Beneath the veneer of flashing lights and free drinks, casinos are engineered to slowly bleed their patrons of money. For years, mathematically inclined minds have tried to turn the tables by leveraging their knowledge of probability and game theory, but it’s hard to beat a rigged system.
Casino is arguably Martin Scorsese’s most compelling film. It’s filled with rich characters mired in greed and corruption, yet somehow it manages to make us care about them. Sharon Stone’s Ginger McKenna is a magnetic femme fatale, and Joe Pesci is a believable menace. But the real stars of Casino are the scenes involving violence and murder – all authentically depicted by the film’s cast.
One of the most popular tricks casinos use is strategically placing essential amenities like toilets and restaurants deep within the gaming floor. This forces players to walk past numerous slot machines and tables on their way to cash out or grab a bite, increasing the likelihood of making a spur-of-the-moment decision to keep gambling. In addition, casinos often don’t have clocks on the casino floor and even prohibit dealers from wearing watches to prevent players from keeping track of time and making rational decisions.