1946 Archives

Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel Casino History Casino: Openings Did You Know? Flamingo (Las Vegas, NV) Gambling History Gaming History Jimmy Durante Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Holiday Season Launch

1946 Which famous hotel-casino debuted in Las Vegas, Nevada the day after Christmas in this year? Hint: Jimmy Durante was the grand opening star; while on stage he destroyed a $1,600 piano (a $20,000 value…

Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel Casino History Did You Know? Divorce / Annulment Gambling History Nevada Quick Facts Reno--Nevada United States

Quick Fact - So Done

1946 Mobster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel’s wife, Esta (née Esther Krakower) filed for divorce in Reno, Nevada after 17 years of marriage. The two had wed when she was 18 and he was 23. In the…

Casa Vegas (Las Vegas, NV) Casino History Casino: Flying Did You Know? Gambling History Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Flying Casino

1946 Owners of the Casa Vegas gambling club in Southern Nevada, Duke Wiley and Eddie Alias, announced their plan to acquire and convert a surplus, four-engine transport plane into a casino in the air. Slated…

Casino History Gambling History Gambling: Loss Games / Races: Craps Gaming History Harold S. Smith, Sr. Harolds Club (Reno, NV) It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Reno Police Department--Nevada Nevada Reno--Nevada United States

Blaming It On The Dice

1946-1947 On the third Tuesday of April 1946, after work at the Southern Pacific Shop in Sparks, Nevada, Sam Lemel took the bus to Reno and went to Harolds Club where he played craps. He…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Gambling License Gambling: Prizes Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Games / Races: Tango Gaming History Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Bonus of Hosiery

1946 Some Las Vegas, Nevada casinos handed out women’s nylons as slot machine and tango game* prizes. When the city’s board of commissioners found out, they banned it, threatening repeat offenders with losing their gambling…

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…

California Games / Races: Roulette It Really Happened

Tales of Rodent Roulette

1946 Nebraska carnival workers dreamed up a strange variation of roulette, and quickly found themselves in court after police and the humane society objected to it. The game, however, gained at least a few fans.…