Games / Races Archives

Bing Crosby California Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Attempted Del Mar Racetrack (Del Mar, CA) Del Mar--California Gambling History Gambling: Parimutuel Games / Races: Horse Racing Gaming History It Really Happened United States

A Man and His Dream: Bing Crosby Opens Horse Racetrack

1937 An armored truck, accompanied by three deputy sheriff cars, was moving $262,000 (about $4.5 million today) the 15 miles from the Del Mar racetrack in California down the coastal highway to a San Diego…

Casino History Eldorado Resort Casino (Reno, NV) Four Queens Casino (Las Vegas, NV) Gambling History Games / Races: Creators / Manufacturers: Bally Distributing Company Games / Races: Creators / Manufacturers: Currency Gaming Devices Inc. Games / Races: Creators / Manufacturers: Dick Graves Games / Races: Creators / Manufacturers: SIRCOMA (Si Redd's Coin Machines) Games / Races: Creators / Manufacturers: William "Si" Redd Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities: Big Bertha Constellations Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities: Big Berthas Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities: Super Berthas Gaming History It Really Happened Nevada Plantation Casino / Rail City Casino (Sparks, NV) United States

Slot Machines Go Big … and Ginormous

1960s-Today The Big Bertha introduced in the 1960s wasn’t a circus lady or a German howitzer; it was a made-in-Nevada slot machine that became iconic. Named for its size, the three-reel device stood 5 to…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Keno Games / Races: Roulette Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities: Big Berthas Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts Silver Spur (Reno, NV) United States

Quick Fact – Spurring On Business

1968 During the grand opening of the Silver Spur casino at 221 N. Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada on July 1, 1968, the ribbon was cut with a silver spur that Audie Murphy used in the…

Architects Architects: Thomas E. Hull Artists / Designers: Tom Douglas Barn Club (Reno, NV) Bonanza Club (Reno, NV) Casino History Chesterfield Syndicate (Detroit, MI) Frank "The Prime Minister" Costello Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Big Six Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History International Casino (Havana, Cuba) Louis "Lou" J. Wertheimer Monte Carlo (Las Vegas, NV) Nevada Tropicana (Havana, Cuba) United States

Mobbed Up Casino Opens in The Biggest Little City

1944 The debut of the Bonanza Club* on October 3, 1944 in Reno, Nevada, was doubly significant. Formerly the Barn Club, the new casino was regarded as one of, if not, the finest in the…

Gambling Currency: Coins Gambling Currency: Tokens / Bingles Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Commission Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board It Really Happened Nevada

Got Coins?

1965 The U.S. suffered a shortage of coins in 1965. And that led to decreased business for Nevada’s largest industry — gambling. Usage of half-dollars, common in casinos then for table games and one-armed bandits,…

California Casino History Charles "Chuck" J. Delmonico / Charles Tourine, Jr. Crimes / Violence / Punishments Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing: Card Spying Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Extortion Flamingo (Las Vegas, NV) Gambler (Operators/Players): High Rollers: Nicholas "Nick the Greek" A. Dandolos Gambler (Operators/Players): High Rollers: Raymond "Ray" J. Ryan Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Debt Games / Races: Poker Gaming History It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Marshall Caifano / Johnny Marshall Nevada Palm Springs--California Thunderbird (Las Vegas, NV) United States

A Rare Case: High Roller Defies, Tattles on Mobsters

1963-1964 Mobsters Marshall Caifano (aka Johnny Marshall) and Charles Delmonico were arrested in Las Vegas on a federal warrant in July 1963 for conspiracy to commit extortion and engaging in interstate transportation in the aid…