If you’re like most people, you walk into the Luxor, Mohegan Sun or Tropicana brimming with confidence, your wallet filled with cash and plans for a bit of enjoyable, sensible gaming and maybe two rounds of cocktails. But then, hours later you’re sucked into the casino’s whirlwind and don’t have a clue what time it is or how much money you’ve spent. Every aspect of a casino is designed to lead you into spending more money, from the sounds to the lights and the physical design. Read on to find out nine tricks casinos use to keep you spending more than you intend.
The most famous example is the slot machine. Modern slot machines can have a variety of appearances, from those with physical spinning reels to ones that replicate them on a video screen, but they all function the same way: You insert your currency, spin and hope for the best. Most slots don’t even have a clock on them so that you lose track of time and don’t realize how many hours you’ve been gambling or drinking.
Martin Scorsese’s Casino is, in some ways, Goodfellas dialled up to 11. With Robert De Niro at his best and Sharon Stone a perfect foil as casino owner Ginger McKenna, this film is an engrossing watch throughout. Joe Pesci also impresses as mob-loyal muscle Nicky Santoro and the dynamic between him and Rothstein keeps the three-hour running time riveting.