Casinos and gambling seem reasonably straightforward, right? Wrong. There are actually some crazy facts relating to both casinos and the activity of gambling, and they’re potentially things that most people weren’t aware of. Therefore, making punters see everything in a whole new light.
Dealers must “clear their hands” before leaving a table
This crazy fact applies to all types of casino gaming, including offline at land-based venues and established online slots sites like the renowned Foxy Games. Dealers at land-based casinos and at online casinos, where they have been starring in live casino content, must show their hands to the cameras before walking away from a table to ensure they’re not attempting to leave with any chips. Chips are the most stolen item at casinos, so this procedure is designed to prevent them being taken. It’s a process known as “clearing your hands.”
Card counting isn’t illegal, but you could get a ban
If you know blackjack, you’ll have heard of a technique known as card counting. It was made famous by iconic films such as Rain Man, and it’s something that punters have chosen to put into action to give themselves the edge. While it’s not illegal, it is often frowned upon, with casino operators taking the decision to throw people out and ban them at their own discretion. It’s also often the case that casinos will employ tactics such as shuffling decks more regularly to negate card counting.
American roulette is the hardest version of the game to win at
Roulette remains one of the most popular games at casinos, both online and offline. But did you know that the American version of the game is the most difficult to win at? It all comes down to the game having a zero and a double zero on the wheel, which are known as house pockets, giving punters less chance of winning. But, believe it or not, there also used to be American roulette that featured the zero and double zero, as well as an American Eagle symbol, all in favour of the house.
Penny slots make big bucks for land-based casinos
You may not immediately think it because penny slots are penny slots, but they actually make land-based casinos big bucks and are responsible for large portions of revenue at gaming venues. Because penny slots only cost a penny to play, they are able to draw in large crowds, and this has been the case since the recession. Their popularity has continued because while you can win some cash, the games remain really fun to play.
Fruit machines were chewing gum dispensers in a former life
Fruit machines, like penny slots, remain a key feature at land-based casinos. And a lot of their success is based on them being able to stand the test of time. But did you know that before they were paying out cash to winners, they dispensed fruit-flavoured chewing gum in line with the piece of fruit displayed? And fruit machines were also renowned for dispensing tokens that were exchangeable for other products, such as drinks.