Under the flashing lights and free cocktails, casinos stand on a bedrock of mathematics, designed to slowly drain patrons of their cash. For years, mathematically inclined minds have tried to turn the tables by leveraging their knowledge of game theory and probability to exploit weaknesses in a rigged system.
Despite these efforts, casinos remain profitable enterprises. Their built-in advantages are reflected in their house edges, the expected gross profit for every bet they accept. Statistically speaking, it is very rare for a casino to lose money on any of its games in a given day.
Casinos are a unique environment in which both patrons and employees may be tempted to cheat or steal. For this reason, casinos employ a variety of security measures. These include vigilance, video cameras, and sophisticated systems for monitoring individual table games and slot machines. These technological advances are often called chip tracking, and they allow a casino to monitor the exact amounts wagered minute by minute. They also enable the casino to discover quickly any statistical deviations from the expected results.
Martin Scorsese’s Casino is a riveting three-hour thriller, and the performances of Robert De Niro as mobster Ginger McKenna and Sharon Stone as the blonde hustler are unforgettable. The movie’s depiction of greed and corruption in the midst of Vegas’ lavishness makes it a compelling story of human tragedy. Moreover, it reveals how the mob lost control of the city to huge gambling corporations.