A casino is a place where people can gamble on games of chance. Often a casino is a part of a large resort or hotel. It can also be a standalone building. Casinos can be found all over the world. Some are small and intimate, while others are huge and sprawling. The largest casino in the United States is Winstar World Casino in Oklahoma. It contains over a thousand slot machines, horse racing gambling and classic tables like craps and roulette.
Most casinos use video cameras and computer systems to supervise patrons and the games themselves. These technologies make it possible for the casino to oversee exact amounts wagered minute by minute, and to immediately detect any statistical anomalies. Some casinos even have catwalks that enable surveillance personnel to look down, through one-way glass, on activities at the table and on the slots.
Many casinos make their money by taking a percentage of each wager, or by charging an hourly fee to play. In some cases, this fee is called the vig (vigorish) or the house edge. Casinos also earn profits by selling snacks and drinks to patrons, as well as by charging admission to their facilities.
The casino at the elegant spa town of Baden-Baden was once a playground for European royalty and aristocracy, and Marlene Dietrich declared it “the most beautiful casino in the world.” These ten temples of temptation—decked out with opulent furnishings, overflowing bars and blazingly hot tables—take the concept of gambling to new heights.