Quick Facts Archives

California Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Lice Fighting Gaming History Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Serious Boredom

1800s To amuse themselves, some miners — California ones, as reported in this case — staged lice fights and waged large sums on the outcome. They placed two Pediculus humanus face to face on a…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Games / Races: Keno Gaming History KENO Radio Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts United States

1941 When Maxwell Kelch applied for call letters for his Las Vegas, Nevada radio station, he requested KLVN as a first choice and KENO as a second, certain the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approve a…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Games / Races: Burro Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Creature Game Creation

1962 How ’bout a game of Burro? Fred Carrier, a Stateline, Nevada accountant, developed a gambling game with this name, the concept for which came to him in a nightmare. Based on magnetism, it featured…

Casino History Cecil Lynch Did You Know? Fortune Club (Las Vegas, NV) Gambling History Gaming History Golden Slot (Las Vegas, NV) Las Vegas--Nevada Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Nevada Nevada Club (Las Vegas, NV) Quick Facts Robert Van Santen United States

Quick Fact - Casino Name Beef

1957 After Robert Van Santen and Cecil Lynch’s business partnership in the Las Vegas, Nevada Fortune Club went sour (Lynch broke off to open his own gambling club at the Golden Slot site), the two…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Debt Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts Rhyolite--Nevada Stock Exchange (Rhyolite, NV) United States

Quick Fact - Betting "The Farm"

1908 Johnny-Behind-the-Gat bet more than he should’ve. He was a prospector and miner said to have little common sense, a big temper and a penchant for using his weapon to solve disputes. John Cyty (his…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts Sands (Las Vegas, NV) United States

Quick Fact - Oasis in the Desert

1950 Las Vegas spent $750,000 a year on advertising (about $7.5 million today). The Chamber of Commerce promoted the town as: “An oasis for the harassed refugees from artificial restraints and laws of other states.“…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Harolds Club (Reno, NV) Nevada Quick Facts Reno--Nevada United States

Quick Fact - Gambling, Guns and ... Dolls

1968 For a few months, Harolds Club expanded its exhibited items beyond antique guns and Old West memorabilia. The Reno, Nevada casino displayed a collection of 150 dolls — including the 1930s Shirley Temple —…

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

Creepy Quick Fact - Stiff at Poker Game

1939 A Fred Martens, or “Fritz the Rooster,” sat at a table in a Las Vegas gambling house playing poker with some men. After a streak of bad luck, he seemed headed for a possible straight.…

Casino History Did You Know? Fan Tan (Reno, NV) Gambling History Games / Races: Pai Gow Gaming History Nevada New China Club (Reno, NV) Quick Facts Reno--Nevada United States

Quick Fact - Pai Gow's Nevada Debut

1967 After a demonstration of the game, Nevada gambling regulators, for the first time, allowed pai gow — a Chinese version of dominos — to be offered in its casinos. The clubs with pai gow,…

Casino History Casinos / Gambling Saloons / Card Clubs / Slot Routes / Wire Services / Hotels / Racetracks / Racinos Commercial Hotel/Monte Carlo Casino (Elko, NV) Did You Know? Elko--Nevada Gambling History Games / Races Gaming History Nevada Newton Crumley Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - When All Else Fails … Wager

1925 Newton “Newt” Crumley, Sr., Goldfield, Nevada resident, met with William Doyle in September to discuss purchasing from him the Commercial Hotel in Elko, but they couldn’t agree on a price. Doyle wanted $5,000 more…

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

Quick Fact - In The Slot Machine’s Likeness

1960s-1970s More than a half-decade after the invention of the slot machine in 1887, liquor-filled decanters in their likeness became the rage, particularly at casinos. The version (in the photo), adorned with 24-carat gold, contained…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Mexico Quick Facts Tivoli Bar and Cafe (Juarez, Mexico)

Quick Fact - Casino Fit For a General

1911-1914 When Pancho Villa was commanding his armies in Northern Mexico, he chose for his headquarters the richly appointed Tivoli, then the largest casino in Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. Photo from El Paso Public Library: By…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Gambling: Ban Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Tax Commission Jackpot--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts United States Wells--Nevada

Quick Fact - Rural Gambling Ban

1954 Due to the 1953 scandal in Wells, Nevada, the Nevada Tax Commission members in June 1954 prohibited open gambling in the town of Jackpot in The Silver State, just south of its border with…

California Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Robbery / Theft / Embezzling Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Gaming History Los Angeles-California Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Out of Time

1936 A thief took the trouble of entering a Los Angeles, California café through a skylight to rob the slot and marble games. But instead of getting the heck out after that was successful, he stayed…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Dice Gaming History Geographical Areas Nevada Ponderosa (Reno, NV) Publicity Stunts / Promotions / Advertisements Quick Facts Reno--Nevada United States

Quick Fact - Gambling Debut Delay

1967 When the owners of the Ponderosa — Reno, Nevada’s newest major hotel (at 515 S. Virginia Street, now the Wild Orchid) — were about to debut gambling, with a celebratory first throwing of the dice, they ran into…

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…