Beneath the glitz and glamour of flashing lights and free cocktails, casinos are built on a foundation of mathematics, engineered to slowly bleed patrons of their cash. It’s no wonder that mathematically inclined minds have spent years trying to turn the tables.
From ancient Mesopotamia to Napoleon’s France and Elizabethan England, gambling in one form or another has been a part of human civilization for millennia. Casinos, however, are modern and have largely replaced the old-style gaming halls of past centuries.
In addition to slot machines and table games, most casinos feature a variety of live entertainment venues. Caesars Palace, for example, offers The Colosseum – a two-tier theater that has played host to a host of legendary musicians including Frank Sinatra, Celine Dion and Elton John.
Casino security starts on the floor, where dealers and other workers closely monitor game play for any signs of cheating or impropriety. These people also keep close tabs on the betting patterns of patrons at individual tables, looking for any evidence that a player is “palming” chips, marking cards or switching dice.
Most modern casinos also have a specialized department that oversees surveillance operations and closed circuit television, often called the “eye in the sky”. These people coordinate with the physical security force that patrols the facility to respond to calls for assistance or reports of suspicious activity. They also work with the croupiers and pit bosses to ensure that the rules of each game are followed. They also make regular checks of the game wheels to discover any discrepancies that may indicate tampering or other illegal activity.