A casino is an establishment where customers gamble by playing games of chance or skill. Some casinos specialize in a certain game, such as poker, blackjack or craps. Others offer a variety of games, such as video poker and electronic bingo. A casino also offers food, drinks and entertainment. It is possible to win money at a casino, and some casinos charge a minimum bet in order to encourage players to play. The amount of money a player wins is based on the odds of winning a particular game, which are determined by mathematical algorithms. In games of chance, the house always has an advantage over players, and this is called the house edge. In games of skill, the house takes a commission, called rake.
Beneath the flashing lights and free cocktails, casinos are engines engineered to slowly bleed gamblers of their cash. Physicists have tried to turn the tables using their knowledge of probability, but the best way to beat a casino is simple: don’t play. The casinos have other tricks up their sleeves, however. During the 1990s, they dramatically increased the use of technology to supervise their games and detect any statistical deviations from expectations. For example, they have chips with built-in microcircuitry that interact with betting systems in the table, and roulette wheels are electronically monitored to discover any deviations from their expected results. Casinos also employ “chip tracking,” where they record the exact amounts wagered minute-by-minute to monitor and alert patrons of anomalies.
