Customers gamble by playing slot machines or other games of chance (e.g., craps, roulette, baccarat) and some skill (e.g., blackjack, poker) (for more see casino games). Games usually have mathematically-determined odds that ensure the house has at all times an advantage over the players. This can be expressed more precisely by the notion of expected value, which is uniformly negative (from the player's perspective). This advantage is called the house edge. In games such as poker where players play against each other, the house takes a commission called the rake. Casinos often give out free items, known as comps to people who are gambling. Often, in most casinos, the more money a player uses the more benefits or comps the player gets. The casino determines the comps a player shall receive based upon a formula directly related to the player's average bet, the number of hours of play, and the percentage that the casino will win on the player. Comps can range in anything from free drinks during play to penthouse suites, free airfare, limo service, and free food.
Payout is the percentage won by players.
Playing with house money refers to the situation where a winning player is placing bets with money that has been won from the casino.
Casinos in the United States
Top American Casino Markets by Revenue (2009 Annual Revenues):
- 1. Las Vegas Strip $5.550 billion
- 2. Atlantic City $3.943 billion
- 3. Chicago region $2.092 billion
- 4. Connecticut $1.448 billion
- 5. Detroit $1.36 billion
- 6. St. Louis $1.050 billion
- 7. Tunica, Miss. $997.02 million
- 8. Biloxi, Miss. $833.50 million
- 9. Shreveport, La. $779.65 million
- 10. Boulder Strip (Las Vegas) $774.33 million
- 12. Reno, Nevada $715.23 million
- 15. New Orleans, La. $653.05 million
- 18. Downtown Las Vegas $523.82 million
The Nevada Gaming Control Board divides Clark County, which is coextensive with the Las Vegas metropolitan area, into seven regions for reporting purposes.
Indian gaming has been responsible for a rise in the number of casinos outside of Las Vegas and Atlantic City.
