Image: S Lubenow/LOOK-foto/LOOK/Getty Images
About This Quiz
Casinos are like adult playgrounds where you can indulge in one of the ultimate vices -- gambling. Before you put your cash on the line, however, it may serve you to better understand the different types of games you can play. HowStuffWorks will bet you that some answers on the casino games quiz will surprise even the most seasoned card sharks.
What do you call the statistical advantage a casino has over its patrons?
hot
vig
The casino advantage is known as the "vig" (short for vigorish), or the rake, depending on the game.
sly
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Which European city is home to the world's first casino?
London
Paris
Venice
In 1638, the government of Venice opened the Ridotto, the first government-sanctioned, public gambling house.
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Which casino game offers you the best statistical chance of winning?
blackjack
The casino edge for blackjack is generally 2 percent, while it has a 25 percent edge for slot machines and a 5 to 7 percent edge for roulette.
roulette
slot machines
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How many spaces does a roulette wheel have?
24
38
Roulette wheels have 38 spaces numbered 1 to 36, with two additional slots for 0 and 00.
52
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What percentage of the overall annual gaming profits do slot machines bring in?
40 percent
60 percent
Slot machines bring in more than 60 percent of annual gaming revenue in the United States.
80 percent
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In poker, what does it mean when a player is "on a tilt"?
The player is emotionally upset and starts making mistakes.
When players make mistakes because something upsets them emotionally, it's called a "tilt" or "being on a tilt." An example might be a player who is a huge favorite in a hand but loses to an opponent who hits a miracle card.
The player has had a string of winning hands.
The player has just been dealt a strong hand.
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When counting cards in blackjack, which cards do you track?
You track the entire deck.
You track 2s through 6s.
You track 10s and aces.
Counters make no attempt to keep track of every card in the deck. They simply track the concentration of 10s and aces because when the deck is rich in 10s, the player gets more blackjacks.
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Where in the United States did poker originate?
Las Vegas
New Orleans
Early French settlers who came to New Orleans played a card game called poque, which involved bluffing and betting. Persian sailors, at port in New Orleans, taught the French settlers a game called âs, which uses decks of cards comprised of five suits. Most likely, these two games merged into what we know as poker.
New York
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Which popular casino game involves betting on numbers that will be drawn in a lottery?
gleek
keno
In keno, the player may mark anywhere from one through 20 numbers on a card, which has 80 numbers arranged in eight rows of 10. The player then takes the card to a keno writer and places a bet that the numbers selected will be among the 20 drawn in the next game.
red dog
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About how much revenue did the American gaming industry make in 2006?
$10 billion
$50 billion
$90 billion
The gross gambling revenue in 2006 was $90.93 billion.
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You Got:
/10
S Lubenow/LOOK-foto/LOOK/Getty Images
Image: S Lubenow/LOOK-foto/LOOK/Getty Images
About This Quiz
Casinos are like adult playgrounds where you can indulge in one of the ultimate vices -- gambling. Before you put your cash on the line, however, it may serve you to better understand the different types of games you can play. HowStuffWorks will bet you that some answers on the casino games quiz will surprise even the most seasoned card sharks.
