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Card Sharp Pens Tell-Almost-All Book
Casino History Casino History Nevada Casino History U.S. Gambler (Operators/Players): Cheater: Clint Stone Gambling History Nevada Gambling History U.S. Gambling History: Books Gambling: Cheating Harrah's (Reno, NV) It Really Happened Nevada Reno--Nevada United States

Card Sharp Pens Tell-Almost-All Book

In the autobiographical book Cheater, the author Clint Stone (likely an alias), paints himself as a lifelong gambling cheat. His specialty is mucking, using sleight of hand, one hand in his case, to introduce a…

ByDoresa Banning

March 1, 2024

Wyatt Earp's Main Career Was Gambling
Alaska California Casino History Nevada Casino History U.S. Gambling History Nevada Gambling History U.S. Games / Races: Faro Games / Races: Monte Geographical Areas It Really Happened Nevada Nome--Alaska Oyster Bar (San Diego, CA) San Diego--California Seattle--Washington The Dexter Saloon (Nome, AK) The Northern (Tonopah, NV) The Union Club (Seattle, WA) Tonopah--Nevada Washington Wyatt Earp

Wyatt Earp's Main Career Was Gambling

Wyatt Earp, age 21 Iconic American figure, Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (1848-1929), is heralded for his courageous exploits as a lawman, but he was a gambler first and foremost, often relying on the then-respectable profession…

ByDoresa Banning

September 14, 2022

From a Craps Game to the ICU
California Casino History California Casino History U.S. Chicago--Illinois Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Shooting Dion O'Banion Gambling History California Gambling History U.S. Games / Races: Craps George "Bugs" Moran It Really Happened James "Socks" McDonough Law Enforcement / Judicial System: CA Supreme Court Lee Moore Los Angeles-California San Quentin State Prison (CA) Thomas O'Rourke United States

From a Craps Game to the ICU

1934-1935 An argument between two underworld men devolved into violence during a dance endurance competition in Hollywood, California on April 14, 1934. Explosion of Rage At 7 a.m., the 21th consecutive hour of the walk-a-thon,*…

ByDoresa Banning

June 8, 2022

Lake Mead Didn't Become State Park Due to Gambling
91 Club (Las Vegas, NV) Casino History Nevada Frontier Club (Las Vegas, NV) Gambling Gambling History Gambling History Nevada Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: U.S. Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes Guy McAfee It Really Happened Lake Mead--Nevada Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Pair O' Dice Club Politicians / Politics: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt Politicians / Politics: U.S. Senator (NV) Key D. Pittman United States

Lake Mead Didn't Become State Park Due to Gambling

1939 With the recent discoveries of dead bodies there, Lake Mead in Southern Nevada has been in the news. The 1.5 million acres encompassing this water body and its environs have been a designated national…

ByDoresa Banning

May 25, 2022

The Case of The Errant Keno Ticket
Casino History Nevada Casino History U.S. Club Cal-Neva (Reno, NV) Gambling History Nevada Gambling History U.S. Games / Races: Race Horse Keno It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Nevada Reno--Nevada Samuel "Sam" A. Boyd United States

The Case of The Errant Keno Ticket

1949-1950 In a likely unprecedented event, with all of the necessary equipment on hand, demonstrations of how a local casino operated its race horse keno game were provided to the judge and jury in a…

ByDoresa Banning

May 4, 2022

Gambling Club Suffers Great Losses in 1950s, Part II
Carson City--Nevada Casino History Nevada Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Murder Gaming History It Really Happened Nevada Nevada State Prison (Carson City, NV) Nicholas "Nick" V. Goodman Senator Club (Carson City, NV) United States William "Bill" E. Duffin

Gambling Club Suffers Great Losses in 1950s, Part II

1959-1960 William “Bill” E. Duffin, co-owner of the Senator Club in Carson City, Nevada, was murdered on Christmas morning of 1959 (see Part I). He left behind his wife Gladys, his sister, his nephew, a…

ByDoresa Banning

April 20, 2022

Gambling Club Suffers Great Losses in 1950s, Part I
Carson City--Nevada Casino History Nevada Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing Gambling History Nevada Gambling License Games / Races: 21 / Blackjack Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Tax Commission It Really Happened Nevada Nicholas "Nick" V. Goodman Senator Club (Carson City, NV) Stella C. Vincent United States William "Bill" E. Duffin

Gambling Club Suffers Great Losses in 1950s, Part I

1958-1959 Two major impactful events occurred, one in 1958, the second 1.5 years later, involving the Senator Club, which offered the game 21 and slot machines. Near the Nevada capitol in Carson City, this casino-restaurant-bar…

ByDoresa Banning

April 13, 2022

1891 Crime Inspires Wild West Painting
Artists / Designers: Joachim Lüdcke Casino History Nevada Casino History U.S. Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Robbery / Theft / Embezzling Gambling History Nevada Gambling History U.S. Games / Races: Faro Gaming History H.G. "Doc" Brown It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Pinkerton National Detective Agency Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Pinkerton National Detective Agency: Thomas "Tom" H. Horn Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Pinkerton National Detective Agency: William A. Pinkerton Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Reno Chief of Police John "Jack" M. Kirkley Nevada Reno--Nevada The Owl Club (Spokane, WA) United States

1891 Crime Inspires Wild West Painting

1891-1935 “No matter in which position you face it, whether from front, above, below or at either side, the subject has you constantly under his eyes and his ‘gun.’ In fact, as you move, the…

ByDoresa Banning

April 6, 2022

Three Guys Draw Attention to Reliable Way to Beat the Slots
600 Club (Lewiston, ID) Casino History Nevada Casino History U.S. Club Cal-Neva (Reno, NV) El Cortez Hotel (Reno, NV) Gambler (Operators/Players): Rhythm Boys: Danny Foster Gambler (Operators/Players): Rhythm Boys: Johnny Pugh Gambler (Operators/Players): Rhythm Boys: Robert E. Black Gambling History Nevada Gambling History U.S. Gambling: Methods Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Gaming History It Really Happened Las Vegas--Nevada Lewiston--Idaho Morrey Brodsky Reno--Nevada United States

Three Guys Draw Attention to Reliable Way to Beat the Slots

1950-1952 The Rhythm Boys were all about patterns of sound and movement but in relation to slot machines, not music. Danny Foster, Johnny Pugh and Robert E. Black made $1,000 (about $11,800 today) from playing…

ByDoresa Banning

March 30, 2022

AG Heads Protection Racket for Disallowed Gambling
California Casino History California Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Grafting David "Dave" Nathan Kessel Gambling History California Gambling: Illegal Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: California Crime Commission It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: CA Attorney General Frederick N. Howser Law Enforcement / Judicial System: CA Attorney General Investigator Charles Hoy Law Enforcement / Judicial System: CA Attorney General Investigator Walter Lentz Law Enforcement / Judicial System: CA Attorney General Investigator Wiley "Buck" H. Cadell Tiny Heller United States

AG Heads Protection Racket for Disallowed Gambling

1947-1950 Starting in 1947, Wiley “Buck” H. Cadell used his governmental position to build a statewide system of protection for illegal gambling operations in California, the first such concerted effort of this kind in the…

ByDoresa Banning

March 23, 2022