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Not everything inside a casino is what it seems to be. Here are some casino secrets that the gambling industry doesn’t want you to know about.
01) Casino Carpets Are Ugly… On Purpose
Have you ever looked down in a casino and thought to yourself: ‘Why are casino carpets so busy and ugly?’ Casino carpets are visually awful. They violate every basic design rule. But it’s all on purpose. Why? Research shows that bad carpet is actually good for gaming. The uglier the better. This is for a few reasons:
- Hiding Stains: Most casinos are open 24/7. That doesn’t leave much time to vacuum or wash the carpet. Also, gamblers drop cigarettes and spill drinks on the carpet all the time. A busy pattern helps hide the stains.
- Focus On Gambling: Have you ever wondered ‘Why do casinos have busy floors and dull ceilings?’ The ugly carpet forces you to look away, or up. And the dull ceiling forces you to look down. So there’s only one place to look, straight ahead at the gambling tables.
- Subliminal Suggestions: If you look closely at casino carpets, they typically have shapes and patterns in them. It’s common to find things like rainbows, flowers, and circular shapes. These symbols typically are designed to make you gamble more by inserting concepts like life and luck into your mind.
- Hiding Lost Chips: The wild ugly carpet patterns can also help generate revenue for the casinos. They camouflage gambling chips that have fallen onto the floor. Most casinos will sweep up tons of lost chips every night.
02) Casinos Are Dirty
After Louis Pasteur discovered germs, he refused to shake anyone’s hands, including royalty. He was terrified of contracting germs and diseases. If Pasteur were to walk through a casino today, he’d probably have a heart attack. One of the biggest casino secrets is that casinos are filthy.
Even though casinos have regular cleaning crews, they are often covered with germs, body fluids and sometimes drug residue. Think twice about everything you touch in a casino. The handles and buttons on the slot machines, tables, dice, railings and especially the chips. Dirty casinos are truly disgusting. Here are a few gross things to keep in the mind the next time you are inside a casino:
- Bottles Of Urine: Occasionally casino workers will find containers of urine besides the slot machines. Why? When a casino patron is convinced that a slot machine is about to pay out, that they won’t leave it, even to use the restroom.
- Drugs: Even though they are known for their security, drug use is still very common in many casinos. “People think its perfectly ok to be relatively open with drug use in Vegas” posted casino worker Id_rather_be_lurking on Reddit. “I’ve watched people take bumps at bars and smoke joints in the main casino bathrooms. One guy was dividing up shrooms on the bathroom counter.” Cleaning staff will also sometimes find needles, foil and other drug paraphernalia in casino bathrooms.
- Dirty Chips: Casinos don’t wash their chips very often. Professor Brian Hedlund and a team of students from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas analyzed the chips from several major Las Vegas casinos. They found that the chips were crawling with thousands of germs, bacteria, and micro-organisms including Staphylococcus, Bacillus cereus (common in food poisoning), Micrococcus and Rothia. Long story short, don’t touch anything in a casino if you have a fresh cut on your hand. Wash your hands a lot. And never, ever, ever, “kiss” poker chips or dice for good luck.
03) Time Void
Have you ever left a casino and been surprised at what time it was outside? People will frequently leave a casino and be surprised that the sun is rising and that they’ve been inside the entire night. There are no windows or clocks in casinos. That’s right, casino clocks don’t exist. And the doors are completely blacked out. That’s all by design. Casino time is meant to feel infinite. The more time you spend in a casino, the longer you will gamble.
04) Some Casino Games Have Terrible Odds
Casino gambling is entertainment… with a small opportunity to win some money. But with some games, the House is more likely to win than in others. Not all gambling odds are the same in a casino. Games such as Three-Card Poker, Double Exposure Blackjack, and Caribbean Stud may have bigger payouts, but they also generate bigger losses for the players. The game with the worst odds is the slot machines. The casino games with the best odds are unmodified versions of Blackjack, Craps, and Roulette. Do your homework before you pick a game to play at a casino.
05) Online Casinos: Better Odds & More Variety
Statistically, you a better chance of winning if you gamble from home. Not only do online casinos allow you to play from the comfort of your own home, but their odds are often much better. Online casinos have less overhead and infrastructure to support. As a result, the house edge is usually higher in the player’s favor.
Online casinos also offer more variety. For example, a gambler in the United States can use the Internet to play in several different casinos around the world at the same time. Also, each country will have its own game variations.
06) You Are Being Watched
Physical casinos have cameras everywhere. Just look at the ceiling. There will be a camera every few feet. A security room full of people is watching your every move. They can see everything, even your cards.
07) Undercover Security
Casinos have tons of undercover security agents patrolling the floor on a regular basis. If the casino can’t see an area with a camera, then you can be sure they have eyes there. This includes the bathrooms.
08) Casinos Hire Prop Players & Shills
Look closely at the person sitting next to you in the casino. They might be hired to be there by the casino. Some casinos will hire professional players to help keep the action going and create excitement at the tables.
- Prop Players: A Prop Player will “prop” up select games if it doesn’t have enough players. Prop players are paid an hourly wage by the casino but gamble with their own money.
- Shills: A Shill is similar to a prop player but a Shill has nothing to lose. They play with casino money and will bet big and often inspire other players to do the same.
If you see a table where the dealer or some of the gamblers know each other really well, then walk away. These people are professional gamblers. Why take on a table of pros if you don’t have to.
Casino Secrets And A Healthy Gambling Experience
Don’t feel angry about these casino secrets. Gambling is a business. All businesses will optimize their operations, and casinos aren’t any different. The gambling industry optimizes everything. Keep your gambling experience in perspective and remember that it’s a form of entertainment. Take regular bathroom breaks, wash your hands a lot, and be able to walk away from your gambling experience ready to resume and enjoy your life. If you or someone you know has a gambling addiction, then please get help.
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