Gambling and Casino Trivia
Gambling has a long history, with historians finding evidence of gambling taking place as far back as 2300 BC in China. With such a long history, there are plenty of interesting facts and titbits about gambling. In this article, we’ve collated an array of interesting, fun and sometimes surprising facts and figures about casinos, games and other gambling related topics. Pick up some intriguing conversation starters for а round the office water cooler, to share over a pint at the local, or simply to muse over and say “Well I never! I didn’t know that!”.
Produced by:
Editorial Team
Published: 23 January 2019
Casino Trivia Questions and Answers
Casino games have never been more popular. Not only can you play games of skill and chance in casino resorts around the world, but you can also experience the thrill of real money games from the comfort of your own home, thanks to the thriving online casino industry. In the following section, we’ll run through questions and answers about a whole range of casino-related subjects.
Which is the World’s First Casino?
The oldest casino in the world is Casino di Venezia. The casino was established in Venice in 1638. Although it is considered to be the oldest casino, the Casino di Venezia was not actually in operation from 1774 – 1959. The casino was re-opened in a new location at Ca'Vendramin Calergi, overlooking the Grand Canal, where it is still in operation today.
When was the First Online Casino Launched?
In 1994, Antigua and Barbuda passed a law allowing operators to apply for a remote gambling licence. The world’s first online casino software was developed by Microgaming in 1994. Yet it was in 1996 that the first real money online casinos were launched. Microgaming powered Gaming Club casino, whilst InterCasino powered by Crytologic was hot on its heels.
Which is the World’s Largest Casino?
The largest casino in the world is Venetian Macau. The gambling complex is a staggering 10,500,000 square feet (980,000 m2) and also boasts the accolade of the largest single structure hotel building in Asia. The casino itself measures 546,000 square feet (50,700 m2) and features over 3800 slot machines and 800 gambling tables. The casino complex also includes a 15,000-seat indoor arena, a 2900 room hotel and an abundance of retail outlets and restaurants.
Who Invented the First Slot Machine?
The first slot machine was invented by Charles Fey in 1895. The gaming machine was named the Liberty Bell, which was the highest paying symbol on the 3-reel slot machine. The slot included just 5 symbols in total, with hearts, diamonds, spades and horseshoes also featured. The machine was the first to allow automatic payouts. Fey did not gain a patent for his one-armed bandit, and as such, various developers copied his design principles, leading to a flurry of other developers creating similar gaming machines.
What is the Difference Between European and American Roulette?
The key difference between European and American Roulette is how many numbers are included on the wheel. European Roulette features 37 numbers in total; 18 red, 18 black and a single green zero. American Roulette, on the other hand, includes 38 numbers, with both a single and double zero. The double zero in the American version of the game increases the house edge. Whilst European Roulette has a house edge of 2.7%, American Roulette features a house edge of 5.26%, making it less favourable for players.
What is Gambler’s Fallacy?
The gambler’s fallacy is a mistaken belief that previous game results can influence future game outcomes. For example, if black has won 4 times in a row on the roulette wheel, it is assumed by the player that a red win is due to happen. In actual fact, each spin of the roulette wheel, each hand of blackjack, and each spin of a slot machine is an independent and random process. As such, the results of previous rounds in no way influence the outcome of future results. Believing in the gambler’s fallacy is a common gambling mistake that can cost players dearly.
What is Dead Man’s Hand?
Dead Man’s Hand is a nickname for a poker hand containing two black aces and two black 8’s, whilst the fifth card is unknown. The hand can signify bad luck in poker. The Dead Man’s Hand is believed to have gained its name from Wild Bill Hickok, the Old West folk hero, who was holding this hand when he was shot in the back of the head by Jack McCall in a saloon in Deadwood, South Dakota in 1876. If you are interested in the Old Wild West, check our gambling dedicated article in here.
Is Card Counting Illegal?
There are various blackjack card counting strategies that can be used to reduce the house edge to an absolute minimum, optimising the player’s chances of winning. Yet contrary to popular belief, card counting is not illegal. Although, it is widely frowned upon by casino operators and you can expect to be ousted from a casino if you are caught doing it. Take Ben Affleck for example. The movie star was banned for life from playing blackjack at the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas after he was caught counting cards.
Gambling Trivia – Did You Know?
There are some interesting and quirky gambling related facts that may take you by surprise. For instance, did you know that regardless of who pays, it is the person that pulls the lever or presses the spin button that technically places the wager on a slot? Jan Flato learnt this rule the hard way when he lost a £100,000 jackpot by letting his friend press spin “for luck”. Did you know the following gambling facts?
- The numbers on a roulette wheel add up to 666, which is why it is referred to as the devil’s wheel.
- The standard 52-card deck holds 2,598,960 unique five-card hands.
- Most Las Vegas casinos have no clocks or windows to keep players focused on playing games.
- Despite Monaco boasting elite casinos, such as the Monte Carlo, it is illegal for its citizens to gamble in the country’s land-based casinos.
Big Gambling Winners and Losers
There is no doubting that the chance of winning big money is one of the major draws of gambling. There have been some truly life-changing sums of money won gambling. At the same time, there have been some epic losses incurred too. Let’s look at some of the more interesting winners and losers’ stories.
Interesting Gambling Wins
The largest ever payout from a slot machine was a staggering $39.7m. The life-changing jackpot was won in 2003 on the IGT Megabucks machine at Excalibur in Las Vegas. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the 25-year old winner chose to remain anonymous.
Online slots have also provided some jaw-dropping payouts, with progressive jackpot slots creating numerous millionaires. The largest ever online slot payout of £13.2m was won by a Brit playing the Mega Moolah slot at Betway casino. Jon Heywood, a British soldier scooped the record-breaking prize from a 25p spin in October 2015, just 25 minutes after opening an account at the online casino. Talk about beginners’ luck!
Imagine winning the lottery, incredible right? Well, imagine going on to win it twice. That’s just what one British couple did, beating estimated odds of 283 billion to one to win £1m twice on the EuroMillions. David and Kathleen Long from Scunthorpe won their first million in 2013 and then hit the jackpot again the following year. Whilst not the biggest lottery win of all time, it is certainly one of the most interesting lottery winners stories.
Epic Gambling Losses
When it comes to the biggest gambling losses, there are plenty of cautionary tales to draw from. Needless to say, some of the most notorious stories of gambling losses are attached to millionaires and celebrities. Here is an overview of some of those players who bet big and lost big.
- Kerry Packer – One of Australia’s richest men, the media tycoon was renowned for placing enormous wagers and blew approximately $42 million in under a year.
- Wayne Rooney – The former Manchester United and England footballer reportedly lost £500,000 in the space of just 2 hours betting on roulette and blackjack at a Manchester casino.
- Terry Watanabe – The high roller bet over $800m in 2007 in 2 Las Vegas casinos and racked up losses of over $125 million. He went on to sue the casinos for playing him with alcohol.
- Harry Kakavas – The Australian billionaire blew around $1.5 billion playing baccarat at Crown Casino in Melbourne and lost over $30 million in around 15 months.
Final Thoughts on Gambling Trivia
As we reach the end of our journey through gambling and casino trivia, I hope you have found this page interesting and have learnt something new and intriguing. And if this article has whet your appetite to find out more gambling-related facts, then be sure to peruse through the other detailed and thought-provoking articles in our blog or check which are the best gambling websites that you can, after all, win some real cash.
