10 Trivia Facts About Casinos

You might be reading this article because you need to write a quiz about casinos. Because you are about to visit a casino for the first time. Or because you just want to know a little bit more about the world of casinos. Poker , Roulette wheel or Blackjack , each has a magic of their own.

Whatever your reason, we are glad that you have joined us today and we are going to share with you some out-of-the-box, interesting, and surprising facts about the world of casinos. 

1 – The Roulette Wheel Was Invented In A Strange Way

The first version of the Roulette wheel was introduced to gaming parlors in France in the 18th Century. Many of the casino games we know and love come from this era in France. 

The Roulette wheel has a unique story, however. It was accidentally invented by Blaise Pascal who was trying to make a machine that could create unlimited power. These types of machines are known as perpetual motion machines. 

Sadly, his plans did not work, but his friend did borrow the wheel and turn it into the Roulette wheel. 

2 – One Area Of China Gets Over 50% Of Its GDP From A Single Casino 

The Venetian Macao in Macau, China is the second-largest casino in the world, the biggest hotel in China, and the 7th biggest building in the world. 

The complex has a series of canals that guests can sail down, it has its own circus and over 3000 rooms for guests to stay in. 

This is such a big casino that a huge portion of the GDP of Macau comes from The Venetian Macao, its wages, and its profits. 

3 – Fewer People Make Money At The Casino Than You Think

One of the leading gambling websites wanted to know the answer to the age-old question – how many people make money at the casino? The answer they found shocked them – on an average day, less than 25% of players all way with any kind of profit.  Your odds are better if you play at an online casino though. You can improve your odds by playing at tables with smaller jackpots and choosing Blackjack over Roulette. 

4 – The Third Best Hand In Blackjack Is Not 19! 

The best hand in Blackjack is 21. The second best hand is 20. The third best hand is not 19, however, it’s 11. 

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Why is this the case? Well, because if you are dealt an 11 then you can take another card without risking going bust. And the odds of you getting a Jack, Queen, King, or Ace (all of which are worth 10 points) is pretty high. 

When you are playing Blackjack remember that card counting is forbidden in most casinos and can get you banned for life. 

5 – The Chinese Used A Version Of The Lottery Played At Casinos To Fund A Pretty Big Project 

Keno is an ancient Chinese version of the lottery that used to be played in gaming houses across the country. Keno tickets have been found dating as far back as 250BC. 

Some ruling families in China would use the game to help fund their armies and their building projects. One such project was the Han Dynasty portion of the Great Wall of China which is believed to have been funded by locals playing Keno. 

6 – Roulette Wheels Look Different In Europe Compared To America 

Earlier, we learned about the origins of the Roulette wheel, but did you know that a small change was made to the wheel when it arrived in the USA? American wheels feature a 0 and a 00 slot. The European wheel only has 0. The extra slot on the American wheel makes the player 2% less likely to win the game and raises the house edge. 

In China and most of Asia, they choose to use the European wheel. 

7 – The Casinos In Atlantic City Aren’t As Old As You Think 

Atlantic City is known as the East Coast Vegas to many. However, the town does not have anywhere near as much history as its West Coast Rival. You may be shocked to learn that the first casino in Atlantic City wasn’t opened until May 26th, 1978. For the first two weeks, there was a two-hour queue just to get through the door. Some players reported that people were standing four deep at the Blackjack tables. 

8 – President Nixon Wouldn’t Have Gotten Into Politics Without Poker 

The former actor decided that he was going to run for congress, but didn’t have the funds to do so. Luckily for him, he was very good at poker and was able to raise $6000 while playing the game. This money went into his first congressional campaign and the rest was history. 

This was not the start of congress’ strange relationship with gambling and it was not the end. There are only 5 states in America where you can legally play poker online. 

9 – There Is A Poker Hand Known As The Dead Man’s Hand 

The phrase Dead Man’s Hand has been used in Poker since the 18th century. Over the years it has come to represent many different sets of cards. However, after the success of the 1920 book Wild Bill Hickok: The Prince of Pistoleers, it is now associated with a pair of black aces and a pair of black 8s. 

It was claimed that this was the hand that Will Bill Hickok had when he died. Hickok was one of the most famous wild west pioneers who was murdered during a game of Poker. 

10 – There Is A Secret Blackjack Jackpot 

Blackjack used to be known as 21. However, when the game came over to America, gambling houses wanted to make it more interesting. So, they introduced a secret jackpot for players to win. 

This jackpot can be collected if you play the Ace of Spades with either of the black jacks. The size of the jackpot will vary from casino to casino.