The word Casino suggests a glamorous, exciting place to gamble and play games of chance. While lighted fountains, musical shows, shopping centers and lavish hotels help to draw in the customers, casinos would not exist without the games of chance themselves. Slot machines, blackjack, roulette and other table games provide the billions of dollars in profits raked in by U.S. casinos every year.
Casinos are often built on the outskirts of cities or towns, and their interiors are designed to look like elegant gambling palaces. Some casinos offer free drinks and stage shows, but the vast majority of a casino’s revenues are generated by the machines themselves. The machines have mathematically determined odds that ensure that the house always has a negative expectation, or expected value, from the player’s perspective.
Gamblers can earn rewards or comps by playing their favorite games. These can include free hotel rooms, meals, show tickets and even limo service and airline tickets. A casino’s computer tally system keeps track of each patron’s game play and spending habits and awards them according to their level of activity.
Security is a huge concern for casinos, and they spend a lot of time and money on it. They also employ a number of other measures to keep their patrons safe and honest. For example, casino staff are trained to spot a wide variety of cheating tactics, from palming to marking cards. Casinos also make sure that the betting patterns of their patrons are consistent with what is expected.