A casino is a building or room where people can gamble and play games of chance. It may also be a place with elaborate entertainment features such as fountains and art installations, or it might focus more on high-stakes gambling with the likes of poker, blackjack, and roulette. Whatever the case, a casino provides a unique atmosphere that draws in millions of players each year. From the flashy hotels and casinos of Las Vegas to the legal pai gow parlors in New York’s Chinatown, a casino is an exciting world of lights, music and excitement.
How Casinos Make Money
Every game that a casino offers has a built in advantage for the house. While this advantage is usually less than two percent, it can add up over time. That advantage, plus a fee called the vig or rake, is how casinos make their money.
Because of the large amounts of currency handled in a casino, patrons and staff can be tempted to cheat or steal, either in collusion or independently. That’s why casinos spend a lot of money on security. Cameras located throughout the casino are just one of many measures that help ensure fairness and prevent theft and fraud.
In addition to cameras, casinos rely on people to monitor the integrity of their games. Pit bosses and table managers watch over the table games, looking for any signs of tampering or cheating. Card counters keep track of the cards being dealt, while chip runners and floor managers check that players are paying their bets correctly.
