Casino is one of the world’s most famous tourist attractions, bringing in millions of visitors every year. While musical shows, lighted fountains and lavish hotels help draw the crowds, casinos make their money from gambling—the million or so bets placed each year on games like blackjack, roulette and craps provide the billions in profits that allow casino owners to finance those towering hotel structures, giant pyramids, replicas of historic monuments and other such spectacular buildings.
Something about the atmosphere in a casino encourages people to cheat and steal, either colluding with each other or acting independently. Because of this, casinos devote a great deal of effort and expense to security. The first line of defense is the people: dealers and table managers keep their eyes on the patrons, spotting blatant acts of cheating or theft, and pit bosses watch over each game with a broader perspective, making sure that no one is marking or switching cards, changing dice or using a fake camera to record a video poker win.
In addition, casinos use technology: cameras monitor the entire casino floor to prevent unauthorized activity; betting chips have built-in microcircuitry that allows them to be monitored minute-by-minute, and any statistical deviation from expected results is quickly noticed; and roulette wheels are electronically monitored regularly to detect any anomaly in their rotations.
Casinos also reward their “good” players with comps, free goods and services ranging from free hotel rooms to restaurant meals, show tickets and even airline tickets (depending on the amount of money that is spent). But there are some things that you should know before you go to a casino.