A casino is a gambling establishment where people can play a variety of games for money. Many of these casinos are famous throughout the world and feature in movies and television shows. Some of them even have their own hotels and restaurants. Some are located in exotic locations like Monte Carlo, Macau, and Lisbon. Others are more luxurious and swanky, like the Bellagio in Las Vegas. No matter what type of casino you prefer, there is sure to be one to suit your tastes.
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While musical shows, lighted fountains, shopping centers and lavish hotels help draw in customers, the vast majority of the billions of dollars casinos earn every year come from games of chance. Slot machines, blackjack, poker and other games of chance have a built-in advantage for the casino that can be very small, but adds up over time and millions of bets. That edge, known as the vig or rake, helps pay for casino decorations, hotel rooms and the dazzling shows and other amenities that adorn modern casinos.
Something about the presence of large sums of money seems to encourage people to cheat, steal and scam their way into a jackpot, which is why casinos spend so much time, effort and money on security. Casinos employ a wide range of personnel to watch over patrons and their behavior, from dealers who are trained to spot blatant cheating to pit bosses who supervise the tables with a more focused eye for suspicious activities.
In addition to these human eyes, casinos also utilize technology to ensure fair play. For example, in “chip tracking,” betting chips with built-in microcircuitry interact with electronic systems at the table to allow casinos to monitor bets minute by minute and quickly discover any statistical deviation from expected results. Roulette wheels are monitored electronically as well to spot any tampering. Other technology enables casinos to supervise games in an entirely automated and enclosed environment.
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Casinos are booming around the globe, with many of them featuring hotels, spas, restaurants, theaters and other entertainment options in addition to their gambling floors. Some are especially famous, such as the Monte Carlo in Monaco, the Casino de Paris in France, and the elegant Baden-Baden resort in Germany. Others are simply enormous, such as the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut and the City of Dreams in Macau, China. Still others are a combination of gaming and other attractions, such as the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.