relations Board Governing / Regulatory Bodies: U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service It Really Happened Las Vegas Strip / S. Las Vegas Boulevard Las Vegas--Nevada MGM Grand Hotel (Las Vegas, NV) MGM Grand Hotel (Reno, NV) Nevada Reno--Nevada Sin City (Las Vegas) United States

MGM Grand's Gamble on Jai Alai

1974-1983 A revolt of the performers — athletes in this case — threatened to close a popular attraction at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas — jai alai. Unique to the Strip at the…

Carson City--Nevada Casino History Creators / Manufacturers Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing Elko--Nevada Gambling Gambling History Games / Races Games / Races: 21 / Blackjack Games / Races: Games Creators / Manufacturers: Nevada Electronics Inc. Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Commission Hawthorne--Nevada It Really Happened Lake Tahoe--Nevada Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Reno--Nevada Wells--Nevada

Money-Making Casino Ploy

1966 Suddenly, in the fall, the Nevada Gaming Commission (NGC) directed 41-plus casinos to cease operation of specific electronic blackjack machines because they were “experiencing difficulties when played so as to render the devices more…

Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Gaming History Quick Facts Sacramento--California

Quick Fact - Sac'ed Slots

1911 At midnight on June 19, a ban on slot machines took effect in Sacramento, California. The new law made it a misdemeanor to have the devices in one’s possession or on one’s property. The…

Casino History Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Win / Jackpot Games / Races: Craps Gaming History Geographical Areas Harold S. Smith, Sr. Harolds Club (Reno, NV) It Really Happened Reno--Nevada United States

"Gambling Fool's" Three-Day Craps Game

1946 A tastefully attired gent in his 40s sat at a craps table around 7 p.m. on a March Tuesday and began to wager with bundles of $1,000 ($12,000 today). After betting Harolds Club’s house…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Currency: Chips Gambling History Games / Races: Poker Gaming History Quick Facts Ships: American-Hawaiian Steamship Co. United States

Quick Fact - Hit Them in the Pocketbook

1913 During an era of reform in the United States, the American-Hawaiian Steamship Company tried to discourage gambling by raising the freight rate on poker chips transported from New York to the West Coast by…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History Harold S. Smith, Sr. Harolds Club (Reno, NV) Nevada Quick Facts Raymond A. Smith Reno--Nevada

Quick Fact - Mice and Men

1936 When brothers, Harold S. Smith, Sr. and Raymond A. Smith, opened a small casino called Harolds Club in Reno, Nevada, the main attraction was mouse roulette “where customers bet their small change on what…

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing Gambling Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations Gambling Laws / Regulations: U.S. Act to Prohibit Bucketing and Bucket Shopping Gambling: Bucket Shopping Games / Races: Commodities Gaming History It Really Happened Politicians / Politics: U.S. President William Taft United States

Bucket Shopping: A Species of Gambling

1870s-1920s “I want to go short 1,000 bushels of December wheat, 1 cent on the bushel.” This $10 bet was typical back in the heyday of bucket shops in the United States, between 1870 and…

Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing Gambling Games / Races: Keno Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board: Ed Olsen It Really Happened Las Vegas--Nevada Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Nevada Club (Las Vegas, NV) Robert Van Santen United States

Bilking of Vegas' Nevada Club

1961-1966 Early in 1961, Michael Catrone, 60, an apartment complex owner, presented to the Nevada Club in Las Vegas, Nevada a winning keno ticket for $25,000 ($198,000 today). Yet the casino’s general manager didn’t pay…

Did You Know? Edie Adams Ernie Kovacs Gambling Games / Races: Poker Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - A Splurge For a Splurge

1954-1962 Each time her husband, Ernie Kovacs, lost big at poker, actress Edie Adams bought herself a chinchilla coat or antique harpsichord. When the bills for those purchases arrived, he’d say, “We can’t afford this!”…

Alphonse "Al/Scarface" Capone Anthony "Tough Tony" Capezzio Chicago--Illinois Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Kidnapping Edward "Red" Meehan Edward P. Jones Gambling Gambling Currency: Coins Games / Races: Policy / Numbers George Jones It Really Happened Matt Capone Mexico Murray "The Hump"/"The Camel" Humphreys Ralph "Bottles" Capone Sam "Golf Bag" Hunt Tony "Joe Batters" Accardo United States

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